No matter how good Manchester United and Manchester City are, their rivalry transcends just about anything else in the Premier League. When they're both sitting at the top of the EPL and matches against the other could legitimately be the decisive factor in the championship, they're spectacles that all soccer fans will make can't miss viewing.
This EPL duel will go down Saturday, September 10, 2016, at 7:30 a.m. ET at Old Trafford. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Manchester United +125
Manchester City +240
Draw +230
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
There aren't many matches this year in which you'll see Manchester City as a dog, but this is one of them. The Citizens, in spite of their flawless start to the campaign, are +240 on the road. Of course, it's also worth noting that Manchester United has three wins in three matches as well, and we could just as easily suggest there won't be another match this year in which the Red Devils will be anything less than odds-on favorites at Old Trafford.
With so much on the line, it's not surprising that the total in this one is a little on the low side for the caliber of offenses on the pitch. The number to beat is 2.5 with -118 vig on the under.
Key Injuries
The Citizens definitely have some holes in the lineup and are nowhere near 100 percent at this point. Claudio Bravo is the team's new keeper, but it's unknown whether he's going to be up to speed enough to feature in this match. If not though, Joe Hart is gone, so the team will be counting on a de facto third-string goalie.
Vincent Kompany is still fighting through a thigh injury, while Ilkay Gundogan is out for at least another couple weeks with a knee injury. Throw in the ban Sergio Aguero is in the middle of and the fact that Bacary Sagna is still trying to get healthy from the knock he suffered during a Champions League qualifier a couple weeks ago, and Pep Guardiola has a mess on his hands.
Jose Mourinho doesn't exactly have a side without issues either, though. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has played so well at the start of this season for the Red Devils, suffered a rib injury while on international duty with Armenia, and he doesn't know if he's going to be ready for this most crucial match. Luke Shaw has a calf injury and is up in the air, while Marouane Fellaini is coming off of a back injury that Mourinho classified as "bad" two weeks ago against Hull City.
Recent Form
It's really hard to complain about anything these two teams have done thus far this year. Both teams are 3-for-3 in the win department, and both are clearly going to be screaming towards a Top 4 finish and should contend for the title. United also has a 2-1 win over Leicester City in the Community Shield. City has already made it through a round of Champions League play by beating Steaua Bucharest.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
It's really hard to go against Man City at this point, but if we're being honest, the better team on the pitch is probably Mourinho's. The Red Devils seem to have figured out their play at the back with Eric Bailly, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia, and so long as these men and David De Gea remain on the same page, the hosts should certainly snare at least a point.
If Manchester City was a totally healthy squad, we might feel different about this one. With five world class starters out though, we're not sure. We'll probably be all over the Citizens when the two teams switch to the Ethiad later in the year, but for the time being, we'll be rolling with the Red Devils for an emphatic win in the Manchester Derby.
EPL Odds: Manchester United 2, Manchester City 0
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