Manchester United is direly trying to find a striker to put in the fold this year to replace awful aging options who haven't panned out. It's entirely possible that Romelu Lukaku could be on his way to Old Trafford soon, but that clearly won't happen in time for the Red Devils' match against Southampton on Saturday.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Manchester United -120
Southampton +380
Draw +245
Over/Under 2 (over -135)
ODDS ANALYSIS
It isn't often that we see totals set at a flat 2 any longer in the Premier League, but Manchester United seems to be the exception to that rule. The Red Devils are the bosses of under matches, and they're again up against the low number with Southampton on the other side of the pitch.
Man U is the slight -120 favorite at home, and once again, a Red Devils' 1-0 victory is the favored result to happen on this day.
KEY INJURIES
Health is starting to become less of a concern for Manchester United. Some of the key cogs are back in the fold, and it's entirely possible that Bastian Schweinsteiger will make his return from a knee injury in time for this match against the Saints. Ashley Young's status is worth monitoring as well, as he left the pitch against Liverpool last weekend with what was classified as a mild knee sprain.
Southampton is still without Jay Rodriguez, who has been out for much of the season, but it's possible that Maarten Stekelenburg could be back in the pipes after sitting out with a hamstring injury against Watford last week.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We have started the year very well with a lot of wins, and I think this game will give a big boost to everyone in the environment of Manchester United. I hope we can continue winning – that's why we are here." – Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal on the importance of last week's 1-0 win at Liverpool
RECENT FORM
Southampton flirted with the dangers of relegation for a while, especially after losing to both Norwich City and Crystal Palace to start off the term. The team still hasn't won a game on the road since November 7 and has had four successive defeats since that point, but at least the Saints are in good form now after whipping up on both Watford and WBA by an aggregate score of 5-0.
United has had some warts of late, but everything is trending in the right direction. The Red Devils stole three vital points at Anfield last weekend, and that's now four straight matches with a goal, no small feat for a team which has struggled mightily up front all year long.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
We really wonder if Wayne Rooney's goal against Liverpool is going to be what finally gets him started. The threat of bring in someone like Lukaku could also be a spark for him.
Van Gaal doesn't need Rooney to be the great creator that he used to be when he was running in the 4-4-2, but he needs him to be a finisher and get the ball on net when opportunities present themselves.
The Saints have been relatively stingy at the back, so this is a low-scoring game waiting to happen. In the end, we do think the Red Devils will strike once, and not only will that be good enough to take three points, but it might be good enough to get them back in the Top 4 as well with a real chance to move on the title in the coming weeks.
Manchester United 1, Southampton 0
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