If there's a team that badly needs a win against a top competitor right now, it's Manchester United. The Red Devils shockingly only have five wins in 14 matches in the top flight this year, and Jose Mourinho needs something going in his direction once again. Opportunity is there for sure this weekend at home, but it's worth remembering that Tottenham has the best defense in the Premier League thus far this season and will be tough to crack.
At 9:15 a.m. ET, tune into NBC Sports Network for live television coverage of this BPL match on Sunday, December 11, 2016, at Old Trafford.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Manchester United +125
Tottenham +248
Draw +225
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
Thanks to said Tottenham defense, the total in this match is actually relatively low at 2.5 with -120 vig on the under. The Spurs have allowed just 10 goals in 14 matches this season, and no clean sheet is a surprising one now that Hugo Lloris is back in the pipes and playing at a very high form since returning from his fall injury.
United, probably more on name than anything else, is set at +125 on the moneyline and is expected to win this match almost half the time.
Key Injuries
Mourinho can blame a lot of things for his lack of success at Manchester United, but injuries, at least at the moment, aren't one of them. Luke Shaw got dinged up in the EFL Cup a week and a half ago and may or may not be ready to go in this one on Sunday, and Chris Smalling has been fighting a toe injury. Aside from that, there isn't anything to worry about on the injury front.
Both Ben Davies and Erik Lamela went down for the Spurs with injuries in November, and neither one has returned since that point. There's also a mild concern about Vincent Janssen, who sat out last week against Swansea with an ankle injury, though reports suggest he'll be available for selection in this match.
Recent Form
Manchester United's EPL form has been woeful by its own standards of late. The team has three straight 1-1 draws against Everton, West Ham and Arsenal, and its last win in major competition came at dreadful Swansea on November 6. Believe it or not, that's the lone three-pointer Mourinho has since September 24 for the Red Devils domestically.
Tottenham is in goal scoring form right now for sure. In November and early December, the Spurs have 14 goals in six matches, including eight in its last two against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League and Swansea. Perhaps that victory over the Swans last week can be the nudge in the right direction again after some suspect form that sent the team from towards the top of the table to fifth best and ended the Champions League dream for another year.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Christian Eriksen is playing tremendous ball right now for the Spurs, and Toby Alderweireld's return was a big boost as well. Are we ready to anoint Tottenham as a legit Premier League title contender again? Not quite. But three points here at Old Trafford would go a long way towards helping that out.
Manchester United just doesn't look right at the moment, and its match in the Europa League is going to be far more important this Thursday than Tottenham's was on Wednesday against CSKA. Emotions could be riding high here as well, especially if the Red Devils are knocked out of the secondary tournament in front of their hometown fans.
If we had to hazard a guess, we'd say that Tottenham is the better of these two teams at the moment, and if nothing else, getting that hefty +248 price on the moneyline is just too good to pass on. Take the Asian Handicap and give yourself the out in the event of the draw as well, but we'll fancy the three points for the guests to make life even tougher on Mourinho.
BPL Odds: Tottenham 3, Manchester United 1
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