What odds could you have gotten heading into the last set of fixtures before Christmas in the Premier League that West Brom and Manchester United would be separated by exactly one spot on the table? Soccer is a funny game though, and this is where we're at right now. Now, these two teams are playing against other with a chance for the Baggies to close this gap dramatically.
This EPL duel will go down Saturday, December 17, 2016, at 12:30 p.m. ET at The Hawthorns. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
West Brom +430
Manchester United -145
Draw +285
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
You wouldn't know that these two teams were so close to each other based on this betting line. The Red Devils are on the road, but they're still the favorites and the odds-on favorites at that at -145. The Baggies, who have played really well at 4-2-2 at The Hawthorns this year, can be had at a pretty heavy price of +430.
The total of 2.5 with -125 vig on the under is incredibly low by EPL standards nowadays, though it tells the tale of two teams that have played pretty darn well defensively this term.
Key Injuries
The Red Devils aren't totally healthy at this point, but it's hard to say that Jose Mourinho is really bothered by tremendous problems for this juncture of the campaign. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has an ankle problem that is going to keep him out for at least one more week, while Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling are both sidelined as well.
WBA has amazingly done all of this in 2016-17 with Saido Berahino on the shelf due to a lack of match fitness. He's only started in three games this year and has yet to score a goal, so it's hard to say that he's a "key injury," per se.
Recent Form
West Brom scored a 3-1 win over struggling Swansea City on Wednesday afternoon to move into seventh place on the EPL table. That's the team's third straight big time win at home after a bad 4-0 loss to Manchester City on October 29. The team has since blasted Burnley 4-0, Watford 3-1 and that victory over the Swans.
United has taken care of business in three straight matches across all competitions, including winning 2-1 on Wednesday in a big match at Crystal Palace. Selhurst Park is a bit of a nightmare to travel to sometimes, and the Red Devils deserve plenty of credit for the three points picked up there.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
It's really a tough sell to imagine WBA continuing to be this competitive this season. This isn't a particularly deep or talented team, and Tony Pulis is getting everything he can out of Salomon Rondon, Matthew Phillips and Nacer Chadli as attacking options with Berahino sidelined.
But if we're being honest, it's going to be tough to get anything positive going against Manchester United. The Red Devils are supremely talented for sure, and when West Brom has faced those top teams this year, the results haven't been great, not the least of which was that 4-0 thrashing right here at The Hawthorns to Manchester City.
We suspect the oddsmakers got this one right. There's just a big difference between bagging three goals against Swansea City and doing anything of the sorts against Manchester United, particularly with just one attacking option and 10 men generally kept behind the ball. The under is probably a good play as well, but we fancy Man U to get the three points in a match where the Baggies are held scoreless.
EPL Odds: Manchester United 1, West Brom 0
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
