No team in the Premier League has given up more goals than Sunderland at 13.
If the Black Cats want to survive this season, they're going to have to shore up at the back, a problem which will probably be rearing its ugly head again this week against Manchester United.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Red Devils are easily the biggest favorites of the week in the Premier League, and they are also the biggest favorites we have seen in the EPL this year as well to date. They're -400 favorites on the moneyline and two-goal favorites on the Asian Handicap.
As a result of the high spread, the total is understandably high at a flat 3.
KEY INJURIES
The really sad part about all of this for Sunderland is that it really isn't having any injury woes, yet it is still at the foot of the table through six fixtures. The Black Cats didn't have John O'Shea at the back against Bournemouth last weekend, but that was merely due to an illness, and he should be back in this match.
Manchester United is relatively healthy as well, as it is only playing without Luke Shaw and Phil Jones, neither of which are truly vital cogs with a team as deep as the one Louis van Gaal has at his disposal.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I will think about myself, what I did wrong – the meeting, the training, the wrong lineup, whatever. I also told them you have to face it yourselves as well. I'm angry." – Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat following a shocking 2-0 loss against newly promoted Bournemouth last weekend
RECENT FORM
As Advocaat also said in that press conference, two points in six matches just isn't good enough, and saying that there are 32 matches left to play isn't going to cut it. Leicester City might have pulled off the great escape last season, but it is very rare that teams which are in the gutter more than a couple months in the year survive the drop. Sunderland hasn't scored a goal in September yet with two shutout losses to Bournemouth and Tottenham, and that just won't cut it if it is going to stay up for 2016.
Sunday had the potential to be a really bad day for Manchester United. The team was coming off of a 2-1 loss at PSV in the Champions League, and getting just four days to get home from Holland to visit St. Mary's Stadium could've been catastrophic. It really could've gone south when the Saints opened up the scoring. Instead, Man U stepped up and struck three straight times and held on for a 3-2 win, a second straight big win in the Premier League after a 2-1 loss at Swansea to end August.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
After really struggling to put the ball in the back of the net at the start of the year, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial are scoring at will with five strikes between them, and Memphis Depay is creating a ton of space with 21 shots, four of which have hit the target. Even Wayne Rooney is looking a little bit better, too.
If this is the way it's all going to come together for Manchester United in this game, this won't be an issue to get three points. Sunderland's defense is playing terribly at the moment, and we suspect that it will be another game in which Billy Jones and Younes Kaboul end up getting abused at the back, leaving Costel Pantilimon with far too many shots to face.
Manchester United 3, Sunderland 0
BookMaker has live EPL odds for every clash of the season. You can find a moneyline price on Manchester United of -400 and a total of 3 right now! BookMaker is also going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised match. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, total and spread. Log in and start gambling during the soccer game now!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The fixture between Manchester United and Sunderland will take place at 10:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at Old Trafford. The game will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Live Extra.
