The Manchester Derby is the best game of the week, and all eyes will be on the Etihad Stadium this Sunday when Manchester City hosts Manchester United. Neither team is living up to expectations this season with City stuck in third place and United in sixth place after 15 matches. One of these two teams will deal with more disappointment, while the other will have bragging rights and something to feel good about with Christmas right around the corner. Any sort of result would be celebrated by United, while City will only be happy with all three points. Manchester City are hefty favorites on the three way line per the Premier League betting odds.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 7, 2019. Catch every moment of the match live on NBC.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Manchester City -323
Manchester United +832
Draw +455
Over/Under 3 and 3.5
Odds Analysis
It’s been a bad year for City according to their lofty standards. Pep Guardiola’s club was hoping to become just the second team to ever win three straight Premier League titles, but those hopes are far-fetched at this point. City are 10-2-3, and while that’s great for most teams, it has the Citizens 11 points behind league leaders Liverpool. They are still pouring in goals at a prodigious rate, yet they are dropping points in unusual spots, losing on the road to Norwich and drawing with Newcastle along the Tyne.
City are coming off a 4-1 victory over Burnley on Tuesday though. Gabriel Jesus notched a brace with goals on either side of halftime, and Rodri and Riyad Mahrez joined the party in a game where the Citizens were without Sergio Aguero.
Manchester United are a soap opera once more. Paul Pogba has stated that he wants out of Old Trafford yet again, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is trying to hold everything together. He has the board’s support for now as they realize it’s going to take some time to fix everything that was wrong at Old Trafford, but he must have the Red Devils competitive soon.
Solskjaer and United got a big lift on Wednesday when they beat former manager Jose Mourinho with his new club Tottenham Hotspur. Marcus Rashford scored both United goals in the 2-1 win, but the Red Devils are still eight points back of Chelsea for a spot in the top four.
Key Injuries
Aymeric Laporte remains out for Manchester City due to a knee injury, and Leroy Sane remains out as well for a similar reason. Aguero will miss at lest one more game due to a thigh injury, depriving City of one of their best offensive weapons, and Oleksandr Zinchenko is considered doubtful.
Anthony Martial, Marcos Rojo, Diogo Dalot, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, and Eric Bertrand Bailly have all been ruled out for United. None of the injuries are major though, and all five players could be back by Boxing Day. Pogba and Nemanja Matic are both doubtful to play.
Player to Watch
Marcus Rashford is having an excellent season for United. He leads the team with nine goals, and the young forward is quickly becoming the team’s leader with Pogba looking to move on. Rashford is just 22 years old, so the English national has his best football ahead of him, and Solskjaer knows how important he is to this club’s success.
Prop Bet – Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals +105
Even without Aguero, City should have little trouble scoring on the Red Devils. Manchester United have allowed eight goals in all competitions in their last four games, and they have conceded multiple goals to clubs like Sheffield United, Aston Villa, and Astana. That bodes well for an offensive onslaught for City.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Look for a one-sided blowout here. Manchester City are significantly better than their city rivals, and they will want to make a statement on Saturday.
English Premier League Odds: Manchester City 4, Manchester United 1
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!
