Few people outside of Stamford Bridge expected Chelsea to be level at the top of the table with Manchester City and Liverpool at this point of the season. The Blues have picked up points in every game so far, and it’s not just lower tier teams they have knocked off. A win over Arsenal and a draw against Liverpool are some key results to have in the bag, especially with a manager this is still installing his offense. Chelsea are looking to pick up another big win, and get a spot of revenge against a former manager, when they take on Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United on Saturday.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Stamford Bridge in London, England at 7:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, October 20, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBCSN.
English Premier League Betting at BookMaker.eu
Manchester United +397
Chelsea -149
Draw +286
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
Manchester United look like they will stand pat and hold the course with Mourinho for the time being. There have been repeated calls from members of the media to fire ‘The Chosen One’, but the fans have rallied around him and are still believers. It looked like Mourinho was set to be sacked early on last week in the Red Devils’ match with Newcastle United. They fell behind 2-0 inside of 10 minutes, but they rallied in the second half with three goals over the last 20 minutes to get the win. That comeback win was desperately needed and has bought Mourinho some more time to turn it around.
The Blues continue to answer the bell. They have yet to lose a match this season in any competition, and that has them in great shape in both the Premier League and the Europa League. Chelsea’s last match was against Southampton before the international break, and the Blues had no problem dispatching of the Saints on the road. Eden Hazard opened the scoring in the 30th minute, and Ross Barkley and Alvaro Morata added to the tally in the second half to give Chelsea a 3-0 win.
Key Injuries
Both clubs are keeping their fingers crossed that none of their players get injured during the international break. Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger is listed as questionable for this match with a groin injury and withdrew from Germany’s squad over the break for rest. However, defender Ethan Ampadu suffered a knee knock in Wales’ clash with Spain, and he has yet to be evaluated by the club.
Manchester United currently have six players on the injury report. Midfielder Ander Herrera and defender Marcos Rojo missed the club’s last match, but they have returned to practice and might feature against Chelsea. Defenders Phil Jones and Luke Shaw, as well as midfielder Jesse Lingard, missed England’s clash with Spain on Monday in an effort to be match fit for this one too. Midfielder Nemanja Matic looks set to return to the club as well.
Matchup to Watch
The Premier League only had a handful of quality goalkeepers last season, but this season the league is home to some of the best in the world. This match will feature a clash between the old guard and the new when Spanish goalkeeepers David De Gea and Kepa take the pitch.
De Gea has been one of the best in England for some time. He was the Golden Glove winner last season for posting 18 clean sheets with Manchester United, and he was a big reason why the Red Devils finished runner-up in the table. Kepa came over to Chelsea as the most expensive goalkeeper in the world, smashing the previous record set by Liverpool’s Alisson just a month earlier. He has looked sharp in net as well, and he has more than shored up the position after Thibaut Courtois left.
Prop Bet of the Game – 0-0 Finish at +804
When the top Premier League teams have clashed, it has typically led to a low-scoring game this season. Liverpool and Manchester City fought to a 0-0 draw last week, and Chelsea finished tied at one with Liverpool a week earlier. With two of the top goalkeepers in the world facing off in this one, I think the under is a good bet once more. It can take a game or two to re-discover pace and chemistry after the international break, and I see this one being dominated by the goalkeepers.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The draw and the under are the two best plays on the board in this one. Even if you don’t want to risk the 0-0 draw at those odds, those two bets are solid.
English Premier League Odds: Manchester United 0, Chelsea 0
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