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Manchester United host Chelsea on Sunday in one of the most exciting fixtures of the Premier League season so far.
Both teams have title ambitions of course and this match could go a long way to setting the tone for the remainder of the campaign.
Victory for United and they are five points clear of Chelsea, victory for the away side and they will have proven some early season critics wrong.
Already this year, the quest for 1st place has been labelled as a two horse race between both Manchester clubs. Well, Chelsea will have something to say about this and it starts this weekend.
Make no mistake about it though, Manchester United have been sublime so far this year. They have scored goals for fun, looked assured at the back and blended an exciting group of young players together like they have been doing so for years and years.
However, the 1-1 draw in Benfica on Wednesday proved that they can be vulnerable and Chelsea will look to exploit this.
As for Andre Villas-Boas’ men, they have been solid so far in the Premier League. There is probably not a more suitable word for it. They have got the job done against West Brom, Norwich and Sunderland, but it is United that have grabbed all the headlines so far.
They will be buoyed by their positive Champions League result in midweek though and they will also be happy with the impact Juan Mata has made since arriving from Valencia.
They will know how important this contest at Old Trafford is though and with the pressure on both sides in this first big clash of the campaign, it should be entertaining from start to finish.
Match odds
Given the form they are in and given their home advantage, it is no surprise that Manchester United are favourites for this one. You can back the Red Devils to secure three points at 1.83 (5/6) with Bet365.
Chelsea are the outsiders at 5.00 (4/1) with BetFred, so there is plenty of value backing them if you fancy a bit of an upset. The draw is available 3.50 (5/2) and this could be a popular selection for this one.
Correct score
This is always a difficult one to predict in big games like this, but if you fancy United to edge it, there are respectable odds of 10.00 (9/1) for a 2-1 home win with Ladbrokes.
Super Sunday matches have flattered to deceive before of course, so if you expect this one to be the same with neither team wanting to lose, you can back 0-0 at 13.00 (12/1).
Then, if you think Villas Boas and his team can upset the United momentum with a win, the best odds available are with Paddy Power who have a 1-0 Chelsea win down at odds of 14.00 (13/1).
First goalscorer
Wayne Rooney (5.00 / 4/1) is unsurprisingly leading the way in this market, closely followed by team-mates Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck. Chelsea’s most likely player to open the scoring is Didier Drogba, available at 9.00 (8/1) with Bet365.
It is always good to go a bit left field with this one though. So if you want more value for your bet, go for Anderson at 26.00 (25/1), David Luiz at 34.00 (33/1) or even Rio Ferdinand – who is expected to play – at 51.00 (50/1) with BetFred.
Recommended bets
Manchester United to win 2-1 @ 10.00 (9/1)
Anderson to score first @ 26.00 (27/1)
