Manchester United host Liverpool with the visitors in desperate need of a win to keep their top-four hopes alive. Jake Pearson previews the match, providing two best bets and a score prediction.
Football betting tips: Manchester United v Liverpool
1pt on the Draw at 11/4 (Unibet)
1pt Both Teams To Score ‘No’ at 8/5 (BetVictor, BoyleSports)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made no bones about the fact he would field a weakened team during Manchester United’s run of four games in eight days, and he was true to his word against Leicester on Tuesday evening, making 10 changes to the side that beat Aston Villa in their previous fixture.
The likes of Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford were left on the bench, while there were rare starts for the likes of Juan Mata and Donny van de Beek.
United ultimately paid the price, losing 2-1 thanks to a Caglar Soyuncu goal, which was good news for Sporting Life readers as the Leicester defender was tipped to score anytime at a massive price of 30/1.
Despite fielding a less than full strength starting XI against Leicester, it is unlikely that Solskjaer will do the same against Liverpool, the Norwegian manager knowing as well as anyone what this fixture means to Manchester United fans.
Also, United do not play again until Tuesday, when they host already-relegated Fulham, so there is every chance that the likes of Fernandes, Pogba and Rashford will be drafted back into the team to try and deny their bitter rivals a spot in next season’s Champions League.
For Liverpool, it is pretty much now or never as far as the top four is concerned. A victory would keep Leicester and Chelsea within sight but the Reds must realistically win all four of their remaining games to have a chance of catching either - and even then it might not be enough.
Jurgen Klopp's Reds have undergone a mini revival in the past couple of months and are now unbeaten in their past six Premier League matches, so will be relatively confident coming into this fixture, but Manchester United have not lost to Liverpool at Old Trafford since March 2014, and they will be desperate to maintain that record.
Manchester United v Liverpool head-to-head
Since that defeat, the two sides have met at Old Trafford eight times across various competitions, with United winning four, and the other four ending in a draw - and it is the draw that makes the most appeal in this particular fixture as well.
In fact, four of the last six meetings between these two sides in Manchester have ended level, and a price of 11/4 for the same to happen again on Thursday evening seems generous.
Consider also that only Brighton, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion have drawn more matches than Manchester United this season, while Liverpool sit joint sixth for the most draws in the league this term, with only two sides drawing more away matches than Klopp’s men throughout the campaign.
All this points towards a DRAW, particularly when you consider United have already drawn five of their nine fixtures against other members of the traditional ‘Big Six’ this season.
Also, all five of those United draws against the ‘Big Six’ came via a scoreline of 0-0, with 'Both Teams To Score' landing in just two of the nine matches.
Given both teams have also failed to score in four of Liverpool’s nine matches against the ‘Big Six’ this season, including a 0-0 against Manchester United at Anfield earlier in the campaign, there also looks to be value in siding with the 8/5 about BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE ‘NO’ in this fixture.
Manchester United v Liverpool best bets and score prediction
- 1pt on the Draw at 11/4 (Unibet)
- 1pt Both Teams To Score ‘NO’ at 8/5 (BetVictor)
Score prediction: Manchester United 0-0 Liverpool (Sky Bet odds: 14/1)
Odds correct at 1200 BST (12/05/21)
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