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Manchester United vs Chelsea betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
Football betting tips: Premier League
1pt Diogo Dalot 1+ assists at 17/2 (William Hill)
1pt Noussair Mazraoui 1+ assists at 9/1 (bet365)
BuildABet @ 5/1
- Bruno Fernandes 1+ shots on target
- Pedro Neto 1+ shots on target
- 12+ match corners
We still await confirmation of Rúben Amorim's appointment as Manchester United manager/Rúben Amorim is the Manchester United manager but not for a few more weeks/Rúben Amorim has surprised us all by taking charge of Manchester United's contest with Chelsea on Sunday (select as applicable depending on when you're reading this).
Erik ten Hag's ultimately underwhelming reign at Old Trafford was brought to an end on Monday with the timing of their decision particularly baffling.
Why then and not the summer? What were they hoping would happen? Yes, they have been unfortunate with injuries but the problems have been obvious for a long time now.
Ruud van Nistelrooy is the latest ex-player to get an interim spell. His first game in charge was a 5-2 thrashing of Leicester in the Carabao Cup - maybe United's approach to management should be a constant five-game rotation of players from the Ferguson era.
Chelsea pose a tough test given the strength of their attacking unit. While it may be an obvious statement to say following on from the last game at this venue which saw seven goals, this does have the potential for plenty of action at both ends of the pitch.
It's rightly given the main slot on Super Sunday, don't let us down, eh?
What are the best bets?
Van Nistelrooy's PSV side in 2022/23 were staggeringly good at scoring goals from counter attacks. The total of 12 was well clear of any other side in the Eredivisie - it made up 14% of their goals scored.
The same can't be said for the Manchester United of last season, or indeed the current campaign for that matter. The ratio of counter attack goals to total goals in 23/24 for Ten Hag's outfit was 5% - just three from 38 outings.
In fairness, PSV's squad was filled with talent in that campaign as they possessed Cody Gakpo, Noni Madueke and Xavi Simons but there is the right sort of balance to this United group which can allow Van Nistelrooy to deploy a counter approach.
That could work perfectly too against a Chelsea side who frequently leave gaps to exploit given their own style of play.
The full-backs are a key part of this and we've already seen it in action with DIOGO DALOT registering an ASSIST in the win over Leicester. I'll take the 17/2 on another coming here.
Driving into an advanced position, Dalot's perfectly-weighted low cross found Alejandro Garnacho to convert from close range.
Alejandro Garnacho scores Man United's second goal 👏 pic.twitter.com/ORnXTWj052
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 30, 2024
Watching PSV games back from Van Nistelrooy's period at the helm, it seems obvious that the positioning of full-backs is key because they are expected to contribute in attack.
Even if it isn't through a driving run forward or looking to beat a defender, being an option for a winger to pass back to when the cross isn't on for them proved to be a successful route to go.
Jordan Teze registered a couple of assists by floating in a cross for someone to convert after receiving a simple pass from a wide player. Ki-Jana Hoever got two assists in one game by finding Anwar El-Ghazi at the far post.
I'll also take the 9/1 on NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI 1+ ASSISTS, even if PSV demonstrated a slight preference to attack down their right.
Mazraoui should be in at left-back despite Lisandro Martinez featuring there in the Carabao Cup and he already has an assist on his tally this season.
I'm actually quite curious about Martinez's potential to start again in that role because of the fact he's naturally left-footed. If so, you can get 22s on an assist, although it likely results in Dalot seeing more of the opportunities.
Team news
Van Nistelrooy will be without a number of players as he prepares to take charge of his first Premier League game at the club.
Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo and centre-back Harry Maguire are unlikely to feature, while left-backs Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw are still unavailable.
Mazraoui could therefore remain on the left side of the defence as he did against West Ham, with Dalot on the right. Leny Yoro is closing in on a return but Sunday will be too soon.
Antony, Christian Eriksen and Mason Mount are also sidelined.
For Chelsea, Jadon Sancho is ineligible to face his parent club following his loan switch from Old Trafford in the summer.
Predicted line-ups
Manchester United XI: Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Ugarte, Casemiro; Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho; Zirkzee.
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, James; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson.
Match facts
- Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 11 home league games against Chelsea (W5 D6), and are looking to win three in a row against the Blues at Old Trafford for the first time since January 1957.
- Despite trailing in stoppage time, Chelsea won their last Premier League game against Man Utd 4-3 in April. They last won consecutive league meetings with the Red Devils in March 2011 (a run of three).
- Manchester United vs Chelsea is the most drawn fixture in Premier League history, with 26 of the previous 64 meetings between the sides finishing level.
- Manchester United have picked up just 11 points after nine Premier League matches this season (W3 D2 L4), their second-fewest after nine games ahead only of 2019-20 (10). The only two times they have lost four of their first nine Premier League games have been in each of the last two campaigns under Erik ten Hag.
- Chelsea have named the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League this season (23 years, 206 days). In their 2-1 win over Newcastle, they became just the second team in Premier League history to not name a single outfield player aged 25+ in their starting XI for a match, after Aston Villa who did so in two games in 2013.
- Only Southampton and Crystal Palace (6 each) have scored fewer Premier League goals this season than Manchester United (8). The Red Devils have underperformed their expected goals by 6.8 (xG of 14.8), the worst differential of any side in 2024-25, while since 2022-23, only Everton (-26) have underperformed their xG more than Man Utd (-17-9 – 123 goals from an xG of 140.9).
- Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana has been yellow carded in each of his last six Premier League appearances, only the fifth player in Premier League history to do so. The only player to be carded in seven games in a row is Joey Barton for QPR in 2014-15.
- Cole Palmer scored in both of Chelsea’s Premier League games against Man Utd last season, including a hat-trick in a 4-3 win at Stamford Bridge. The only Chelsea players to score in three consecutive Premier League games against the Red Devils are Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (2000-2001) and Juan Mata (2012- 2013).
- Erik ten Hag lost 32% of his Premier League games in charge of Man Utd (27/85), the joint highest percentage along with David Moyes (11/34). Seven of his 27 defeats came via 90th minute winners, the highest percentage (26%) of any manager to lose 20+ games in Premier League history.
- Cole Palmer has been directly involved in 33 Premier League goals for Chelsea in 2024 (21 goals, 12 assists). Only two players have had more goals and assists in a year for the Blues – Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in 2001 (25 goals, 11 assists) and Didier Drogba in 2010 (22 goals, 13 assists).
Odds correct at 0950 GMT (01/11/24)
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