Bournemouth v Man United: Cherries to further frustrate
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Manchester United go into this weekend’s fixture with Bournemouth as the clear 13/10 favourites.
The Cherries are priced at 23/10, with the draw available at 12/5, indicating that a win for the Red Devils is the most likely result.
However, winning hasn’t been a problem for United for much of the season so far but finding a brand of football that is pleasing on the eye has and Eddie Howe’s men have the ability to further frustrate Louis van Gaal’s side.
Bournemouth showed against champions Chelsea last weekend that despite Howe’s penchant for expansive, attacking football they have the defensive discipline to frustrate even the league’s best attackers – albeit with the Blues’ front men struggling for form.
United have won just one of their last five games in all competition and one of their last five on the road in the Premier League.
Bournemouth have struggled for much of the season but two draws and that famous win over Chelsea shows they have come to terms with their many injury losses and could make a play for survival yet.
United have won five and lost just one of the eight previous meetings between the sides but with them last meeting back in 1989 looking at the history books makes as much sense as sending Nick Powell into the fray for the final minutes of a must-win Champions league match.
Instead we look to current reputation and after shipping three goals to Wolfsburg midweek United could struggle to keep the free-flowing Cherries at bay.
With this in mind the latest Ladbrokes Price Boost could be the value of the day, with a United win and both sides scoring boosted from 10/3 to a tempting 4/1.
With top scorer Callum Wilson injured and the likes of Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial struggling for form both sides have had to look elsewhere for the few goals they have scored and that has thrown up something of a quirky stat.
Neither Glenn Murray nor Memphis Depay has set the world alight this season, with three and two strikes respectively, but both boast a 100 per cent strike rate in the First Goalscorer market.
Murray can be backed to open the scoring at 15/2 while Memphis is chalked up at 11/2 and both appear good value, especially with Ladbrokes prepared to double the odds on winning first goalscorer selection if the opening strike comes inside 25 minutes.*
United may well leave Boscombe with three points in the bag but the Old Trafford boo boys could well be in fine voice once again at Dean Court.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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