Manchester United vs AFC Bournemouth
Manchester United fans have had a whirlwind of a season so far.
The Red Devils’ performance in the Premier League has teetered off, and some have virtually counted them out of the title race while under Jose Mourinho’s reign. While the Special One was able to pull off some incredible results, his team’s subpar season saw him get the boot from Ed Woodward.
However, things have seemingly changed under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The former United player has led the team to two dominant performances that reminded fans what United used to look like during their golden years with Sir Alex Ferguson.
They will try to prolong these exciting times as they face AFC Bournemouth, and the Premier League 2018 betting tips actually tip in favour of the rejuvenated hosts.
Talking Points
Solskjaer’s United must keep on attacking
Mourinho’s sacking from Old Trafford was big but unsurprising Premier League 2018 news to those who cared about one of English football’s most successful clubs. The Red Devils’ uninspired showcases on the pitch frequently got the fans, pundits and club legends arguing in different directions. When Mourinho was axed, fans were concerned with how the caretaker manager would handle this talented but unimaginative squad.
Fortunately, the former United forward has transformed the team into a superb attacking unit that everyone knows they are capable of. He used aggressive formations against Cardiff City (4-3-3) and Huddersfield Town (4-2-3-1) to bring out the best in the squad, particularly Paul in Pogba. The France international is thriving under Solskjaer, scoring two goals and supplying two assists in that two-game stretch.
However, the midfielder isn’t the only player the caretaker is expecting much from. Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez have seemingly lost their attacking edge under Mourinho, but Solskjaer is fully expecting them to sharpen their blades and play like the world-class forwards they actually are.
While these three are supreme talents, the Ole Gunnar has a lot of ammunition to field a very talented XI. Victor Lindelof, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones and Nemanja Matic are all important cogs for Solskjaer’s attack-oriented United.
Make no mistake: Manchester United are definitely back. While they might be out of the running for the title, the fact that they play exciting football again should leave plenty of SBOBET football fans waiting with bated breath.
The Cherries are down but not out
Given how things are going for United, it’s easy to brush Bournemouth aside and just assume that the three points are automatically going to the Red Devils’ account. Moreover, the odds are obviously stacked against them.
After starting the season at the top half of the table, the Cherries have steadily lost nine games. They are now situated well outside the European spots they occupied during the season’s early days and are back in their comfort zone. Some of those defeats were frustrating 1-0 defeats, while others are as one-sided as their lopsided crash against Liverpool.
Moreover, the injury bug has bitten them hard this season. Cruciate ligament tears have robbed Eddie Howe of reliable players such as Lewis Cook and team captain Simon Francis. Without Francis leading them on the pitch, the already-disorganised Cherries are only sure to become more chaotic.
However, it’s not like things are all gloomy for the South Coast club. While Callum Wilson has slowed down in his goal-scoring, the England striker is still a potent threat that the Manchester United defence must take note of.
Besides Wilson, Howe has a good number of reliable players. Ryan Fraser, Steve Cook, Jefferson Lerma, Joshua King, and David Brooks can all lead a piercing run that can damage United’s chances of getting the three points.
Howe is known for pulling off great results, but I don’t know if the impressive manager can stop United this time.
History
There isn’t much of a history to talk about when it comes to this battle. Manchester United have always been the better team ever since the Cherries made it to the top flight, and United have won five of the seven Premier League games they have played so far.
However, I don’t think Cherries fans will forget the December 2015 game the two sides played at Dean Court. Junior Stanislas and King were the toast of the town as they outplayed the Louis van Gaal-led United to a 2-1 victory.
The home fans will be hoping that the same kind of magic will happen once again when their Cherries step out to the hallowed field of Old Trafford.
Betting Tip
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Manchester United vs AFC Bournemouth | Manchester United -1.50 @ 2.11 |
| December 31, 00:30 (GMT+8) |
This humble writer is a believer in underdog tales, and he would have loved to see the Cherries rain on Solskjaer’s parade. However, I don’t think United can be stopped in any shape or form by a battered Bournemouth squad.
The Red Devils have finally tapped into Pogba’s brilliance as a midfield genius, they are scoring goals like nobody’s business, and they are surely getting their confidence back. I don’t think any of Howe’s meticulous planning could prevent United from getting what they want: the three points.
If you want to find more interesting odds, the First Half Over Under and Total Goal markets promise big winnings to the brave and the bold.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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