Premier League Preview – Man Utd v Sunderland
Premier League Preview – Man Utd v Sunderland
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Man Utd v Sunderland – Premier League Preview and Betting Tips
Manchester United already sit in their perennial position in Premier League history; on top of the table. Their somewhat fortuitous victory over Manchester City, in what was a thrilling game, gave United a six-point cushion at the top of the Premier League, and considering that the twelve times Premier League winners usually hit a purple patch after Christmas, it’s no wonder that the bookmakers have already installed them as odds on favourites to wrest the Premier League crown back from neighbours and rivals Manchester City.
Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United F.C. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Despite their strong position, the feeling persists that this isn’t the strongest iteration of Manchester United that we’ve seen during the Premier League years. Certainly they have a very impressive and powerful forward line at their disposal. But some ordinary European performances, three Premier League defeats, and even the second half of the game against Manchester City have revealed some of the weak points of this United side.
They look lightweight in the middle of the park, and don’t have the sort of fearsome midfield that they once used to be able to call upon as a matter of course. And defensively United have been weak this season, with no centre-back pairing able to offer stability, continuing problems between the posts, Patrice Evra beginning to look slightly over the hill, and the right-back slot still not nailed down by one outstanding candidate. The return of Nemanja Vidic can’t come soon enough for the Old Trafford club.
There are two schools of thought on United this season. Either they’re winning ugly despite some indifferent performances, and once they hit top gear they will run away with the Premier League title. Or they have been exceptionally lucky to pick up so many points so far this season, and their forward line is papering over the cracks of deeper deficiencies in the team that will cost them at some point. Whichever one of these turns out to be accurate, history tells us that the team that lead the Premier League at Christmas usually win it, so United will be keen to pick up another three points here to cement their exalted status.
When Martin O’ Neill began his tenure as Sunderland manager with a tremendous series of results that saw the Black Cats climb from the relegation places to mid-table security, it looked as if the Irishman was once again enhancing his already esteemed reputation as a persistent builder of very strong teams. Few would have predicted at that time that roughly mid-way through this season Sunderland would be threatened with relegation again, and O’ Neill would be the bookmakers favourite to be the third Premier League manager of the season to get the boot.
Sunderland have desperately lacked goals this year, so rattling in three against Reading will have cheered the mood at the Stadium of Light somewhat. Nonetheless, O’ Neill needs more from his two talented midfield players, Adam Johnson and Stephane Sessegnon, if Sunderand are to begin to climb the table and reach a position of relative security. Having beaten Reading comfortably it seems likely that the Back Cats will field the same eleven at Old Trafford.
United have no European football to worry about, and no mid-week games scheduled, so may take this opportunity to field their strongest side before the hectic Christmas and New Year period. It’s possible, though, that Ferguson will field Hernandez or Welbeck in a three man front line.
Manchester United (possible 4-2-3-1): De Gea; Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra; Carrick, Scholes; Young, Rooney, Valencia; van Persie
Sunderland (possible 4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Bardsley, Cuellar, O’ Shea, Rose; Gardner, Colback; McClean, Sessegnon, Johnson; Fletcher
Betting Prediction: United’s defending and goalkeeping has been shaky this year, so I think Sunderland might nick a goal here. But United will be too good for them overall, and I fancy them to win 3-1.
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