Everton v Man Utd: Betfair’s Betting Preview

Everton v Man Utd

Betfair’s Jaymes Monte gives an overview of what many see as a potential banana skin in Manchester United’s pursuit of a fourth straight title, but doesn’t share the same opinion.

Save for one poor performance and result against Liverpool a couple of weeks ago Everton are the league’s form team. But unfortunately that Merseyside derby did happen and it raises a number of questions ahead of games against big teams like Manchester United. Was it just one of those games where things just didn’t quite happen for them, an anomaly in an otherwise rich vein of form? Was it that Liverpool were simply a better team who were set up in the right way to beat Everton? Or, worst of all for Toffee’s fans was it that they couldn’t overcome the psychological task of winning at Anfield for the first time in over 10 years?

If it was the former of the three scenarios then you would have to suggest that United have a tough task on their hands this weekend, and personally I don’t like to back tough tasks to oblige at odds of 1.8. However, if it was the latter setting which best explains the result then you’d be forced to say that United are a good bet at that 1.8 given Everton have only beaten them once since 1995 – they have played each other 31 times in that period, United winning 24 and six ending all square.

So, what if it was the middle of the suggested scenarios? Well Everton will have taken strength from watching the way that United defended against AC Milan in midweek. However, Rio Ferdinand continues to serve a domestic ban so won’t be involved and the fact that a lot of the mistakes came from the ball being played on the ground and through the middle does not bare much relevance to the way that Everton play. Although they are certainly not a ‘long ball’ team, neither are they a side who try to pass the ball through defences. It is their own defence who will have to be at the top of their game as they will have to cope with the world’s in-form player, a certain Mr Wayne Rooney, who poses a threat that nobody in that Liverpool team came close to possessing and if Antonio Valencia continues where he left off at the San Siro, then they will have to deal with with some devastating balls into the box.

One other crucial thing to consider is the ‘Fellaini Factor’ – these are the sort of games where Everton could really miss the tough tackling Belgian. Okay, they managed to beat Chelsea last week without him but the combative playing styles of Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick in the middle of the Manchester United midfield will throw up a different proposition this week. All things considered, I think it is fair to say that United are a good price to back at 1.8. Incidentally Everton are 5.3 chances and the draw is 3.7.

You can’t talk about a Manchester United game these days without mentioning Rooney and his imperious form of late. And he isn’t the sort to take any sort of sympathetic attitude when returning to his boyhood club and old stomping ground, you just know that that will spur him on even more and push him to produce something even better – if that is indeed possible. He’s 2.1 to score at anytime which is usually a price to take on for a player playing away from home, but nothing seems beyond Rooney at the minute and that along with 5.5 on him to score the first goal both look decent bets. And I may be getting carried away here, but 26.0 on a hat-trick to be scored anyone? You wouldn’t put it past him.

A point for United would put them top of the table, temporarily at least, but a win would really build the pressure on Chelsea who travel to Wolves for a 3pm kick-off. This will be no stroll in the park for Alex Ferguson’s men but I strongly fancy them to come out on top

• Best Bet: Back Man Utd @ 1.8

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