SHEFFIELD UNITED host Manchester United on Super Sunday. We asked Tom Love (@TomLove_18) to source the best bets from the televised clash.
Sheffield United v Manchester United | Sunday 24th November 2019, 16:30 | Sky Sports
Super Sunday sees just one game in the Premier League as new boys Sheffield United hope to put another strong display in against a top-six side in Manchester United.
Chris Wilder is starting to get some plaudits for his efforts and rightly so; as we come to the close of a decade it could be strongly argued that he has been the most successful manager in England in that period. He’s made his way up organically and the key traits needed in the lower echelons of the football pyramid, the grit, the constant hard work and the spirit is clear to see in his current side.
That’s only one side of the coin, though. Wilder and his trusted backroom staff have shown themselves to be one of the most ingenious in the league. A lot was made of their ‘overlapping centre halves’ and that is a facet of their play but there’s a lot more to this side that makes them a devilishly difficult opponent to beat.
Ollie Norwood has revelled in the quarter-back role, his distribution is first class and he keeps the Blades ticking in the middle of the park and will be eager to put on a show against his boyhood club.
John Lundstram probably came into the season as a player mainly to be used from the bench but every game he’s started he’s been phenomenal with those late runs into the box, showing a kind of predatory instinct and awareness not seen before.
David McGoldrick has made the step up better than expected and his link play has been decent whereas flying full-backs George Baldock and Enda Stevens stretch the pitch and are key to the touchline overloads.
The Steel City boys have been competitive in every game this season, their only disappointment was probably their lacklustre display at home to Southampton. When you bear in mind they’ve been to Spurs and Chelsea and not lost and they won at Bramall Lane against Arsenal, they won’t fear the Red Devils.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer branded his team's 3-1 win at home to Brighton as their best performance of the season. Man Utd attacked with verve and dynamism and the link up between the youthful frontline was impressive to be fair. However, on the road United just aren’t a sure fire thing.
In fact, Ole’s troops have won just once on the road in the league this campaign and that was against rock-bottom Norwich. They’ve not even gone to any of the Big Six’ either, failing to beat Wolves, Bournemouth, West Ham, Newcastle and Southampton. So it’ll take some convincing for me to back them to win at a smidgen over even-money.
United’s injuries are starting to clear up but Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Eric Bailly and Paul Pogba all remain out whereas there’s still doubts over Scott McTominay, Diogo Dalot, Nemanja Matic, Luke Shaw and Axel Tuanzebe. Going forward they have improved after a terrible first couple of months in that department but they’re up against a Sheffield United side that have conceded the second-fewest goals in the league (9).
They may take hope from the fact Dean Henderson won’t be between the sticks because it’s against his parent club, and John Egan is a doubt after being brought off for Ireland last week. Simon Moore and Phil Jagielka are likely to deputise and Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford may try target Jagielka’s lack of pace so expect a deep block out of possession from the hosts.
The betting angles
I cannot get United on side away from home, just when you thought they’d turned a corner they go and put in an abject display at Bournemouth. They’ve failed to win at teams in 8th, 9th, 13th, 16th and 19th this season so why should they win at a team in 5th place?
Sheffield United appeal in the Double Chance market here and it’s a respectable but odd 77/100 with Marathon, presumably priced up in decimals at 1.77. We get two results on our side here and it would’ve landed in all but one of the visitors games as guests.
At the time of writing I haven’t seen a firm price up the shots or shots on target market. If one does come available then I’d be backing against a high number of shots in the game. Sheffield United games are seeing a very low number of shots and Manchester United’s Expected Goals (xG) is only half decent because of penalties. I can see a bit of a midfield battle in what should be a tight game.
Best Bets
Sheffield United v Manchester United – Sheffield United double chance (77/100 Marathon)
