If you love drama, Manchester United are rife with it at the moment. Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho’s relationship saga continues to lead the tabloids, and it seems like the breaking point is near. Pogba had been the Red Devils’ alternate captain when skipper Antonio Valencia wasn’t in the lineup, but Mourinho reportedly told his star midfielder that he would never wear the captain’s armband again after he requested a transfer out of Old Trafford. Manchester United will look to put this behind them and come together this week for their match against West Ham United.
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English Premier League Betting at BookMaker.eu
Manchester United -120
West Ham United +332
Draw +267
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
West Ham have moved past a slow start to the season. The Hammers didn’t pick up a result in any of their first four games, but they have now grabbed a result in their last two Premier League matches. They throttled an injury-riddled Everton squad 3-1 on the road two weeks ago, and they picked up a point at home against Chelsea last weekend without Marko Arnautovic in the lineup. West Ham are coming off an 8-0 blowout victory over Macclesfield Town in the third round of the Football League Cup on Thursday.
The Red Devils seemed like they righted the ship after impressive road wins over Watford in the Premier League and Young Boys in the Champions League last week, but their last two performances have been woeful. Last weekend, they drew to Wolves at home, but the more concerning performance came against Derby County in the third round of the Football League Cup on Wednesday. Manchester United played most of their starters in that game, but mental errors plagued the team and they shockingly lost to the Rams in penalties at Old Trafford.
Key Injuries
Winston Reid, Andy Carroll, Carlos Sanchez, Manuel Lanzini and Jack Wilshere have all been ruled out for West Ham ahead of this match. The Hammers are hoping that their two best offensive weapons, Arnautovic and Chicharito, will be healthy enough to play in this crucial game. Both players are listed as questionable, with Chicharito dealing with an illness while Arnautovic has a knee injury.
Three players will be unavailable for this game on the side of Manchester United, but only one absence is due to injury. Marcos Rojo picked up a knock recently and has been declared out, while Marcus Rashford and Sergio Romo are serving suspensions for picking up red cards.
Player to Watch
While many will be interested to see how Pogba will perform, the person we have our eye on is Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku’s play against Derby County was somewhat overshadowed by Romero’s red card, but his lackluster performance played a big part in Manchester United’s loss. His skills are world-class, yet he has been remarkably inconsistent with his finishing over the years. He usually takes some time to bounce back after a poor outing, and that’s what we’re expecting here.
Prop Bet of the Game – Final score of 0-0 at +835
It would be pretty crazy if West Ham played a second straight 0-0 game, wouldn’t it? That scoreline might be in the cards given the issues and play of Manchester United and West Ham’s injuries though. If Lukaku’s struggles continue and neither Arnautovic or Chicharito play, goals will be at a premium.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The under is a great play in this one. Lukasz Fabianski has performed very well through the first month of the season, and David de Gea is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. These goalkeepers won’t let in easy ones, and that should lead to the under cashing.
English Premier League Odds: West Ham United 1, Manchester United 1
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