Is it possible that Manchester United could face relegation? The English Premier League blue blood came out of Matchday 9 in 14th place in the table, with 11 points and a three-match winless streak.
They’re still seven points clear of the relegation zone, currently occupied by Ipswich Town (4 points), Wolves (2) and Southampton (1), but the Red Devils’ 2-1 loss at West Ham United continued a historically poor start.
After Matchday 7, Man U only had eight points, its lowest total in the Premier League era (dating back to 1992) and the lowest after seven matches since 1989-90, when they had just seven points.
That led to an early firing of manager Erik ten Hag, who had also led the Red Devils to an eighth-place finish last year, the side’s worst in the EPL era.
In that 1989-90 season, even the venerable Sir Alex Ferguson came close to getting fired as the team finished just 13th in the English first division.
In the UEFA Champions League group stage, Manchester United finished last behind Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen, conceding a record-high 15 goals. Their performance in European competitions was disappointing.
Soccer Odds & Betting Analysis: Premier League Betting Matchday 10, 2024/25 Season
That eighth-place EPL finish last year sent the Red Devils into the Europa League this year, and they have only managed three draws – against FC Twente, Fenerbahce and Porto, none of whom are elite sides. They are currently in 21st place in the 36-team league stage.
The problems have had to do with offense, as the side have managed just eight goals in nine EPL matches, with only Crystal Palace and Southampton scoring fewer goals.
Since the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign, their goal differential is a -4 (65 scored, 69 conceded). Can the firing of ten Hag change their fortunes? We’ll see.
In the meantime, read on to find our sports betting predictions for Man U’s first match after ten Hag’s departure, as well as some other promising EPL showdown.
^These eight stars had an outstanding October, but only one can win @EASPORTSFC Player of the Month!
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 31, 2024
Who will you vote for? 🤔#PLAwards
Liverpool -255 vs Brighton +540
When: Saturday, November 2, 11:00 am ET
Liverpool will face Brighton in the EFL Cup fourth round, just days after their EPL match. They are the defending EFL Cup champions, defeating West Ham 5-1 in the third round. Under Jürgen Klopp, they had never lost an away match until drawing 2-2 at Arsenal. Overcoming two one-goal deficits for the draw was a significant achievement.
That did pull Liverpool down out of first place in the EPL table as Manchester City zipped past them, but the Citizens only lead by a single point now. Interestingly, Liverpool have alternated fourth-round exists with EFL Cup titles over the last four seasons, so the pattern would have Brighton win on Wednesday…leading to revenge in Liverpool on Sunday?
Brighton allowed Wolves to come back from a two-goal deficit, resulting in a 2-2 finish, with Matheus Cunha scoring the equalizer. Brighton has been knocked out of the EFL Cup fourth round five times in a row, and last reached the quarterfinals in 1978-79. They have a three-match unbeaten streak against Liverpool at home, including a 2-1 FA Cup win in 2023, but Liverpool won their last encounter at Anfield in March 2024.
Premier League Betting Pick: Liverpool to win on Saturday.
^Bournemouth +420 vs Manchester City -181
When: Saturday, November 2, 11:00 am ET
In addition to their match on Saturday, Bournemouth and Manchester City are also apparently rivals for the services of Real Valladolid star attacker Raul Moro from La Liga. Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are also bidding for his services in the January transfer window.
Moro’s contract with Real Valladolid runs through 2028, though, so those negotiations could be difficult. Bournemouth beat Arsenal in Matchday 8 and represented themselves will in Matchday 9, drawing 1-1 at Aston Villa. The Cherries have two home wins this season, with a draw and a loss in the other two home matches.
Manchester City defeated Southampton 1-0 to take the top spot in the EPL. They have scored in all nine matches, remain unbeaten in away games, and have led at halftime in six matches. City have a 15-game winning streak against Bournemouth and are in good form to continue their success.
EPL Pick: If you want some value, though, and you respect Bournemouth’s recent run, then I would take the draw.
^Tottenham Hotspur -116 vs Aston Villa +246
When: Sunday, November 3, 9:00 am ET
Spurs started the season with just four wins in eight matches. In Matchday 9, they took it to West Ham, beating their London rivals, 4-1. Wilson Odobert is the only Tottenham player who could stay on the shelf for Sunday, but signs point to him getting at least some minutes out there. Both of these teams look to finish in the top four and grab one of those Champions League slots for next year.
Aston Villa has 17 points from 8 matches, continuing their strong performance from last year. They beat Fulham 3-1 and Bayern Munich 1-0 in UEFA Champions League. Robin Olsen and Tyrone Mings may remain sidelined. Jaden Philogene returns from a one-game ban. Villa has a two-match winning streak at Tottenham, but Spurs won 4-0 in their last meeting at Villa Park.
Premier League Pick: Spurs to win.
^Manchester United +150 vs Chelsea +151
When: Sunday, November 3, 11:30 am ET
Manchester United eyeing Ruben Anorim as successor to Erik ten Hag, but Sporting Lisbon coach uncertain about move. Ruud van Nistelrooy to temporarily lead team in EFL Cup match vs Leicester City. Chelsea defeated Newcastle 2-1 with goals from Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson. Palmer now has seven goals, while Jackson has six, making them the only EPL teammates with six or more goals each.
Chelsea has struggled at Old Trafford since their last win in May 2013, with 5 losses and 6 draws in 11 matches. Nicolas Jackson has scored 4 goals in away games, with his only scoreless match against Bournemouth. With Manchester United under an interim manager, Chelsea may capitalize on their opponent’s misfortune. Increased effort is expected from the home team.
EPL Pick: Take the draw.
^Premier League Betting Matchday 10
- Newcastle +265 vs Arsenal -108–Saturday, November 2, 2024, 8:30 AM
- Ipswich Town +121 vs Leicester City +202–Saturday, November 2, 2024, 11:00 AM
- Nottingham Forest +111 vs West Ham +230–Saturday, Saturday, November 2, 2024, 11:00 AM
- Southampton +157 vs Everton +159–Saturday, November 2, 2024, 11:00 AM
- Wolves +149 vs Crystal Palace +170–Saturday, November 2, 2024, 1:30 PM
- Fulham -103 vs Brentford +238–Monday, November 4, 2024, 3:00 PM
Premier League Betting, 2024/25 Odds to Win it All
- Manchester City +111
- Liverpool FC +222
- Arsenal FC +244
- Chelsea FC +1800
- Tottenham Hotspur +4500
- Aston Villa +7000
- Manchester United +17000
- Newcastle United +18000
- Brighton +18000
- West Ham United +65000
- Nottingham Forest +65000
- AFC Bournemouth +65000
- Crystal Palace +85000
- Brentford FC +85000
- Fulham FC +90000
- Everton FC +100000
- Leicester City +125000
- Wolverhampton Wanderers +125000
- Ipswich Town +175000
- Southampton FC +200000
Introducing @alanshearer's Team of the Week 👋 pic.twitter.com/J6Hw6TVvrR
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 28, 2024
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