Stoke
City and Manchester United will square off on September 9 live on BT
Sport and, if you're a fan of the former, it could be a tough watch.
With
10 goals and maximum points in the first three games of the Premier
League, José Mourinho's United look like an unstoppable force this
season. If that's not enough to give City fans something to worry
about ahead of the TV showdown, United have dominated in previous
encounters. Looking through the stats, Stoke have won just 28
times from 106 games.
To add another layer of salt to the already gaping wound, the latest
18 Premier League battles between the two sides has only resulted in
a win for Stoke on two occasions.
Hughes
Has Hope, But Not Much Else on His Side
Put
simply, if history is any indication of what's going to happen in the
future, The Potters could get smashed on September 9. However, as
always, there's a glimmer of hope and manager Mark Hughes certainly
won't go down without a fight. Of course, the first helpful insight
Hughes could have in the upcoming Stoke vs. Manchester United may be
his familiarity with the Red Devils. Yes, the United that will turn
up at the bet365 Stadium is very different to the team he played for
between 1980 and 1995. However, there is a certain comfort that comes
from knowing the spirit of a club and that could work in Hughes'
favour.
Beyond
this, the last two matches between the two have ended in 1-1 draws.
On those occasions, Stoke's stifling brand of football allowed them
to overcome any skill differential there may have been on paper. Now,
things may not go the same way this season as United are playing
better and City have remained fairly consistent. Indeed, from three
Premier League matches, Hughes' men are one, one and one on wins,
draws and losses. This could suggest another draw is on the cards,
but only if United slip.
In
addition to the keeper not conceding a goal, Romelu Lukaku (three
goals), Anthony Martial (two goals) and Paul Pogba (two goals) are
looking very slick this season. Beyond the individual stats, United
have a shooting
accuracy of 33% from
60 on target, a pass accuracy of 86% and a tackle success rating of
69%. Basically, wherever you look, Mourinho is getting the best out
of his players and this looks like it will spell trouble for Stoke.
United
Dominating the Betting Markets
If
we take this line of thought and apply it to the betting markets
on SunBets.co.uk,
there are plenty of value bets out there. For the risk averse, a
straight away win for United is currently marked at 1/2 and looking
every bit like a dead cert. However, if you believe that things come
in threes, a third draw could be a solid bet. Yes, as we've said,
Manchester's finest will have to have an off day for this to happen.
However, if there's one team that could cause a dip in form, it's
Stoke (especially at home). For a draw, you'll currently receive 16/5
courtesy of Sun Bets' odds makers.
Of
course, the online sports betting world is always awash with options
and to stick with a straight result prediction isn't the best way to
get the most value out of this game. Looking at the current dynamics,
there's a strong possibility there will be goals in this game. If the
game plays out as the formbook suggests, 5/4 on a Manchester United
win and more than 2.5 goals is solid. Stoke could well pinch a goal,
but it's unlikely they'll be able to stop the onslaught for too long.
Of course, the counter to this is that Stoke won't score at all.
United's 69% tackle success is impressive (even after just three
games) and you'll currently find 11/8 on the away team winning
without conceding.
For
those that like to push their luck and rake in better returns, one of
the most attractive wagers out there this weekend could be Lukaku to
score first and United to win 2-0. Even though scorecasts are tricky
to win, there's a ton of potential in this. The Belgian international
is on red hot form and United haven't scored fewer than two goals in
their last three Premier League games. Basically, if you're looking
to take a punt on Stoke vs. Manchester United this weekend, the smart
money would go on the latter. Even though you can't ever discount the
grit and determination of Stoke, it seems as though their opponents
are going to be too strong this time around.
Author bio
Dan
Smyth is a freelance sports and betting writer with almost a decade
of experience in the industry. From football and boxing to MMA, Dan
now covers a wide range of high profile events with previews, reports
and advice articles.
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