For the first time in Premier League history, bookmakers are offering odds bigger than 2/1 about the Gunners winning a home match on Saturday. Firms have taken one look at Arsenal’s recent poor results and their current injury crisis, before deciding to take them on in a big way. Skybet go 9/4 about Arsene Wenger’s team, while Blue Square currently have 21/10 available.
Have the North London outfit suddenly turned into a bad team overnight? The answer is obviously not, especially when you consider that everyone would have been raving about a fine 4-2 victory against Tottenham last week, had the Gunners not conceded two late goals. However, defeat at Stoke couple with the fact that Adebayor, Gallas, Walcott and Eboue could all miss this match, means that there will be plenty of support for Manchester United (6/4 Stan James).
The Red Devils have won just two of their five away matches in the league to date, with Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton all taking points from them. However, if the champions are to beat their title rivals to the finish line, they can ill afford too many slip-ups and Sir Alex Ferguson will demand three points from this one. A big positive for the visitors is the form of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored four goals in his last two league outings. That hasn’t stopped bet365 offering 7/4 about him getting on the scoresheet again, while the forward is 6/1 (Betfred) to score first.
Nevertheless, United have failed to win this fixture on the past three occasions, and Arsenal may just have enough about them to land a draw (23/10 bet365). It was 2-2 when these sides met last season, with Sporting Bet offering 16/1 about a repeat occurrence. Whichever eleven players Arsene Wenger calls upon, they are certain to create chance and Nicklas Bendtner (8/1 Skybet) could be the main recipient. Carlos Vela, scorer of a hat-trick against Sheffield United this season, could get a chance to impress and the Mexican is 3/1 (Paddy Power) to open his Premier League account in style.