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EPL Betting – United, City Set for Manchester Derby

Zack Garrison

by Zack Garrison in News

Updated Jan 17, 2018 · 9:39 AM PST

Manchester United (+350) at Manchester City (-133), Draw (+275)

The Manchester Derby will have a lot at stake when Manchester City and Manchester United clash this Sunday (March 20, 11:00 AM Eastern) at Etihad Stadium in English Premier League action.

Usually when United and City square off, the very top of the EPL table stands to be impacted. That’s not the case this year with City sitting fourth in the table (15-6-8, 51 points) and United even further back in sixth (13-8-8, 47 points).

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot on the line this weekend; both sides are firmly in the hunt for Champions League spots for next year (i.e. a top-four finish in the EPL), and both fanbases will consider it a colossal failure if their team doesn’t make it.

That pressure may be getting to the Citizens who drew Norwich (0-0 away) last weekend, despite being huge favorites against the Canaries. They’ve now picked up just four points over the last 15 disputed (1-1-3).

Making matters worse, fifth-place West Ham United have moved within two points of the Citizens for that final UCL berth.

Manchester United don’t bring any momentum into this weekend’s game either.  They drew at home against West Ham in the FA Cup last weekend (1-1) after losing to Liverpool in the Europa League (2-0) and to West Brom in their last EPL game (1-0).

Now, they are forced to visit the Hammers and win away from home to stay alive in the tournament.

Goal-scoring issues continue to plague the Red Devils. Their 37 goals for are the fewer amongst the top-eight EPL clubs.

United and City played to a scoreless draw in the first meeting back in October at Old Trafford.  Both teams are playing worse right now.  Even so, the best bet remains the home team: the Citizens have won three of the last four Manchester Derbies played at the Etihad Stadium.

Pick: City (-133). 

(Photo credit: Matt Janzer [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)

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