Chelsea - Manchester United Betting Preview: Mata's men to strike first at Stamford Bridge

Oct 26, 2012 12:00:00 PM

It's a heavyweight contest in the Premier League and Adam Bate expects Roberto Di Matteo's side to exploit the visitors' weakness of starting slowly in games this season

Defeat in Donetsk to Shakhtar ended a run of six straight wins for Chelsea. But they are still the unbeaten leaders of the Premier League with seven wins and a draw from their eight league games.

The Blues will remain confident of extending that sequence with three points at home to Manchester United on Sunday.

Chelsea are 7/5 (2.40) favourites with Bet365 to win at Stamford Bridge. The draw would also extend that unbeaten run and is available at 12/5 (3.40).

But Chelsea have drawn just once in the Premier League this season and, curiously, United have yet to draw in any competition so far in the current campaign.

Defeats to Tottenham and Everton have added to the perception that Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are vulnerable at the moment – but the Red Devils have won the other 10 matches they’ve played.

Manchester United are 15/8 (2.88) with Bet365 to beat Chelsea on their own patch.

In the other markets, backing goals looks to be an interesting option. Chelsea have scored in 13 of their 14 matches this season and United have scored in the last 11. Both teams can be backed to score at 8/15 (1.53) with Bet365, which although a skinny price, could prove a solid investment.

But who will get those goals? Robin van Persie is 9/2 (5.50) favourite to open the scoring for the visitors with Wayne Rooney at 6/1 (7.00) to net first.

But United have conceded first in eight of their 12 games this season.

It seems even more likely that Ferguson’s team will concede the opening goal away to the European champions and so the pick of the bets is to back the Blues to net first at 4/5 (1.80) with Bet365.

In terms of likely scorers for the home side, Oscar is an industry-best price of 10/1 (11.00) with Bet365 to extend his scoring run after he fired a late consolation goal on Tuesday while Fernando Torres is the shortest price at 9/2 (5.50).

But the best value goalscorer option is Juan Mata, scorer of six goals in six games - as many as Torres has managed in the last 19 – and he’s available to score first at 8/1 (9.00) with Bet365.

BET

OF THE

DAY

BEST BET

VALUE BET

Chelsea to score first at 4/5 (1.80) with Bet365

Juan Mata first goalscorer at 8/1 (9.00) with Bet365

Sign up with Bet365 for up to £250 in free bets

Adam Bate is a professional freelance journalist who specialises in football and betting. He is editor of GhostGoal which can be found here - you can also follow Adam on

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