HURTING from their Champions League exit Manchester United travel to the South Coast in search of three points against Bournemouth. Chris Graham (@chrisgraham79) brings his view.
Bournemouth v Manchester United | Saturday 15:00
Confidence in Manchester United looks in short supply amongst punters as their price to win this game has been eased in a number of books. And no wonder!
It’s been an appalling week for the club with a thoroughly uninspiring 0-0- home draw against West Ham prefacing their awful Champions League exit.
Louis Van Gaal looks on the ropes with the knives well and truly out and fans seething everywhere he looks. There’s no doubt this is as low as it’s got for him at the club.
But amongst all the teeth-grinding and tantrums people seem to be forgetting that this side have claims on the title this season. I really believe that and their exit this week will surely only improve their chances.
On Saturday they’re in Bournemouth taking on a side fizzing with energy, excitement and with perma-grins all over their mushes. Why? Well, stupid, they only beat the champions last week at Stamford Bridge in what was arguably the club’s best ever result.
Some of you may be familiar with my Hangover Theory. It posits that clubs who reach real highs should be taken on in their next match. The idea is that they’ve used up so much nervous energy on the days after that win they can’t reach the high performance level of their previous match.
I tried it out last week in the Champions League and backed Man City -1.5 to beat a Borussia Monchengladbach side still on a big trip after beating Bayern Munich a few days before. City won 4-2 to land the bet.
The problem with deploying it here is that United are riddled with injuries. They have nine players absent from the teamsheet and look fragile not only physically but also mentally.
But despite this I’m going to have a crack on them. The Cherries have won just one home game in the league all season while the Old Traffrd outfit still have a respectable four wins from their eight away league matches this season.
When you consider Southampton, Everton and Watford all have been beaten by United at home this season then I’m hopeful Van Gaal’s men can follow suit here.
I’ll deploy the Hangover Theory again here and side with a team that I’d expect to show a reaction on the back of their shameful Champions League exit midweek.
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Bournemouth v Man Utd – Man Utd to win (13/10 Bet365)
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TOPICS English Football Tips Football Premier League Tips
