Arsenal v Manchester United: Casemiro absence to hurt Red Devils
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Arsenal v Man United betting tips, predictions and odds
The Emirates Stadium hosts the biggest game of the weekend on Sunday afternoon when Premier League leaders Arsenal take on title rivals Manchester United.
The Gunners have now lengthened from 8/11 to 10/11 in the Premier League title odds following Manchester City’s 4-2 comeback victory against Tottenham on Thursday, with the champions now 11/10.
The Red Devils are 3/1 underdogs to claim a victory which would bring them to within five points of the Gunners, so let’s look at some of the main talking points to help with our Arsenal v Man United betting tips.
💬 “This win is for our supporters, they are the soul of this football club.“
🎙️ Mikel dedicates our derby day victory to our supporters ❤️
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 15, 2023
Arsenal took full advantage of Manchester City’s derby defeat to United by defeating Tottenham in their own local squabble a day later.
An own goal by Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and a powerful long-range strike from Martin Odegaard sealed a 2-0 win which put Arsenal eight points clear at the top of the table, although that lead is now back to five with a game in hand.
The Gunners have lost just once this season, a 3-1 defeat at Sunday’s opponents thanks to a couple of goals from Marcus Rashford, but the hosts start as 5/6 favourites to avenge that loss.
United’s nine-game winning run in all competitions came to a dramatic end in south London on Wednesday night when Michael Olise’s sensational stoppage-time free-kick secured a 1-1 draw for Crystal Palace and scuppered the visitors’ hopes of moving up to second place.
Casemiro blow for United
Manager Erik ten Hag shook his head in disbelief for the second time when the ball went in on the underside off the bar just 10 minutes after Casemiro had been booked for the fifth time this season which means he is suspended for Sunday’s game.
The Brazil midfielder struggled to get into the team following his summer move from Real Madrid, but his superb performances this season mean his name is one of the first on the team sheet.
His presence will be clearly missed and Arsenal’s odds on winning the match were trimmed within four minutes of the yellow card bening brandished, such is his influence on the side, although on a positive note he was not in the starting XI when United beat the Gunners at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag said: “Casemiro is obviously a really important player for us, and he is one of the reasons that we are in the position that we are now. That’s Casemiro.
“But we beat Arsenal the last time without Casemiro, so we have a squad. We have to fill that gap and make a proper plan and the squad have to fill it and make sure that there is a team. We already showed how to beat Arsenal.”
🕵️ Assessing Erik's options for #ARSMUN. #MUFC || #PL
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 19, 2023
Arsenal had won all seven home games until they came up against clean-sheet specialists Newcastle in a goalless draw less than three weeks ago, but that is unlikely to be the outcome on Sunday.
The last three meetings between these sides have involved goals at both ends and at least four goals which can be backed at 2/1, while it’s evens on three or more.
Both outcomes seem plausible, but for the first of our Arsenal v Man United betting tips, we favour Mikel Arteta’s side to win and concede at 9/4.
That has been the case in six of their eight home games this season during which United have scored and conceded in all but one of their last seven matches on the road.
As you might expect for a team that tops the table, Arsenal have scored more goals inside 30 minutes than any of their rivals, including Manchester City who have two fewer with 11.
🔴 @B_Fernandes8 🤝 @ChrisEriksen8 🔴#MUFC || #CRYMUN
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 19, 2023
Significantly, the north Londoners have conceded just once during that spell this season, so we like the 11/5 on the hosts to be ahead after half an hour as the next of Sunday’s Arsenal v Man United betting tips.
Wout Weghorst made his United debut on Wednesday and almost scored in the early stages, so he looks an interesting prospect at 13/2 to break the deadlock or 23/10 to find the net any time.
We’ve already nailed our colours to the mast on the hosts grabbing the first goal and perhaps surprisingly Odegaard tops the market ahead of Eddie Nketiah at 5/1.
The Norway midfielder was on target at Brighton and Tottenham to make it eight for the season so he has developed an eye for goal recently. Six of his goals have come away from home, so for the last of our Arsenal v Man United betting tips we’ll go with Odegaard to score at any time at 9/5, just as he did in last season’s 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford.
Match Info
Where: Emirates Stadium
When: 16:30, Sunday 22nd January
How to watch: Sky Sports
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
