Manchester United v Crystal Palace betting tips: Rangnick at the wheel in Eagles opener
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Man Utd v Palace betting tips and odds
Ralf Rangnick will take charge of Manchester United for the first time this weekend as Michael Carrick signed off his 15-year career at the club with a 3-2 victory over Arsenal on Thursday night.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, including an 800th career goal, as United moved up to seventh in the Premier League table, just three points adrift of fourth-placed West Ham.
The Red Devils are 8/15 favourites to give interim head coach Rangnick a winning start on Sunday as we examine some of the other markets in our Man Utd v Palace betting tips.
Match Odds
Carrick was unbeaten in his three games as caretaker so expectations are high the feel-good factor will continue under his replacement who pioneered the pressing game in his native Germany in spells with clubs such as Leipzig, Hoffenheim, Schalke and Stuttgart.
Despite United being odds-on to make it back-to-back victories, their recent record against the Eagles at Old Trafford is poor, losing twice and drawing once in the last three meetings.
Patrick Vieira’s men also have the advantage of two extra days to prepare for the game and are 19/4 to make it a hat-trick of victories, 3/1 to draw or 27/20 in the double chance market in our Man Utd v Palace betting tips.
Taking the positives 👊#CPFC
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 1, 2021
Palace, though, succumbed to a second successive defeat on Tuesday as Raphinha’s stoppage-time penalty gave Leeds a 1-0 victory.
The loss at Elland Road was only the second time the Eagles had failed to score this season, so we go 21/10 on United winning and conceding while a third successive one-goal margin of defeat for the south Londoners can be backed at 13/5.
Palace are one of four teams to have drawn seven times this season, all of which produced goals at both ends, so that option is priced at 4/1 while a fourth 2-2 draw of the campaign is 14/1.
Talking Tactics
Much has been written about the Gegenpress favoured by Rangnick, whose tactics inspired the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.
The 63-year-old German is determined to bring “balance” and defensive solidity to the team, adding that conceding almost two goals a game is “too much”.
🗯 "I need to make sure we have enough power for Sunday," concludes Ralf.
"We have to prepare well, both physically and mentally." 🧠#MUFC | #MUNCRY
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 3, 2021
The big question is how 36-year-old Ronaldo will fit into a system which demands a lot of energy but he added that “the team has to adapt to the players too”.
Vieira will deploy his usual 4-3-3 formation in which three from Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke, Odsonne Edouard and Jordan Ayew will lead the attack.
But Joel Ward is suspended so Nathaniel Clyne could make his first appearance of the season at right-back.
Goalscorer Odds
It’s no surprise to see Ronaldo installed as the 14/5 favourite to get the ball rolling, evens to score any time or 9/2 to bag another double but Benteke, Edouard and Zaha are all 8/1 to break the deadlock.
Zaha scored twice in last season’s 3-1 victory at Old Trafford and is 14/5 to get on the scoresheet while Ayew is 16/1 to get the game’s first goal as he did in this fixture two seasons ago and the attacker is also 6/1 to net his first goal in 13 months.
Bruno Fernandes scored the equaliser on Thursday and is 11/2 and 21/10 in the two markets while Marcus Rashford can be backed at 4/1 and 6/4.
Jadon Sancho is 23/10 to make it three goals in four games or 6/1 to open the scoring in our Man Utd v Palace betting tips.
Match Info
Where: Old Trafford
When: 14:00, Sunday 5th December
How to watch: N/A
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
