Manchester United aims to cement their spot in the Champions League next season as they square off against Chelsea at Old Trafford this Thursday evening.
Coming hot off back-to-back victories against Wolves and Bournemouth, United is on the precipice of reclaiming their position among Europe’s elites. With favorable outcomes in other matches, a mere point from their final two games is all that stands between Erik ten Hag’s team and a definitive top-four finish.
This midweek, United aspires to clinch that much-needed point as they host Chelsea. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s recent struggles have seen them relegated to a lower half finish in the Premier League, the first since 1996. The single-goal defeat to reigning champions Manchester City last Sunday only added to their woes. With just two games left this season, Frank Lampard’s team is limping towards the finish line with nothing more than pride to defend.
Betting Odds Manchester United, with four consecutive Premier League home victories under their belt, are the favored team with 8/13 odds on Bet 365. Chelsea, having only tasted victory once in the last nine matches since Lampard’s return, are positioned as 4/1 outsiders on William Hill for their northward journey. The draw, meanwhile, stands as a less preferred 18/5 choice on betway.
Betting Strategy
Though Manchester United is a strong contender here, I will opt for a more conservative strategy and combine Man United Double Chance with Under Four Match Goals at 4/5 on Bet 365. The Red Devils have shown a dominant performance at home this season, trailing only Manchester City and Liverpool in terms of points gained at home.
Erik ten Hag’s team, while not necessarily dazzling, has displayed consistent solidity, with fewer than four goals in 16 of their 17 home games. For Chelsea, goals have been sparse in this Premier League season, with under 2.5 goals in 21 of their 36 matches. Adding to this, the Blues have failed to find the net in nearly 40% of their league games to date.
