While Sunday’s game at the Emirates may not be a title decider, the result will go a long way towards defining who lifts the Premier League trophy in May. Arsenal took an early lead at the top of the table and, while many fans waited for them to slip, they have simply extended their advantage.
The Gunners now go into this match with an eight-point gap over Sunday’s opponents. Manchester United have played a game more, but the Red Devils’ recent form it should be a tight and entertaining encounter for this 11.30am ET kick-off (4.30pm GMT).
Arsenal will start this game as favorites and their impressive performances this season see many USA bookies quoting 4/5 on the home win on the moneyline. Victory for Manchester United is out at best industry odds of 16/5, while the draw is slightly shorter at 14/5.
Arsenal have lost just one league game this season, but their supporters won’t need reminding that it was Manchester United who inflicted that solitary defeat. In the reverse fixture at the start of September, United won 3-1 at Old Trafford thanks to an opening goal from new signing Antony and a brace from Marcus Rashford.
It may or may not be a coincidence that United’s overall form has improved since Cristiano Ronaldo was pushed to the fringes of the squad. Had the Red Devils held on to beat Crystal Palace on Wednesday night, it would have been ten wins in a row for Ten Hag’s men.
As for the form guide, the teams have identical records with five wins and a draw in their last six matches and a matching goal difference of +9. The pointers all indicate that this EPL matchup could be much tighter than the moneyline betting market suggests.
Arsenal’s main striker Gabriel Jesus has been sidelined since the World Cup, but the Gunners are not short of firepower. Eddie Nketiah is the regular starting center forward in Jesus’ absence and he starts as favorite in the first goalscorer market at 11/2. Gabriel Martinelli follows at 13/2 while Bukayo Saka, who was on target in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Tottenham last week, follows at 7/1.
For Manchester United, Marcus Rashford starts things off at best odds of 17/2 while new loan signing Wout Weghorst is at a top price of 9/1.
Behind the main strikers, Martin Odegaard could be a good option for Arsenal at 8/1. The Norwegian international midfielder scored Arsenal’s second against Spurs and now has eight goals in 17 league games this season.
Over in the Manchester United camp, Bruno Fernandes seems to have rediscovered his scoring form. He was on target again in midweek and is quoted at a tempting best of 12/1 for the first goal.
In other prop bet markets, Both Teams to Score is available for Sunday at a general 4/6. The sportsbooks are clearly expecting a lot of attacking intent from both sides as the ‘No’ option on BTTS climbs to a generous 13/10.
The figures in the Total Goals markets also hint at a higher scoring game. A stake over the 2.5 line will currently be paid at best odds of 8/11. A bet Above the 3.5 line takes the figures to 9/5, while most outlets are quoting 11/10 to go the other way and bet Under 2.5 goals.
This AFC vs MUFC soccer preview rounds off with some Correct Score options. The match odds suggest three points for Arsenal with a few goals, so you could look at the 3-1 home win at 14/1. A 2-1 victory for Manchester United is on offer at those same odds of 14/1, while the 1-1 draw can be found at 7/1.
Our Preview’s AFC vs MUFC Betting Picks & Predictions Verdict
Plenty of goals and an Arsenal win seems to be the view of the bookmakers. The media, and some Manchester United fans seem particularly concerned about Casemiro missing this game after the Brazilian defensive midfielder picked up a booking against Crystal Palace.
He has been a key player in United’s recent run, and his suspension is unfortunate, but the away side should still be confident of picking up a point at least. Ten Hag’s men inflicted Arsenal’s only league defeat this season and the Gunners’ 0-0 draw at home to Newcastle at the start of this month suggests that they can be matched by the bigger clubs. Arsenal have been exceptional and they will probably continue to pick off the weaker teams as they look for their first Premier League title since 2004. For this game, they have much tougher opposition and Manchester United’s excellent run of form means that this preview, with its predictions and picks, is settling on the draw.
For the second selection, we’ll look at an anytime goalscorer and there are two good options from midfield. Bruno Fernandes is a contender for United, but Martin Odegaard’s superior record this season puts the Arsenal man in the frame. So these are our advised wagers for this preview:
- The draw on the moneyline @ +285 with Bovada and BetOnline.
- Martin Odegaard to score at any time @ +225 with EveryGame.
Matt Harris is a golf and soccer expert for USA Betting. His other area of specialist knowledge is cricket. He is well known in sports journalism and contributes articles to a plethora of big-name websites and media outlets. Titles that he writes or has written for include: Betfair, BetVictor, Unibet & Just Bookies.