Both sides need a win this weekend as one of the most famous fixtures in English soccer comes to Old Trafford.
Friday 19th March 2010
One of the most famous fixtures in English soccer takes place this weekend as Liverpool travel just over 27 miles east to face table-topping Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Manchester United currently sit top of the English Premier League with two points between themselves and Chelsea as they go for a record fourth consecutive title. However, the Londoners have a game in hand and the ‘Red Devils’ know that any slip-up would be seriously detrimental to their campaign.
The home side is favoured to win with WilliamHill.com, BoyleSports.com, StanJames.com, BetFred.com and Coral.co.uk showing odds of 8/13 on a Manchester United triumph on Sunday afternoon followed by SportingBet.com showing 13/20.
Slightly longer, BetDaq.com, ToteSport.com, 888Sport.com, VictorChandler.com, BlueSq.com and Ladbrokes.com are offering odds of 4/6 on a home win while Betfair.com and WBX.com are going with 17/25.
Manchester United have not lost for five games while Aston Villa was the last side to defeat them in front of their own fans all the way back in mid-December. PaddyPower.com, Bwin.com and Expekt.com currently show odds of 7/10 on a home win while SkyBet.com and Bet365.com are offering 8/11.
Once a powerhouse of English football, Liverpool has slipped of late due, in part, to financial difficulties and currently lies fifth in the table. Although 1990 was the last time the Merseysiders were crowned champions of England, the side has been a regular in the ‘big four’ at the top of the table until this season.
Ladbrokes.com and ToteSport.com show odds of 7/2 on a Liverpool victory on Sunday while Bwin.com is going with 19/5.
Although Liverpool defeated Manchester United by two goals to nil in late-October at Anfield, BetFred.com, SkyBet.com, Bet365.com, Coral.co.uk, WilliamHill.com, SportingBet.com and VictorChandler.com currently show odds of 4/1 on history repeating itself at Old Trafford while BetDaq.com is going with 43/10.
Liverpool have so far played more games this season than the six teams below and could struggle to make it into one of the four lucrative Champions League places at the top of the table. A victory would certainly help to ease fears but BoyleSports.com, BlueSq.com, StanJames.com, PaddyPower.com and 888Sport.com are going with odds of 9/2 on this eventuality.
For their part, WBX.com is currently offering odds of 23/5 on a Liverpool victory while Betfair.com is showing 47/10.
A draw on Sunday would not be good for either side as Manchester United could potentially find themselves overtaken at the top of the table by Chelsea while Liverpool could possibly drop two places with both Manchester City and Aston Villa moving up in its place.
Coral.co.uk currently shows odds of 9/4 on a draw while Ladbrokes.com and WilliamHill.com are offering 23/10. A bit longer, BetFred.com, 888Sport.com, SportingBet.com, BlueSq.com, PaddyPower.com, StanJames.com and ToteSport.com are going with 12/5 while Bwin.com, Expekt.com and SkyBet.com show 5/2.
The two sides have not shared a draw at Old Trafford since March of 2000 but VictorChandler.com and Bet365.com are still showing odds of 13/5 on this outcome followed by BetDaq.com with 261/100 while WBX.com is offering 267/100.
At the farther end of the spectrum, BoyleSports.com has a draw for the tie at odds of 11/4 while Betfair.com shows 69/25.
