WhoScored Tipster: Liverpool vs Man Utd & the North London Derby
We all missed the Premier League over the summer. The unrelenting reel of transfer gossip became rather tiresome without actual football to keep us sane and now with the season up and running we are getting used to a regular stream of matches once again. It's fair to say, though, that the 'Super Sundays' that we have become used to are still forthcoming. Crystal Palace, Hull and Cardiff have all featured on televised Sunday games, and with all due respect, the end of the weekend this weekend, looks to be somewhat tastier. With Liverpool hosting Manchester United before the first north London derby of the season.
Liverpool vs Manchester United - Preview
Rodgers against Moyes doesn't have quite the same heavyweight ring to it as Benitez versus Ferguson did, but there is no reason to think this will be anything but a typically intense fixture between the rivals. In the history of the Premier League, there have only been more red cards in the Merseyside derby (20) than in games between Liverpool and United (14), and the atmosphere is likely to add fuel to the fire before a ball is even kicked.
Goals are likely, with 27 haven been scored in the last 9 meetings between the teams and both teams netting in all but one of those games (1-0 to United in the FA Cup at Old Trafford in 2011). At just 1.66 for both teams to score in this fixture, it is an extremely likely occurrence.
United ended a poor run at Anfield last season with their first win there in five attempts. Robin van Persie netted the winner that day, as he had done with a sublime volley the season before for Arsenal. Having also scored earlier in that game as well as netting for United at home to Brendan Rodgers' side last season, he has 4 goals in his last 3 appearances against Liverpool. With 4 goals in all competitions already this season, he could be set to run riot once again and he can be backed at predictably meagre odds of 2.20 to net at anytime. However, his goals are so often decisive, and the Dutchman is good value at 5.50 to score last for a third time in 4 meetings with Liverpool.
Arsenal vs Tottenham - Preview
Whilst plenty of goals at Anfield are likely, they are almost a given at the Emirates. The ground saw more Premier League goals last season (70) than any other, and there have been more scored in the north London derby (124) than any other fixture in Premier League history. 30 of those have come in the last 5 meetings between the teams at the Emirates, a run that began with a 4-4 draw and continued with consecutive 5-2 wins for Arsenal. Thus, over 2.5 goals seems an obvious punt, but at 1.70 there is better value to be found when looking at first half goals.
In those 5 most recent Emirates clashes between the rivals, at least 2 goals have been scored by half time. In fact, in the last two of those, 4 goals have been netted by the halfway stage. Unsurprisingly, this is one of the fastest starting matches going and with both teams boasting plenty of attacking talent and willing to push forward, we could see a couple of early strikes; over 1.5 first half goals can be backed at 2.50. (For the more ambitious of us who expect a repeat of the last two seasons, at least 4 first half goals can be backed at 17.00!)
As for who might provide those goals, with Tottenham having scored 2 penalties this season already and having netted from the spot in 2 of their last 3 trips to Arsenal, Roberto Soldado isn't the most unlikely to score. Meanwhile, Theo Walcott has 3 goals in his last 2 home games against Spurs and he could well give Tottenham left-back Danny Rose a torrid time. On both occasions he scored the last goal, and can be backed at 2.75 to score anytime or 7.50 to score the final goal.
