Goalscorer Preview - West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United: Dimitar Berbatov

Dimitar Berbatov heads the Premier League goalscoring charts and he’s not showing any signs of slowing down.

Berbatov now has a tally of 14 goals so far this season and he has been instrumental in a number of games for his club. The Bulgarian is playing with a smile on his face, which contradicts the criticism of him during his early days with United.

Berbatov looks sharper and fitter than he has ever been and this is reflecting well on the pitch. The goal he took against Birmingham City was smashed in with real venom and authority that gave the impression that he’s the best striker playing in England at the moment.

The luxury that Berbatov gives United is that he allows the side to play with a five man midfield while there are key players missing. Wayne Rooney is good enough to play in the wide areas of the pitch or to drop into central midfield and Berbatov is good enough to hold the attack high up the pitch.

Berbatov has been at his most effective in a 4-4-2 formation because it seems he enjoys playing with another striker who will take the pressure off of him. He can also drop off from attack and pull defenders out of position. This creates pockets of space that other United players can exploit.

Berbatov’s short game has massively improved and this was noticeable during the matches against Sunderland and Birmingham. He rarely gives the ball away and is able to play some superb spaces into feet and space over short distances.

This means that United can keep the ball moving while he gets into a good advanced position very quickly. It also allows him to offer every other United player on the pitch another option if they are being pressed and hurried for the ball.

Berbatov is a great bet to score first in this game at 9/2, he’s also well priced to score at any point during the game at 6/5.