MANCHESTER UNITED 2010/11 PREMIER LEAGUE ODDS AND BETTING PREDICTIONS

With the English Premier League season drawing ever closer, it’s time to start examining all the sides in the League and figuring out where the best bets are for each side. To me, it’s sort of useless to just back random teams to win the Premier League when you can do a bit of research and figure out which teams are going to punch above their weight and which teams will woefully underperform.
Manchester United haven’t exactly set the world on fire with big name signings since they sent Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, but I think that only the most casual of United fans would be extremely concerned by this. It appears to me that Fergie has quietly been building himself a new team over the past two years or so with a much younger feel than ever. Step forward: The Da Silva twins, Rodrigo Possebon, Gabriel Obertan, Darron Gibson, Federico Macheda, Chris Smalling and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez.
A quick examination of the betting odds reveals that, while United are odds-on to finish trophy-less with a 4/5 price, they will be competitive on all fronts this year. They are trading at 5/2 to win the English Premier League- clear second favourites. You can get an enticing 12/1 price on a League and FA Cup double while a Premier League and Carling Cup prize pays out at 14/1, I actually think the Carling Cup is distinctly easier to win than the FA Cup so this isn’t a bad play for United fans.
Manchester United to win the English Premier League and the Champions League is a 20/1 price. A Cup Double pays out at 22/1 while the FA Cup and the Champions League is trading at 22/1. I wouldn’t go wagering a pile of cash on United in the Champions League this season as I think Fergie will prefer to capture the Premiership, possibly for the last time.
Manchester United are a slim 1/20 to finish in the top four this year and that’s about as safe a bet as you can get. Wayne Rooney is considered the second favourite to be the top goalscorer in the Premier League at a 5/1 price and I reckon that should be a bit higher. Didier Drogba is currently favoured at 4/1.
Dimitar Berbatov’s odds to be the 2010/11 Premier League top goalscorer are priced at 33/1 and I think that could be a very interesting outside bet. Berbatov will be looking to prove his worth this season as I think he knows it’s do-or-die time. Javier Hernandez is 50/1 to be the Premier League top goalscorer.
Paddy Power has some interesting odds on some Manchester United-related special bets as well. 2010/11 to be Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season as United manager is listed at 15/8 while Arsene Wenger to be sent to the stands at Old Trafford for the United vs Arsenal fixture on December 11th is paying out at a juicy 40/1. If you’re a fan of the impossible, you can also back Sir Alex to replace Roberto Mancini as City manager this year for a 500/1 price. I’ll give you 50000/1 on that one, myself.
I think United should challenge and I’m tempted to believe that this younger side has a lot to prove and, under the tutelage of Giggs, Scholes and Gary Neville, they can’t ask for better on-pitch mentors. Even Wes Brown is 30 years old now and a new crop of exciting young talent for Wayne Rooney to lead looks like a fairly solid recipe for me. I’m backing Dimitar Berbatov to have a very big year and prove the doubters wrong. I am also willing to stick my neck out there and say that Javier Hernandez could be the signing of the season if he adapts properly to the English style of play. I would also expect a match-winning goal or two from Michael Owen.