Just two days after the last round of matches the Premier League boys are back in action again on Monday and we have eight more games to get stuck into before a couple of extra live games later in the week.
There are five matches which begin at 3pm on Bank Holiday Monday with three more coming at 5.30pm including the match of the day which is Man Utd against Chelsea.
Before that though the 3pm games see Crystal Palace playing Swansea, Everton hosting Stoke, Norwich play Aston Villa in a basement battle while Watford take on Spurs. The final game sees West Brom playing Newcastle.
At 5.30 the United vs Chelsea game is live on TV and at the same time Arsenal host Bournemouth and West Ham welcome Southampton to Upton Park.
I have to say after the short turnaround I’m not getting massively involved in this card and there isn’t much I like. I was tempted by Crystal Palace but they have injuries to Wickham and Bolasie which isn’t ideal and Alan Pardew on Match of the Day said Palace’s Boxing Day match was physically demanding which puts me off.
Stoke were another side I fancied in the early games but I respect Everton enough to leave them alone. In the later games I’m not interested in Arsenal at the prices off the back of a humbling on Saturday night and I’m not a draw backer but if I was I might have got involved in that in the West Ham game.
Instead I’m left with one bet which comes in the game of the day at Old Trafford. Man Utd are in wretched form right now and Louis van Gaal is under real pressure. I watched most of United’s game at Stoke and the lack of confidence they showed both in wanting the ball and the quality when they had it was alarming.
Chelsea have been nothing special this season but they have immediately improved since the departure of Jose Mourinho and improved enough for me to take them here. United struggled badly with the skill, movement and trickery of Stoke’s front three and with Diego Costa suspended for this one Chelsea could have a similar attacking set up.
United have had problems scoring goals all season and if Chelsea can get the first goal here the crowd might turn on the home side. Norwich won here nine days ago and the likes of West Ham and Newcastle have also left Old Trafford without defeat. Chelsea are nicely priced to do likewise.
Back Chelsea (+0.25AH) to beat Man Utd for a 4/10 stake at 1.87 with BetVictor
