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The Battles of Manchester and Madrid Are This Week’s Top Football Punts

Last week we saw the Turin derby with Juventus pipping Torino to a win in the famous Italian city, while we also saw the North London derby with table-topping Tottenham earning themselves a fine 2-0 win over their rivals Arsenal. The derby games continue this week too, Wolves face Aston Villa in a midlands’ derby, while Spurs face another London derby this time away to Crystal Palace.

However, it is the two games taking place in Manchester and Madrid this weekend that will certainly attract the most interest from football and betting fans. At Old Trafford, Manchester United will hope their dismal home form improves as they take on Manchester City with both teams on the tails of the top four (and both with a game in hand on those teams above them in the table). A few hours later, in Madrid, Real Madrid will seek to end Atletico Madrid’s unbeaten start to the season in what should be a cracking Madrid derby.

Of course, big games in Europe always attract plenty of interest from football fans, as well as those with a betting interest too and if you would like to have a wager on either of the big derby games this weekend, and you are looking for a place to bet that offers a wide selection of soccer bets throughout the season, In Play betting, Live Streaming and a massive choice of other sports markets, then the place to start is with the bet365 New Player Bonus.

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Let’s now shift out focus back to the big derby games taking place this weekend in Manchester and Madrid, both kicking off on Saturday evening, with the game in Manchester starting at 5.30pm UK time and the second game in Madrid kicking off at 8pm UK time.

Saturday 12th December

Premier League

Manchester United v Manchester City (5.30pm)

After slow starts, both these teams come into this game on the fringes of the title race and with a huge amount to play for. However, UNited’s home record is awful with just one win so far this season in the EPL at Old Trafford (and that an unconvincing 1-0 win over West Brom). City’s away form isn’t that great either but even so it is the visitors that will start as the slight favourites in this one.

Manchester Derby Stats

Manchester United Versus Manchester City
6th League Position 7th
10 Games Played 10
6 Won 5
1 Drawn 3
3 Lost 2
19 Goals Scored 17
17 Goals Conceded 11
W W W W L EPL Form W W L D W
1-1-3 Home Record (WDL) 3-1-1
5-0-0 Away Record (WDL) 2-2-1
Fernandes (7) Leading Scorer (Gls) Mahrez (4)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Manager Pep Guardiola

Probable Teams

  • Manchester United – (5-3-2) – De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Telles, Maguire, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, McTominay, Fred, Fernandez, Rashford, Greenwood
  • Manchester City – (4-3-3) – Ederson, Cancelo, Mendy, Dias, Laporte, Rodrigo, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Sterling, Aguero

Match Preview

After starting the season a week later than other teams, both City and United have been playing catch up to the top sides since, and a less than stellar start for both has made that a longer process than they would have liked. However, now both stand on the threshold of joining the battle inside the top four and a win here could well catapult that team onto the fringes of that with a game in hand on their main rivals at the top of the table.

A defeat though, and the close nature of the Premier League this season could well mean that the loser drops down into the mid-table positions once again and that could well be a real problem as we head towards the busy Christmas period.

United have the added complications of a hard game against Red Bull Leipzig in the week, which saw them lose and be eliminated from the Champions League, while City could rest key players ahead of their home game with Marseille as they had already qualified for the next phase of the competition.

Recent history has seen the away team win most of these matches, with the chief exception being United’s victory over City in the last game between these two sides back in March, which United won 2-0 at Old Trafford.

Manchester United v Manchester City Tips

  • Full Time Result – Manchester City to win – 8/1
  • Correct Score – Manchester United 1-3 Manchester City – 14/1
  • Anytime Goalscorer – Raheem Sterling (Man City) – 11/10

La Liga

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (5.30pm)

With Real’s Bernebeu stadium undergoing renovations, this derby game will take place at the Alfredi Di Stefano Stadium. After winning just half of their four home games so far this season, losing the other two, Real badly need a result here. A win for Atletico would move them nine points clear of Real Madrid, with a game in hand over their rivals too.

Madrid Derby Stats

Real Madrid Versus Atletico Madrid
4th League Position 1st
11 Games Played 10
6 Won 8
2 Drawn 2
3 Lost 0
17 Goals Scored 21
12 Goals Conceded 2
W L D L W La Liga Form W W W W W
2-0-2 Home Record (WDL) 5-1-0
4-2-1 Away Record (WDL) 3-1-0
Benzema (4) Leading Scorer (Gls) Felix, Suarez (5)
Zinedine Zidane Manager Diego Simeone

Possible Teams

  • Real Madrid – (4-3-3) – Courtois, Mendy, Vazquez, Varane, Nacho, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos, Rodrugo, Vinicus Junior, Benzema
  • Atletico Madrid (3-5-2) – Oblak, Savic, Felipe, Hermoso, Trippier, Vitolo, Herrera, Saul, Lemar, Felix, Suarez.

Match Preview

There’s no doubt that Atletico have been the team to beat in La Liga this season. Diego Simeone’s men are top of the table by a point from Real Sociedad but have two games in hand over most teams chasing them. Most impressively, they have dropped just four points this season, remain unbeaten and have conceded just two goals in their ten games so far.

In contrast, Real have had a poorer start picking up 20 points and winning six, drawing two and losing three of their 11 games so far. Only four of those games have been at their temporary home, but they have lost two of those games, winning the other two. Atletico are certainly the toughest test they will have faced on their home pitch this season.

Injury rules out Eden Hazard and Sergio Ramos for this game in all likelihood, while Atletico may elect to recall Joao Felix after resting him last weekend. Ex-Barcelona man Luis Suarez is likely to start in attack hoping to add to his five goals already this season.

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid – Tips

Full Time Result – Draw – 9/4

Correct Score – Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid – 11/2

Anytime Goalscorer – Luis Suarez (Atletico) – 11/8

*All odds shown were correct with bet365 Sport as of 1pm on Wednesday 9th December 2020.

 

Ian John

Working my way though the UK's top online poker sites (and some of the ones near the bottom as well) to bring you a first-hand take on the absolute best choices for online poker players from the UK.

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