Live on Sky Sports 1: Sat 17.30: Man Utd (5/6, Winner) can start their Premier League title defence well and there’s also a tasty double.
Champions Manchester United are in the unusual position of beginning the defence of their title with a different manager at the helm after 26 years under the canny guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Discounting Sunday’s Community Shield victory, we’ll get our first view of the post-Fergie, David Moyes-era on Saturday at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium, where the former Everton boss is 5/6 via Winner.com to start his tenure with a victory and 19/5 with Stan James to preside over a shock defeat.
Eyebrows have been raised about the lack of transfer activity at Old Trafford so far this summer and that could nudge a few punters towards BetVictor’s 14/5 marked against the stalemate but while the Swans are a genuine danger, United should have just enough quality to sneak it in South Wales.
Ladbrokes rate Moyes’s men at 14/5 to prevail by a solitary goal and in a match that’s a solid-looking 8/11 (BetVictor) to see both teams find the net, Stan James offer 8/1 about a 2-1 away success.
In attack meanwhile, the question marks over Wayne Rooney’s future make him a risky first goalscorer choice at 13/2 with Stan James and accordingly bet365’s 15/4 for Robin van Persie to break the deadlock is the best bet in that particular market.
Many pundits’ title fancies now Jose Mourinho is back in the dugout, Chelsea kick-off the campaign with what looks a straightforward assignment against newly promoted Hull. Bet365 chalk the Blues up at just 2/9 to see off the Tigers (22/1, BetVictor) and Skybet make them a generous 10/11 to triumph without conceding at Stamford Bridge, where William Hill quote a 2-0 victory at 11/2.
Man City have been busy over the summer, recruiting extensively as well as changing manager and the 2011/12 champions are 1/3 via BetVictor to reap instant rewards by defeating Newcastle on Monday. The same firm offer 7/1 about Manuel Pellegrini’s troops grabbing the only goal and Paddy Power price new-signing Alvaro Negredo at 5/1 to mark his debut with the opener at Eastlands.
North London pair Tottenham and Arsenal are expected to battle it out for fourth spot this term and they can both get off to the ideal start. Where Spurs are concerned, betway consider them 4/5 jollies to collect three points at top flight newcomers Crystal Palace and Stan James make the Gunners a skinnier 2/5 to defeat an Aston Villa outfit that struggle for significant chunks of last season.
Elsewhere, Roberto Martinez’s first game in charge of Everton is 12/5 with Stan James to end in stalemate at Norwich and at an identical price, with bet365, a stalemate also looks likely as Sunderland and Fulham face-off at the Stadium of Light. West Ham meanwhile, get the nod at 19/20 via William Hill to nick it against promoted Cardiff and Skybet go 13/10 about a home success as West Brom welcome Southampton to the Hawthorns.
Recommended Bets:
Man Utd to beat Swansea by one – 14/5 (Ladbrokes)
Double on West Ham & Tottenham – 27/10 (BetVictor)
Compare all Premier League odds and bet at the best price.
