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Two famous Premier League rivals clash at the Theatre of Dreams in a Saturday night treat for football fans. Manchester United enjoy home advantage over Chelsea when the Reds and Blues cross paths. An away win could push Chelsea into the top four, while victory for the locals would help win over fans following an unconvincing first month of the season.
Which team will win, secure the points and earn their fans the bragging rights? You can read our in-depth Man Utd v Chelsea preview, study the stats at Flashscore, and place bets at the leading online bookmakers. Join any of our betting partners today and qualify for a welcome bonus free bet on Man Utd v Chelsea.
Need help finding a winner, beating the bookies and boosting your balance? Our experienced football and gambling writer, Frank Monkhouse, is here to assist you. He unpacks the vital stats and trends, highlights patterns in the head-to-head, uncovers the best odds, and offers his picks.
Man Utd v Chelsea tips
Both teams to score @ 1/2 (bet365)
Chelsea to score first @ 5/6 (bet365)
Match result - draw @ 14/5 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
United fail to impress
Manchester United welcome rivals Chelsea with the locals in desperate need of a morale-boosting three points. The Red Devils prepare for EPL gameweek five with four points on the board. Following a huge summer spending spree, fans, the media, pundits, and bookmakers expected better. United start 14th in the pecking order, a single point above West Ham United and the relegation zone, already eight behind leaders Liverpool.
Man Utd began the season with a 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal. Both teams performed well at this venue and had chances to win the match, but the Gunners were more accurate in attack. A goal from Calafiori in 13 minutes proved the difference. In round two, United drew 1-1 at Craven Cottage, benefiting from an own goal by Rodrigo Muniz just before the hour mark. A narrow win over Burnley followed, before a heavy home derby defeat at the Etihad last week.
The stats available at Flashscore show Man Utd have scored four goals, with three coming in one match and the other an OG. Despite that, the head-to-head shows that a bet on both teams to score is a strong approach. That market would've made you a profit in seven of the previous eight meetings, and that's good enough for us.
Tip: Both teams to score @ 1/2 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You need Man Utd and Chelsea to score at least one goal each.
Blues to make the breakthrough
Our second bet on Saturday is for Chelsea to score the first goal of the game. You'll find that in the first team to score market at many leading online gambling apps, including bet365. The match-winner and first scorer don't matter here. As long as Chelsea make it 1-0, your bet wins. It could be a screamer inside 60 seconds or a last-minute penalty. The 0-1 scoreline instantly makes you a profit.
Looking at Chelsea's recent results, we note the Blues took the lead against Fulham at Stamford Bridge late last month. The head-to-head shows that a bet on Chelsea to score the first goal was sensible when the teams met earlier this year. The Londoners also scored first in two of their previous three games against Saturday's opponents, including inside four minutes in a 4-3 win.
Betting traders agree with our thinking, pricing Chelsea as the favourites to score first. That means the odds are tight and are best suited to your weekend accumulators. The best thing about the team to score first market is that you can bank an early profit or remain in the game until the final whistle. It's a value-for-money play that will hold your interest.
Tip: Chelsea to score first @ 5/6 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Chelsea score to make it 1-0 at any point, you're a winner.
Stats support a bet on the draw
As is often the case in my Premier League previews for Flashscore, especially on matches broadcast on television, I offer a third pick at bigger odds. These are the bets that need a share of luck to get home, but come with nice odds attached, will give followers a run for their money, and are supported by the stats. Here, we're backing Manchester United v Chelsea to end in a draw, with the Reds and Blues sharing the points.
You'll find Man Utd v Chelsea draw in the match-winner market at your chosen football gambling app. With this bet, you're not concerned with the final score, who gets the goals, and when they come. A boring 0-0 finish is just as good as a dramatic 5-5 result. As long as the game ends level, you'll collect a decent return. You have a one-in-three chance of winning, with the draw working against victory for Man Utd and the away day.
Flicking through the stats associated with both clubs, we see Chelsea have drawn half of their four games, and Man Utd drew with both Fulham and Grimsby. The H2H show the draw was the best bet in six of the previous 10. That's a strong stat, and far too good to ignore. Looking to chance your luck a little more? You may like to know that half of the last eight have ended with a 1-1 correct score, including at Old Trafford last year.
Tip: Match result - draw @ 14/5 (bet365)
Bet explanation: A draw at Old Trafford on Saturday will land you a healthy return.
Man Utd v Chelsea odds
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.