Prediction & odds for the game: Manchester United (3/10) v Southampton (9/1)
When: Monday, 13th July @ 8pm K.O
Where: Old Trafford
Manchester United’s push for Champions League football will continue on Monday night as they prepare to host in-form Southampton.
Manchester United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, by all accounts, has proven his doubters wrong over the course of the last few months. Both before and after the restart, United have looked better than they have done in years – and the Norwegian has played a huge role in getting them to that point. Their main goal this season will surely be to get back into the Champions League, but there’s still a whole lot left for them to achieve outside of that as they’re still in the FA Cup and UEFA Europa League.
When United kickstarted their return to action with a 1-1 draw against Tottenham, many were fearing the worst in what was another questionable display. They managed to kick on from that point, though, smashing Sheffield United before edging past Norwich City to make their way into the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Their goalscoring surge continued with a 3-0 win over Brighton before they tore Bournemouth and Aston Villa apart in a matter of days.
Southampton
Ralph Hasenhuttl has been able to inject some real life into this Southampton team, to the point where some have argued they are still in the hunt for a late Europa League spot. That seems a bit farfetched, but when you take a look at what they’ve been able to achieve since the restart, it’s clear to see that they could wind up causing some serious damage next season. First, though, they need to focus on keeping their momentum going across the next four games.
Southampton were able to lay down the law with a 3-0 win over Norwich right out of the gate, confirming that they would not be one of the teams involved in the relegation mire to end the campaign. They did lose to Arsenal in a disappointing outing, but since then, they’ve beaten Watford and Manchester City before drawing 1-1 with Everton.
Conclusion
Based on what these two have been able to produce since the restart, it’s hard to imagine anything other than a really entertaining game at Old Trafford. The Saints will be eyeing up a top half finish and we think they’re going to really go after United on Monday night, potentially even taking the lead. In the end, though, the insane fire power that the hosts possess will prove to be too much for the visitors to handle, and they’ll run out comfortable winners after a shaky start.
We hope, and we believe, the over 2.5 goals boundary will be hit with relative ease at the Theatre of Dreams.
Verdict: Back the home win at odds of 3/10 and the over 2.5 goals scored at odds of 4/7. (All odds are taken from bet365).
[geosnippet id=3620]Feel free to bet on the Manchester United vs Southampton clash by visiting the betting page, or check out the other games that are on offer at the soccer predictions page.
