Manchester United v Stoke City: Goals could be in short supply at Old Trafford

Manchester United 1.76 v Stoke City 5.90; The Draw 3.75
Tuesday, 20:00

Manchester United

It has been a turbulent season for manager Louis van Gaal with the beleaguered Manchester United boss' future a consistent talking point. The turgid football served up by the Red Devils, particularly at home, has turned many fans against him and left him the favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post. But the Dutchman survived one potential obstacle after United won 3-1 at Derby County to avoid an FA Cup upset on Friday.

Despite this victory, the pressure on Van Gaal remains and he cannot afford another slip-up at Old Trafford. Their last home game saw United beaten 1-0 by Southampton which has left them five points off a Champions League spot. Fifth-placed United have already lost six games in the league this season and have won just five of their 11 home matches.

Stoke City

Stoke have had a rough week after being knocked out of two competitions. The Potters did not do much wrong at Anfield last week, after a 1-0 win on the night, but were eliminated on penalties in the Capital One Cup semi-final. Stoke suffered more disappointment on Saturday after losing 1-0 at Crystal Palace in the FA Cup and are now tasked with making sure their season does not peter out.

Mark Hughes' side have certainly taken their fair share of plaudits this season although consistency has been an issue. Stoke were excellent in home wins over Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United but there have also been some forgettable displays such as their last league match when losing 3-0 at Leicester. The Potters are ninth in the table and still hold aspirations of qualifying for Europe but the next month will probably determine whether they challenge or drift back into mid-table.

Match Odds

Manchester United are the 1.76 favourites for this match but Van Gaal's side have let too many people down at short prices throughout the season. Their poor record at home has seen them win just one of their last five league games so this bet does not appeal in the slightest. There was a temptation to lay them but history in this fixture puts me off.

Stoke are available at 5.90 which on first glance looks exceptionally generous. But their wretched run at Old Trafford tempers enthusiasm as the visitors have lost on their last 12 trips here. Of course this has to end sometime but if pushed the draw at 3.75 looks a more likely possibility.

Half-Time Score

It has been a painful experience for most United fans attending home games this season. Their side have struggled badly for goals and found it extremely difficult to break down opponents. Ten of Man United's last 11 home matches in all competitions have seen the match goalless at the break. This alarming run emphasises the lack of entertainment served up this season and indicates a 0-0 half-time scoreline is definitely over-priced at 2.66.

Over/Under 2.5 goals

Only two of Man United's last 11 home games have seen over 2.5 goals so the expectation heading into this is for a low-scoring match. Three of Stoke's last four games have also finished with under 2.5 goals so it is no surprise it is 1.68 for this bet to come off. Goals could easily be in short supply and a lay of over 2.5 in this Premier League contest is advised.

Recommended Bets

Back 0-0 Half-Time score at 2.66
Lay over 2.5 goals at 2.52