Football betting: Back the draw when Liverpool meet Manchester United in clash of Premier League’s most inconsistent teams
No two teams embody this unpredictable Premier League season like Liverpool and Manchester United.
Liverpool have had eye-catching wins over Manchester City and Chelsea yet desperate defeats against Watford and Newcastle.
United topped the table twice in the early stages of the season after a promising start but they have fallen away badly in recent weeks after winning just once in eight league games.
During this dodgy spell they suffered a run of three straight defeats against Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke.
They will go into this clash hugely frustrated after twice throwing away the lead on Tuesday night at Newcastle, with beleaguered boss Louis van Gaal unable to hide his anger.
Liverpool, on the other hand, will be buoyed by Joe Allen’s late equaliser against Arsenal – a result that manager Jurgen Klopp said felt like a win.
That last-gasp goal doesn’t mask the Reds’ shortcomings, however, and Klopp will be concerned about his side’s defensive frailties with key men missing.
Wayne Rooney will be licking his lips after finally finding form with four goals in his last three games.
But his record of one goal in 11 at Anfield means it’s hard to predict which Rooney will turn up.
Both teams’ inconsistencies mean it’s difficult to pick a winner.
Betway offer 11/5 for the draw and I am very tempted by those odds.
Historically this has been a bad-tempered clash, with plenty of cards, but I don’t think it’ll pan out that way on Sunday.
Neither team have had a red card this season and both sit in the top half of the Fair Play table.
Sporting Index offer a bookings index of 52-56, with 10 points for a yellow card and 25 for a red, but I think that is too high.
In referee Mark Clattenburg’s last 15 games he hasn’t given out more than 50 booking points, meaning I would suggest selling at 52.
Pointers
Draw 11/5 (Betway)
Sell bookings 52-56 (Sporting Index)