Jones Knows is back with Premier League predictions for Sunday’s games…
Manchester City vs Manchester United, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports
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Manchester United are rough and tumble now and hard to score against. Will that be enough to stop Erling Haaland? Perhaps.
The match prices look about right to me though, with City hot favourites at 1/3 with Sky Bet. There is no interest from me in that regard but a special new market offered by Sky Bet revolving around player fouls has got my punting enthusiasm levels sparking.
Since the 4-0 drubbing at Brentford, no team has averaged more fouls per-90 minutes than Manchester United (13.5) as Erik ten Hag has resorted to, for now, a no-thrills, quite direct style with the backdrop of aggression and in-your-face defending. It’s probably smart management as something had to change stylistically.
United will have to ruffle the feathers of City’s players to stand a chance in this one and if Jack Grealish gets selected down the left, then United’s right-back Diogo Dalot’s foul count is worth a dabble with Sky Bet. Grealish still actively goes looking for fouls – not quite as much as his Aston Villa days but his average of winning 2.62 fouls per-90 minutes in a City shirt is still a healthy number. Dalot has made at least two fouls in four of his last five Premier League starts for United and will be keen to shutdown Grealish at every opportunity. He’s 8/11 with Sky Bet to make two or more fouls in the match and 9/4 to make three or more. Both are overpriced.