Exclusive:
Our betting expert with punts for debut of new Manchester United boss, Liverpool at Southampton and Leeds against Swansea PLUS a Serie A angle
Bruno Fernandes is the familiar answer for punters this afternoon.
So many questions as we greet Manchester United’s dashing new prince Ruben Amorim.
Will the 39-year-old get a lasting tune out United’s mega-money miss-takers?
Will that glossy black beard make it to Boxing Day without turning white with stress and falling out all over his muesli?
It’s a withering gig, United. Erik ten Hag looked like a haunted egg by the end.
The trip to Ipswich (4.30pm) feels so easy to crack on paper – they’ve shipped 14 goals in their past half-dozen. United have scored 13 in theirs.
But the Tractor Boys have scrambled together some results off the back foot, and the 4/7 away win looks a hard way to bring home some bacon.
Pen-poacher Fernandes still gets an uplift versus a side that is proving to be top-six class on ‘fouls per game’.
With ‘score or assist’ payouts in seven of his past 10 games, get on Fernandes ‘anytime scorer’ at 21/10 (Paddy, Bet365) and ‘OVER 0.5 assists’ at 5/2 (Boylesports).
Longshot fans want Fernandes ‘scores from outside box’ at a solid 11/1 (Bet365) – it’s a good fit.
Southampton made Manchester City sweat for a 1-0 at the Etihad last month and Liverpool will have something to chew on at St Mary’s (2pm) – the 1/4 on offer about the away win looks a bit too much like copy-and-paste pricing.
Still hard to tip the hosts, whose set-piece defending points to Liverpool threats Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
Konate ‘scores a header’ at 19/1 (Unibet) is a fair shout – he’s done it in two of 16 Reds games this season – and Mo Salah is bob-on at 11/5 (Lads) ‘OVER 0.5 assists’.
Get ready to Bogle, as all-dancing Leeds United travel to Swansea (3pm) in the Championship.
Leeds have been spreading the goals around under Daniel Farke, and young right-back Jayden Bogle isn’t shy – he scored three in the Prem last term for Sheffield United, and has bagged two already this season.
The 12/1 (Skybet) for Bogle ‘anytime scorer’ is juicy on his stats.
Over in Italy, punt Scott McTominay ‘score or assist’ at 19/10 (Unibet) for Napoli v Roma (5pm), who could have an eye on their trip to Spurs.
Last week: Winner at 9/10
