Eaton Thatcher
It’s derby week for the cities of Manchester and Liverpool. This Sunday (December 10th), neighbor will be pitted against neighbor as Manchester United hosts Manchester City for one of the most significant games of the season, and Liverpool hosts Everton for a lop-sided Merseyside derby.
As always, Bovada and Betway have the odds. Now the only question is: who should you bet on?
Liverpool (-360) vs Everton (+950), Draw (+450)
It’s no surprise that the odds are so heavily skewed in Liverpool’s favor. Liverpool (8-5-2, 29 points) remain undefeated at Anfield this season while Everton are still waiting for their first away win in the Premier League.
To find the last time Everton defeated their Merseyside rivals, we have to look all the way back to 2010. And to find the last time they won at Anfield, we have to turn back almost two decades to the 1999-00 season. I’m sure the Toffies would love to party like it’s 1999, but I wouldn’t put money on it.
Everton are in a state of disarray at the moment. They fired manager Ronald Koeman after he steered the club off a cliff, and Sam Allardyce stepped in less than a week ago to correct course. Even if Everton end up flourishing with “Big Sam” at the helm, it’ll take a bit of time to get on track.
Liverpool have been demolishing bottom and mid-table clubs in the last few weeks. They trounced Brighton 5-1 last weekend and beat Stoke 3-0 the week before before that. They have also recorded a 3-0 win against Huddersfield and a 4-1 win against West Ham.
Moving forward, Liverpool rival Manchester City for the best attack in the league. Their defense, however, can be horrendous at times. That shouldn’t be an issue this weekend, though. Since losing Romelu Lukaku over the summer, Everton haven’t been able to string together a decent attack. The Liverpool backline can rest easy knowing they probably won’t be tested.
The Merseyside derby hasn’t been competitive in some time, and the gulf between the two clubs has rarely been wider than it is now. Liverpool have emerged victorious in their last three meetings, and it’s worth picking them to make it four.
Pick: Liverpool (-360)
Manchester United (+230) vs Manchester City (+115), Draw (+255)
The Manchester derby has never been more important. Manchester City (14-1-0, 43 points) are eight points clear of the league after 15 Premier League fixtures and Manchester United (11-2-2, 35 points) are perhaps the only club capable of catching them. A win for Man City this weekend could put the title beyond doubt before Christmas.
Man United are in fine form right now. They’re on a four-game winning streak in the league and recently schooled Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates. They have a perfect record at Old Trafford, having won all seven home games so far and only conceding two goals at home across all competitions. That’s an unparalleled achievement.
But as good as Man United are right now, Man City are simply better. Apart from their 1-1 draw against Everton at the start of the season, City have won every single game … in all competitions. That includes the Premier League, Champions League, and Carabao Cup.
Bovada currently places City just under Paris Saint-Germain as the favorite to win the Champions League (+450). United, on the other hand, face significantly longer odds (+1400). That really shows where Man City stands relative to the rest of England.
Man United will be without Paul Pogba on Saturday. The £90 million midfielder saw red against Arsenal and will sit out the next three league games. With Pogba on the field, United would have trouble against Man City. Without him, their chances are even slimmer.
Pick: Manchester City (+115)
