Manchester United can go top of the Premier League on Saturday evening as the title race gets tight again.

Chelsea’s unexpected defeat to Manchester City threw the competition wide open again and there’s little to split the Reds and the Blues, and indeed Arsenal, in the betting on this season’s Premier League winner. Chelsea head the market at 2.7 (7-4) with United close behind at 2.74 (7-4) and the Gunners 3.85 (14-5) shots.

Wolves stand between the Reds and the summit this weekend and the odds suggest the champions will get their own way – the home team are an enormous 12 (11-1) to win with Betfair. Faithful United backers can get 1.37 (4-11) while the draw trades at 5.3 (9-2).

Those short odds on a Reds win are unsurprising as Mick McCarthy’s men are stuck in rut with just one league win this year. By contrast, United are top of the form table with four victories and a draw from their last six games in England’s top division.

The Molineux outfit are the league’s lowest scorers with just 21 goals and will come up against the second most parsimonious backline on Saturday evening. The odds on a United clean sheet are tight at 1.92 (10-11) but they should be taken.

By and large Wanderers have kept things fairly tidy at the back, rarely getting hammered but never quite doing enough to snatch a share of the points or even taking all three. It’s likely they’ll lineup in a defensive formation, despite their chronic need for points. The Reds are likely to keep one eye on AC Milan’s Champions League visit and Fergie may pull one of two key performers off should United hold a two goal advantage. In short, don’t expect a heavy win.

With that in mind, a correct score bet of 2-0 appeals at 7 (6-1) as does the ‘draw/United’ half-time/full-time result at 4.7 (a little over 7-2).

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• The Louis Saha Question and United 6-0 Newcastle Goal Videos
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Tags: Manchester United Fixtures