Swansea v Manchester United Betting Tip 2 – 21 February 2015

Premier League Tips

Swansea have enjoyed a decent enough season in what is Gary Monk’s first full campaign in charge at the club. They currently sit in ninth position, and are probably only a couple of wins away from ensuring their safety. That remains the priority for the majority of sides in the Premier League, and the a Welsh club are no different. The best they can hope for is a top half finish but that would represent serious improvement for a club who flirted with relegation for long spells last season. They will be raring to go this weekend following a break due to being knocked out in an earlier round of the FA Cup and will be hoping to do the double over United after beating them in Louis Van Gaal’s first competitive game in charge.

Despite going behind to Preston in their FA Cup tie on Monday evening, Manchester United rallied to run out 3-1 winners and qualify for the quarter finals. It remains their only realistic hope of winning silverware this term but the biggest prize, as such, is finishing in the top four and qualifying for next year’s Champions League. They come into this game in third place, five points behind Manchester City and a further seven behind leaders Chelsea. Their primary focus is on the sides below them, however, as five sides are separated by five points. It’s set up for a terrific final third of the season and United will be hoping that next year they are competing in Europe’s top club competition rather than a visit to Preston.

The sale of Wilfried Bony to Man City means Swansea do not have a player who has scored more than four goals in the Premier League this season. They weren’t exactly a free-scoring side with him and that’s even more of an issue now he’s departed. In the six games they have been without him, they have scored four goals and only one of those came in a win. I don’t expect Swansea to be dragged into a relegation battle but they also don’t want the season just to fizzle out, either.

Much has been said about Van Gaal and his formations and the style of play that has evolved after his first six months in charge. Many teams would substitute playing well for consistently winning points, but United teams are expect to do both. There is a history of playing winning, entertainment football at Old Trafford and when you can’t achieve both them, the criticism will come. Fortunately for the Dutch manager, he’s experienced enough not to let this overly bother him.

With Southampton, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham all breathing down United’s neck, and with less than convincing performances, every match is a big one for Van Gaal and his players. Swansea might not have won many recently but they have only lost three at home all season. They have had Bony for the majority of those games however and I think they are a much weaker without him. United can record a huge win, here.

Manchester United 21/20 @ Betvictor