Kick-off: 2000, 21/12/2022
Stadium: Old Trafford
TV: Sky Sports
Manchester United return to action following the World Cup break with a League Cup tie against Championship outfit Burnley and it could be a tricky one for Erik ten Hag’s men.
Not many managers at the top end of the pyramid go full pelt when it comes to team selection in the early rounds and Ten Hag will still be missing one or two key players.
It will also be interesting to see the approach from the opposite dugout with former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany no doubt prioritising a promotion push for his table-topping Clarets.
We reckon a close encounter is on the cards and our first Man Utd vs Burnley prediction is the hosts to win with both teams scoring at 19/10.
Manchester United Odds
United will go into this one cold in terms of recent action – they last played competitively on November 13 when they won 2-1 at Fulham.
United have scored more than two goals just five times in 21 games in all competitions this term but we reckon they are worth backing to kick off the second post-Cristiano Ronaldo era in style.
Ronaldo talked his way out of the club last month so no more unsettling, sulky looks towards Ten Hag on matchdays at Old Trafford and it will be interesting to see how the mood has changed.
Ten Hag was used to winning trophies back in Amsterdam with Ajax and while silverware is unlikely to come as thick and fast, the League Cup should offer a decent chance – especially with Liverpool and Manchester City meeting in this round and Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal already out.
Looking at the Man Utd vs Burnley odds for a correct score, 3-1 to the top-flight team can be backed at 10/1.
Burnley Odds
Burnley got back into their groove with a 3-0 win at QPR on their return from the World Cup break and then beat in-form Middlesbrough 3-1 on home turf.
That last victory leaves Burnley with a commanding lead in the chase for automatic promotion.
“The second half was a very complete performance but it is still only halfway,” said Kompany. “I’m sure we will find things to improve because we will need to.
“The first half, we weren’t as good on the ball as we’re used to but that freak goal whipped us into a different tempo and I thought we looked really good.”
Kompany described his side’s previous performance in west London as “close to perfect” and he will need something similar to have any hope of progressing in the League Cup.
But he has tasted defeat only twice this season and it is less than a year since these two played out a 1-1 draw in the Premier League before Burnley fell through the trapdoor.
The Clarets have enough about them to make a game of this and a draw at half-time before a home win is 16/5 in the Man Utd vs Burnley betting tips.
Additional stats
Last result:
Fulham 1-2 MAN UTD – Christian Eriksen, Alejandro Garnacho
BURNLEY 3-1 Midlesbrough – Manuel Benson (2), Jonathan Howson (og)
Head-to-head: Burnley 1-1 Man Utd, Man Utd 3-1 Burnley, Man Utd 3-1 Burnley, Burnley 0-1 Man Utd, Man Utd 0-2 Burnley, Burnley 0-2 Man Utd.
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