Manchester United, and perhaps more importantly their manager Jose Mourinho, got exactly what they needed in a 2-0 away victory at Burnley FC. The win, achieved in spite of having to play a man down down the stretch due to Marcus Rashford’s red card and sending off, gives them as many wins as they have losses on the young season, and at the very least gives them more pleasant vibes heading into the international break.
Mourinho is clearly feeling the burden of intense pressure and high expectations, but perhaps a road triumph over a side that finished just shy of Europa League qualification last season could change the narrative from “full blown third season syndrome” to just “off to a rough start.”
Third-favorite at the start of the season, Man United’s EPL title odds fell from 11/2 all the way to 50/1 after a disastrous 1-0-2 start. There may be a slight range in Man Utd odds in this highly reviewed online sports betting sites, that are listed conveniently if you see the appeal in their long-shot odds.
Right now, the oddsmakers believe United will end up on the outside looking in, and thus relegated to the Europa League in 2019-20. According to the wagering markets’ projections, United, last year’s runners-up, only have the fifth best odds of finishing the top four this season.
Currently languishing in 10th place, the Old Trafford outfit is backed currently in the 15/8 to 13/8 range of reaching UEFA Champions League next season. Manchester City have the most favorable odds, followed by Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. United’s next three matches (in which they will be without the services of Rashford) are against surprisingly undefeated Watford, and newly promoted Wolves and Derby County.
It would be optimal if they could take at least six points from the next triad of matches.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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