Bet on low-scoring draw at Goodison Park

The eyes of the football world will be on Robin Van Persie when he makes his Manchester United debut and the former Arsenal striker is around 6-4 to score a goal, 5-1 to score the first goal and 33-1 to score a hat-trick versus Everton in the English Premier League match at Goodison Park.

And it is not just the Van Persie angle that will capture attention. One could say that Manchester United handed last term`s English Premier League title to Manchester City when they conceded two late goals to Everton at Old Trafford, consequently drawing its late-season home game 4-4.

Bookmakers have installed Manchester United as the odds-on favourite for its first English Premier League match of the season, with 10-11 as good as Red Devils punters will get.

But while Manchester United merits favouritism as it kicks off its campaign to wrestle back the English Premier League crown from Manchester City, does it deserve to be rated as more likely to beat Everton than any other result?

Probably not. Everton was the fifth best team in the second half of last term`s English Premier League, accruing more points than Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and a dozen other sides. The Toffees, whose performances and results picked up following the arrival of Nikica Jelavic in January, lost only two of their last 18 league games, a run that included home victories over the Blues, Manchester City and Spurs.

Only the English Premier League champion conceded fewer home goals than Everton and, while the Toffees have been hit by the summer sale of Jack Rodwell to Manchester City - and Manchester United has, in theory, been boosted by its acquisition of Van Persie to partner former Goodison Park hero Wayne Rooney - there is sufficient data to support betting on the home side emerging with at least a point.

The draw is available at around 13-5 and that stands out as the clear 90-minute value given Everton`s form in the second half of last season and the possibility that it will take a bit of time for Manchester United`s newly assembled forward line to click. Remember, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke drew a blank in their first match together for the Red Devils.

There are exotic bets that appeal in this English Premier League game as well. Of the draws, 1-1 makes far and away the most appeal and, also, there is a decent case for betting on the match featuring fewer than three goals.

Last term, Manchester United did not participate in a goalless English Premier League game, while Everton took part in only one. However, most Toffees matches were low scoring - one game featured no goals, 10 games featured one goal and 14 games featured two goals - and the early season nature of the Monday 20 August 2012 match is more likely to result in disjointed play than free-flowing attacking moves.

Bookmakers are quoting a 1-1 draw between Everton and Manchester United at around 6-1 and fewer than three goals - otherwise known as under 2.5 goals - at around 10-11.

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19/08/2012     © Frixo 2024