Top Match Tips: The smart money on this week's biggest games
These are the weekends that can test a relationship, where you cannot take your eyes off the screen. Old rivalries resume when Manchester United host Arsenal, before stories unfold in Bayern Munich’s clash with Borussia Dortmund and then there is the Madrid derby on Saturday night. It doesn’t stop there, the weekend finishes with the Milan Derby, as a resurgent Milan look to heap misery on new Inter boss Stefano Pioli.
ATLETICO MADRID VS REAL MADRID – Atletico to win @2.40
It’s no coincidence that the odds are relatively low on Atletico winning. Real Madrid are top of La Liga but they have been efficient rather than convincing. Atletico are six points behind but they have progressed a lot under Diego Simeone and they rarely fail to turn up in the big games. Not only that, but they will have the Calderon effect in their favour and that can play a decisive role. Zinedine Zidane will be up for the challenge, but while the loss of Alvaro Morata is manageable, the same cannot be said about his injured midfield duo Casemiro and Toni Kroos. Furthermore, the condition of Cristiano Ronaldo will be hugely important in this game, with Zidane expected to revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation, which will mean Ronaldo’s natural position is further away from the goal. Ronaldo is an athlete, but this will be incredibly demanding of a player that is yet to hit top form this season.
The WhoScored Match Forecast predicts Atleti will score from a wingplay situation and given Yannick Carrasco’s current form, it’s easy to see why this could happen. Not only this, but the forecast predicts Atletico will create many scoring chances. Given the fact Madrid have only kept one clean sheet in their last seven league matches, coupled with Atletico’s recent dominance in this fixture, Atletico to win @2.40 with Bet365 seems the right bet.
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BORUSSIA DORTMUND vs BAYERN MUNICH – Draw @3.60
This is a great chance for Thomas Tuchel to improve his record against Bayern Munich, but weirdly, a Dortmund win could actually profit RB Leipzig. The newly promoted Bundesliga side have been a sensational start to the season and could finish the weekend top of the table if results go their way. It’s also incredibly feasible that this will happen. Bayern appear to have lost momentum, while Dortmund always come out in style in these big matches.
Dortmund’s recent injury woes look set to come to an end just at the right time, while Bayern also have a relatively clean bill of health. Arjen Robben has been ruled out through injury, but they still have Franck Ribery to mercilessly cut through Matthias Ginter's position, which could peg Dortmund back in this fixture. It’s so evenly poised that the game could quite literally end level pegging. In fact, only Hoffenheim (5) have drawn more games in the Bundesliga this season than Dortmund and Bayern (both 3).
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AC MILAN VS INTER – Draw @3.20
November and the Derby della Madonnina are practically synonymous. Stefano Pioli has quite possibly been handed the worst possible fixture to kick off his reign as Inter manager, picking up a team that has only won three of their last 10 matches in all competitions. Inter currently sit eight points behind Milan, which was not expected to be the case at the start of the season. The Rossoneri are in a remarkable third place, which would secure them a place in the Champions League if the season were to finish now. A win over their city rivals would leave Inter 11 points behind and all but finish their pre-season ambitions by mid-November!
As a result, no one will want to make any mistakes, although both defences are generous in that way and it could be dangerous to set your team out with the first intention of not conceding. To make this encounter even more exciting, the loss of Alessio Romagnoli is a huge blow to Milan. Vincenzo Montella will instead have to field Cristian Zapta – who has not played this season due to injury – or 23-year-old Gustavo Gomez. Mauro Icardi should be licking his lips at the prospect of lining up against either of these defenders as opposed to the class of Romagnoli.
The WhoScored Match Forecast predicts one scoring situation for each team and it could well be the case that this match finishes at a draw, which is priced up at @3.20 on Bet365.
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MANCHESTER UNITED VS ARSENAL – Draw First Half @2.10
Another interestingly balanced fixture is actually the one that kicks the weekend of big matches off. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is suspended for United, while Alexis Sanchez is extremely doubtful for Arsenal after playing with an injury for Chile. There is so much at stake in this fixture and not just between the two managers, who don’t have the happiest of pasts. Another defeat would sound as a definitive blow for Mourinho, who has already lost to Pep Guardiola and former club Chelsea in the league this season.
While Arsenal certainly seem favourites going into this match, they haven’t won a league game at Old Trafford since 2006 and Wenger has never beaten a Mourinho side in a competitive match, this being his 15th attempt. Marcus Rashford was the star of this corresponding fixture last season and will fancy his chances possibly up against young Rob Holding, while United need to find a way to stop Mesut Ozil floating between the lines and carving United’s defence at will. Mourinho’s side have been drawing at half time in each of their last two matches at home, with a draw at the interval priced up at @2.10 on Bet365.
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BAYER LEVERKUSEN VS RB LEIPZIG – Leipzig To Win @3.10
Friday night could go down as a historic one in Leipzig’s short seven-year history. A win over a struggling Bayer Leverkusen outfit would mean they go above Bayern Munich into top spot in the Bundesliga. Roger Schmidt’s side have been fairly inconsistent this season and may not have Chicharito from the start, following his late arrival from the international break. They have only won three of their five home matches this season, and the WhoScored Match Forecast only predicts possibilities in Leipzig scoring.
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