Trading Talk - Manchester United vs Arsenal

With the season only a few weeks old spread bettors will be looking forward to a battle between two of the country’s biggest rivals at the end of August. Arsenal and Manchester United go head-to-head at Old Trafford in the first Big Four clash of the season. Punters on either clubs’ outright index spreads for the season (Arsenal’s season points spread is currently at 75.5-77, United’s at 81-82.5) will be watching closely as it is likely to be an indicator of how the teams have coped with key departures.

The intense rivalry has often provided thrilling encounters on and off the pitch – 2004’s ‘Battle of the Buffet’ sticks in the mind, as does United’s 6-1 demolition job for those who bought United’s supremacy spread in 2001. Buyers of Man United’s supremacy spread for the upcoming match will be confident that United can continue their impressive home record against the Gunners. Sir Alex’s team have won five and drawn twice in the last eight meetings at Old Trafford - Arsenal’s only victory a 1-0 win in 2006. But buyers of Arsenal’s win index spread, far from just taking encouragement from the team’s explosive start at Goodison Park, will be pleased at the fairly even split of past results. The two current longest serving Premier League managers have come up against each other 40 times over the last 14 seasons, with Ferguson winning 15 matches and Wenger just one less.

The Sporting Index traders have made United slight favourites to take all three points with home advantage and buyers of their win index spread will hope centre-back Rio Ferdinand has returned from injury in time to shore up a defence which will have to face Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas. Sporting Index can expect an increase in spread buyers of Fabregas’s goal minutes thanks to his brace against Everton, and a spread make-up of 117 minutes.

Sellers of the total goals spread will be encouraged though that the last game ended in a dull 0-0, even if it was a dead rubber fixture. However spread bettors should not discount the possibility of a high scoring match as during the previous season, the teams met twice in Manchester and saw seven goals, United beating Arsenal 2-1 in April after destroying them 4-0 in a fifth-round FA Cup tie. A slightly longer term view is more appealing still to spread punters looking to sell total goals as in the last eight meetings at Old Trafford there has been an average of 1.75 goals per game, in all competitions.
Buyers of the total bookings index spread will be hoping the game lives up to the pantomime clashes of the past and produces a fierce encounter. No player was dismissed in the last match, but there were five cautions, andsuch as this always offer the possibility of a big index total. Spread buyers will point to 2008’s FA Cup clash, in which the spread market make-up totalled 85 points.