Premier League preview and odds: Stoke City vs Manchester United

Published on: 20/01/2017

Premier League preview and odds: Stoke City vs Manchester United

January 21, 2016 15:00pm - Bet365 Stadium

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Premier League

Stoke City will look to make it three wins on the bounce when they welcome sixth-ranked Manchester City to the Bet365 Stadium on Saturday. The visitors themselves are defending a 12-game unbeaten run that stretches back to October.

Stoke unbeaten in four at home

Stoke City have won two and drawn two of their last four home matches, keeping three clean sheets in the process. In fact they have only been once in their last eight league fixtures at the Bet365 Stadium.

The Potters have finished ninth in table for the last three seasons and that is exactly where they are positioned right now. Mark Hughes` target will be to beat that benchmark this term.

In the same fixture last season, Hughes` men cruised to a 2-0 win and earlier this season they held the 20-time former champions to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Manchester United come into this game on the back of a 12-game unbeaten run including their last five away from home. They have scored two goals or more on four of their last five road trips and kept clean sheets in their last two. Only Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been in better form over the last eight games.

Despite their recent resurgence, Jose Mourinho`s men are still only sixth in the table, so they will need to keep that form going if they want to break into the top four. However, with Manchester City playing later in the day, they could take temporary charge of fifth spot on Saturday.

Team news

The home side will be without the injured group of Jonathan Walters (knee), Geoff Cameron (knee), Jack Butland (ankle) and Stephen Ireland (leg), while Ramadan Sobhi, Mame Diouf and Wilfried Bony are all away on African Cup of Nations duty.

Meanwhile, Luke Shaw is still not fit for the visitors who have also lost Eric Bailly to the African Cup of Nations.

Recent form (League):

Stoke City: WWLLD

Manchester United: DWWWW

Betting odds and tips

Stoke City have only lost one of their last four meetings against United and have only been beaten once at home in the league since September. As a result, the Draw looks like a decent price at 16/5.

You can back the Draw at 16/5 with Bet365.

By Neil Morris

Published on: 20/01/2017

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (20/01/2017 15:17:06) but are subject to change.