Manchester United vs Leicester City - Premier League Preview and Odds

Published on: 10/08/2018

Manchester United vs Leicester City - Premier League Preview and Odds

August 10, 2018 20:00pm - Old Trafford

Premier League

The 2018/19 Premier League season gets underway on Friday night as Manchester United and Leicester City meet under the Old Trafford floodlights with early momentum at stake.

The return of Europe`s biggest league provides the perfect cure the World cup hangover that has lingered since mid-July. However, not everyone seems happy to be back. Manchester United boss has been in a grumpy mood all summer and will start the campaign with an injured-ravaged squad that was barely strengthened in the summer as ongoing differences with the board continued.

Among those missing will be new arrival Diogo Dalot, Nemanja Matic, Antonio Valencia and Marcos Rojo while Jesse Lingard, Ashley Young, Phil Jones, Marouane Fellaini, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku are all lacking match fitness following their World Cup endeavours. Ander Herrera and Eric Bailly are also doubtful, both picked up knocks in the final pre-season outing against Bayern Munich.

Meanwhile, Leicester City will look to take advantage of the gloomy atmosphere in Manchester but will have to do so without World Cup stars Harry Maguire and Jamie Vardy who are both out injured. Jonny Evans, Nampalys Mendy and James Maddison are also doubts.

The Foxes rounded off their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 win in Lille to make it two wins, two draws and just one defeat (to Udinese) from their summer schedule.

Claude Puel will be looking to improve on last season`s ninth place finish which was achieved with a meagre 47 points. And having spent the best part of £100m on new signings, much of which was accrued from the sale of Riyad Mahrez to Manchester City, top seven will be the target.

Algerian winger Rachid Ghezzal will be tasked with filling Mahrez`s boots as Leicester look to rediscover some of the form that saw them crowned champions just three seasons ago. Ghezzal impressed during his five-year spell at Lyon and spent last season at Monaco before Leicester swooped for his services.

Recent Form (All comps)

Manchester United: WDLWW

Leicester City: LWLLD

Betting odds and tips

Leicester avoided defeat in 10 of their 19 away games last term and could cause a surprise here with United in poor form and low spirits.

The Leicester/Draw Double Chance is available at 7/5.

By Neil Morris

Published on: 10/08/2018

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (10/08/2018 12:22:48) but are subject to change.