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With the Premier League just a week away, Chelsea and Manchester United go head to head in the Community Shield. Chris Hutcheon previews
Supporters itching for the start of the new Premiership campaign don’t have long to wait now and indeed the annual curtain raiser for the new season, the Community Shield, takes place this Sunday at Wembley as champions and FA Cup winners Chelsea lock horns with Manchester United.
The Blues have been installed as 6/4 favourites by Victor Chandler, which is perhaps understandable given that they scooped the double last term, while William Hill chalk 2/1 against a United triumph, but the last three renewals – two of which have featured these two – have been settled on penalties having finished all square after normal time, so Stan James could regret offering 12/5 for the match to end in stalemate.
With that in mind, it’s worth considering a flutter on both teams at 5/1 (888Sport) to prevail from the spot and in what should be an open affair, a strong case can be made for the 5/6 available at Partybets, for both teams to find the net inside 90 minutes and also Jaxx.com’s 11/10, marked against the match generating three or more goals for the fifth time in seven years.
The formbook just about points at Carlo Ancelotti’s troops but in what is essentially a friendly match on neutral territory; it’s a tough one to call to say the least, especially as that draw threat looms large. Punters expecting a conclusive encounter might therefore wish to hedge their bets by covering both Betfred’s 11/1 for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to shade it 2-1 and Betdaq’s slightly skinnier 9/1 for Chelsea to prevail by the same scoreline.
Elsewhere, Totesport offer 14/1 for a repeat of last year’s 2-2 scoreline and bet365 quote 11/10 for the pair to be inseparable at the 45-minute mark while in the first scorer stakes, Didier Drogba (9/2, 888Sport) and Wayne Rooney (5/1, Ladbrokes) will inevitably be the subject of the majority of bets.
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