Manchester United have released their new home kit for the 2018/19 season.
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Jose Mourinho’s men have already unveiled a black away kit for the new campaign but as they prepare to play the first game of their U.S. tour on Thursday, their new home jersey is now available.
[ MORE: Sanchez to miss US tour? ]
Take a look at the video and photos below to get a feel for the kit.
The reality an away-team win could be in both clubs’ interest might be the place to start with this week’s Super Sunday matchup.
Chelsea is the +135 away favorite on the Premier League odds with host Arsenal coming back at +205, while the draw is priced at +260 on the three-way moneyline and there is a 3.0-goals total for Sunday at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
[ MORE: Bundesliga 2nd half preview ]
Chelsea, which has three consecutive one-goal wins in its last three away matches, could all but eliminate Arsenal from top-four contention (and the automatic berth in the 2019-20 Champions League), and a Gunners side thinned-out by injuries and turmoil might welcome the chance to put more of its eggs in the Europa League basket.
Eden Hazard (+400 first goal scorer, -125 anytime) will likely feature for Chelsea now that Alvaro Morata is shipping off to Atletico Madrid of Spain. Chelsea by 1 Goal (+350) and Either Team 2-1 (+350) offer good value in Winning Margin and Correct Score Group props at online sports betting sites.
Elsewhere this weekend, Wolverhampton (+130) has won or drawn against Leicester City (+245, draw +225) in nine of their last 10 home matchups and the inconsistent Foxes’ last six away matches have all finished UNDER 2.5 goals. There is a little more value with looking at Wolverhampton 1-0, 2-0, or 2-1 (+185) in Correct Score Group props, and Raul Jimenez (+500 first goal scorer, +200 anytime) should be a factor offensively.
Liverpool (-500) and Crystal Palace (+1500, draw +600), in relative terms, both have strong scoring trends with the Reds having scored at least three goals in their last three home games and the Eagles having netted twice in each of their last three away games. Liverpool win/yes (+150) and Yes/Over 2.5 (+125) are the percentage plays in Both Teams To Score props.
Newcastle United (EVEN) and Cardiff City (+335, draw +230) are both in the relegation zone and reeling of late, with Newcastle winless in five games while Cardiff has banked only one win its last seven games (all competitions). Newcastle has injuries to key cogs such as Jamaal Lascelles (hamstring) and Isaac Hayden (back). Those factors make Cardiff enticing on the double chance (+180), while tie/no (+800), that is betting on a 0-0 draw, has good value in Both Teams To Score Props.
Huddersfield Town (+2000) hosting Manchester City (-650, draw +700) for a Sunday matchup right after sacking manager David Wagner begs the question of how to divine some Man City betting values. The any other score (+175) in Correct Score Group props covers the possibility of City scoring four or more goals in a win where it also concedes; it’s the same payout as No/Over 2.5 in Both Teams To Score props.
And Fulham (+425) hosts a Tottenham (-125, draw +255) side in its first game since learning Harry Kane (ankle) will be out until March. The overall trends, though, show that Fulham’s last six home games against Tottenham have gone OVER 2.5 goals, and the visiting Spurs have won seven of their last nine away games. Kane’s absence could make Tottenham try new modes of attack and winger Dele Alli (+600 first scorer, +200 anytime) could capitalize.
For more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify or listen to it at OddsShark.libsyn.com.
Pep Guardiola says Manchester City has “three or four” targets in mind as long-term replacements for Fernandinho.
[ MORE: JPW’s PL picks ]
There is no debate that the club has been markedly better with the 33-year-old in the center of the park, with City losing both of its Premier League matches that the Brazilian missed this season (Palace and Leicester City back-to-back).
“I think with the way we play we need a guy who has of course physicality, is quick in the head and reading where our spaces to attack are,” Guardiola said Friday ahead of a Sunday visit to Huddersfield Town.
“As many things as he can do, the better. I know it is not easy to find one player who can do everything. [You have to deal with] the price, the agents and the club if you want to buy the players so we will see.”
The 49-times capped Fernandinho has been one of the more overlooked players during his time at City, posting big performance scores even before Guardiola arrived at the Etihad Stadium.
But how long can he continue to thrive in that role? Certainly not too much longer if City can’t give him some relief. That’s no indictment on the player, rather a 33-year-old who plays with such physicality and piles up minutes across all competitions.
The Winterpause ends Friday, as Bayern Munich visits Hoffenheim with a new feel for its first match of a calendar year: That of the title chaser.
The six-time defending Bundesliga champions enter the second half of the season six points back of Borussia Dortmund.
[ MORE: JPW’s PL picks ]
Still 2.5 months from the next Der Klassiker (April 6 at the Allianz Arena), Bayern has to navigate a title fight without the chance to directly affect its rivals. Both clubs face Premier League opposition in the Champions League — Bayern with Liverpool, BVB v. Spurs — and neither has a particularly easy start to 2019. Other storylines to watch:
How much will Christian Pulisic’s transfer further affect his playing time? Whether or not Pulisic leaves for Chelsea as a Bundesliga champion is one thing, but many American eyes will be trained upon how often he’s deployed by Lucien Favre at Borussia Dortmund.
Let’s be clear on one thing: Favre has rotated his forwards heavily between Champions League and the Bundesliga. Jadon Sancho has played 1025 minutes, Jacob Bruun Larsen 830, Maximilian Philipp 515, Paco Alcacer 503, and Pulisic 483. Numbers two through eight on the playing time scale are defenders or midfielders (Marco Reus is first with 1483).
Amongst BVB attackers in the Champions League, however, only Reus has played more than Pulisic’s 339 minutes. And while Pulisic played 1 and 2 minutes in consecutive Bundesliga matches, he went 90 against Monaco in the UCL match separating those sub spots.
In other words, this isn’t as much of a quagmire as some Americans would lead you to believe. Yes, ex-Man City man Jadon Sancho has stolen Pulisic’s wonder boy numbers and title, but the kid isn’t being left in the cold.
Is Weston McKennie heading for Liverpool? It seems more likely a new deal is coming at Schalke, but you could easily see Jurgen Klopp liking the versatility of the 20-year-old midfielder as its midfield gets a bit older.
What about the rest of the Americans (and a Canadian)? Almost as many eyes will be on Tyler Adams as the New York Red Bulls product takes the next step at RB Leipzig. FC Dallas’ Chris Richards is also now with Bayern Munich, while Canadian phenom Alphonso Davies begins his much-anticipated time with Bayern.
John Brooks of Wolfsburg is the top-rated American player in the top flight this season via WhoScored.com, one of eight Yanks to take the field.
Here are the Americans abroad in Germany :
Christian Pulisic, Borussia Dortmund — 11 apps, 483 mins, 1G-2A
Weston McKennie, Schalke — 13 apps, 778 mins, 1G-1A
Josh Sargent, Werder Bremen — 2 goals in 45 senior minutes
John Brooks, Wolfsburg — 16 apps, 1440 mins, 1G-1A
Tyler Adams, RB Leipzig — Arrived in January
Haji Wright, Schalke — 5 senior games, 1 goal
Bobby Wood, Hannover 96 — 14 apps, 913 mins, 3G-1A
Aron Johannsson, Werder Bremen — Hasn’t played
Fabian Johnson, ‘Gladbach — 11 apps, 543 mins, 1 goal
Timothy Chandler, Eintracht Frankfurt — Hasn’t played
Alfredo Morales, Fortuna Dusseldorf — 11 apps, 917 mins, 1 goal
Caleb Stanko, Freiburg — Hasn’t played
Timothy Tillman, Nurnberg — Hasn’t played
How low will Schalke finish? A dreadful start to the season has last season’s No. 2 team, Schalke, sitting four points above the relegation playoff spot, nine back of the last Europa League spot, and 13 behind the Top Four.
Schalke’s other route to Europe include the DFB-Pokal, where they next face Fortuna Dusseldorf in the Round of 16, and winning the Champions League (Manchester City is their next opponent).
Will Robert Lewandowski defend his Golden Boot? The Bayern Munich star is chasing his fourth time leading the league in goals since 2013-14, his final year at Dortmund. Here are the current leaders:
| Race for the Golden Boot | ||
| Pos | Name | Total |
| 1 | Luka Jovic, Eintracht Frankfurt | 12 |
| 1 | Paco Alcácer, Borussia Dortmund | 12 |
| 3 | Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund | 11 |
| 3 | Timo Werner, RB Leipzig | 11 |
| 5 | Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich | 10 |
| 6 | Sebastien Haller, Eintracht Frankfurt | 9 |
| 6 | Thorgan Hazard, Borussia Monchengladbach | 9 |
| 6 | Alessane Plea, Borussia Monchengladbach | 9 |
| 9 | Youssef Poulsen, RB Leipzig | 8 |
| 10 | Alfred Finnbogason, Augsburg | 7 |
[ MORE: Emery on possible exit for Mesut Ozil, reason for his absence ]
Will any of the new boys survive? Two teams go down and a third goes to a playoff game against the third place team in 2.Bundesliga (currently FC St. Pauli).
This season, the four latest teams to earn promotion are all in danger of the drop. Here’s how bottom of the table looks:
14. Fortuna Dusseldorf(2018/19) – 18
15. Augsburg (2011/12) – 15
16. Stuttgart (2017/18) – 14
17. Hannover 96 (2017/18) – 11
18. Nurnberg (2018/19) -11
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City are both capable of the sublime and the miserable, and meet Saturday at the Molineux with Top Seven positioning on the line (Watch live at 7:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com).
Wolves have lost to Crystal Palace and Man City since their controlling 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur to close out 2018. They also boast a win over Chelsea and a draw with Arsenal… and a loss at Cardiff.
Leicester has lost to both Saints and Cardiff at home, but those disappointments are sandwiched around an away win over Everton.
And to boot: Wolves are a lower half team in terms of home performance, while Leicester is a Top Six side away from King Power Stadium.
Shoulder shrug emoji?
What they’re saying
Wolves’ Nuno Espirito Santo on the season: “What gives us the heart is that we are trying to build something together, not just from now. Last season we didn’t look at the table and we were in the Championship. Now we are in the Premier League why would we change?”
Leicester City boss Claude Puel on Jamie Vardy dressing as Spiderman at training: “We need a super-hero I think. We all know about Jamie – I am not surprised it was him. He dressed up and it was a good laugh and freshness. … I appreciate it a lot, it is good – Spider-man was a great feeling. It’s important like Spider-man we keep concentration and focus, and keep a good atmosphere between us and around us. It is important to find a smile. Football is a game and we need to enjoy training sessions and games.”
Prediction
After all that, you want us to predict two very unpredictable sides? Fine. 1-1, with Raul Jimenez and Jamie Vardy trading strikes. So go ahead and bet on 4-2, Wolves.
