United 1-40 for title after City are sunk by Gunners
IT’S a matter of when not if Manchester United retain their Premier League crown if the title odds are correct after the champions moved eight points clear of Manchester City on a dramatic afternoon of Premier Leagueaction.
Mikel Arteta’s late winner for Arsenal gave them a 1-0 victory over City at the Emirates and United, who had earlier beaten QPR 2-0 at Old Trafford, were slashed to 1-40 to finish the season in first place with their one-time noisy neighbours out to 20-1.
There looks no way back for a devastated City, who have been matched at a low of 1.4 on Betfair to win the league and looked champions elect after beating their rivals 6-1 at Old Trafford five months ago before wilting under the pressure of United’s 2012 charge. They led the table in mid-November and held top spot until losing at Swansea on March 11, when their season fell apart.
City have scored just three goals in their last eight Premier League away games which helps to explain the collapse and they rarely threatened at Arsenal with Mario Balotelli’s late red card just adding to the misery. Balotelli should have been dismissed in the first half and may haveplayed his last game for City.
It remains to be seen what sort of clearout they ponder this summer but bet365 quote Roberto Mancini at 6-4 to be the manager with Hills rating Jose Mourinho by the far the most likely replacement with no one else quoted at single-figure odds.
Whatever the playing staff andwhoever the boss, City are favourites to win the title next season but United will no doubt enjoy putting as much distance between the clubs until the end of the season. Bet365 quote the Red Devils at 9-4 to be champions by 11 points or more, while Hills are 13-8 about
United finishing with at least 93 points on the board.
It would go down as one of United’s sweetest title successes and Sir Alex Ferguson is 4-7 with BetVictor to win the LMA Premier League Manager of the Year award, although he is 6-1 to claim the overall award in a market headed by Brendan Rodgers.
Fergie did not have to do much to lead United to maximum points yesterday with Rangers midfielder Shaun Derry sent off for a soft red card on 14 minutes and the result was never in doubt from the moment Wayne Rooney smashed home the subsequent penalty. Paul Scholes added a second and QPR are 4-6 to be relegated.
Meanwhile, in the midst of the title race excitement it would be easy to forget just what a massive three points it was for Arsenal.
The Gunners moved up to third and are 1-5 to claim a top-four finish and are 4-7 in the betting without the Manchester clubs.
