United join Manchester rivals at top of Premier League

The Premier League title appears to be heading to Manchester.

We are only be five matches into new season but that is the view of bookmakers, who are already as big as 11-2 bar City and United with the pair locked together on 13 points, three clear of third favourites Chelsea.

United produced another late goal glut as they beat Everton 4-0 to join neighbours City at the summit. Jose Mourinho's side are 11-4 to finish first with Pep Guardiola's pacesetters the 11-10 favourites.

Betfred have gone as far as to make City odds-on. They were available at a best-priced 15-8 ante-post.

Antonio Valencia's early thunderbolt set United, who have scored 11 of their 14 goals in the second half, on their way but Mourinho's men had to dig in after the break as Everton improved, only for the Merseysiders to fall apart in the last ten minutes.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan took advantage of Ashley Williams' mistake to double United's lead before Toffees old boy Romelu Lukaku silenced the visiting jeers and there was still time for Anthony Martial to convert a penalty as Everton dropped into the bottom three.

It has been a tough start for the Toffees, who have already been to both Manchester clubs and Stamford Bridge and hosted Tottenham, but the campaign has so far been a wake-up call for those who fancied Everton to gatecrash the top four.

Boss Ronald Koeman will be hoping the season can properly start with a run of four straight home matches against Sunderland (League Cup), Bournemouth (league), Apoel Limassol (Europa League) and Burnley (league) as the pressure grows on the former Southampton chief.

Everton are 75-1 with Paddy Power to be relegated, while bet365 offer that 11-4 Koeman's side finish in the bottom half and the Dutchman is only 11-4 with Hills to be the next Premier League manager to leave his current position.

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Weekend review

The London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal finished in a 0-0 stalemate - a result that led the Manchester pair to be cut in the title betting as all around them dropped points.

David Luiz was sent off for a dangerous tackle near the end of the contest and faces a three-man suspension which rules the Brazilian out of the home date with City on September 30.

Hills rate Arsenal 13-8 to finish in the Premier League's top four and bet365 offer 5-2 that Arsene Wenger's side end the campaign seventh or lower. The most likely position in Arsenal's final league placing according to the market is fifth at 11-4.

Barcelona received some damaging news after it was confirmed Ousmane Dembele, their record signing, faces four months on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury in Saturday's 2-1 win at Getafe.

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