The Uniteds of Newcastle and Manchester are heavy favourites to qualify for the final at ¼ and 2/9 respectively, but with both also odds-on to win away first-legs we’ll be looking elsewhere for value.
Southampton vs Newcastle prediction
Best Bet: Southampton Total Goals – No Goal @ 13/10
Newcastle are ¾ favourites for victory at St Mary’s. It’s a short enough price for a side arrives on the Solent having won just two of their last six outings in all competitions, failing to score in three of those fixtures.
Eddie Howe’s men have bagged once or not at all in eight out of their 10 outings across all competitions and head to St Mary’s off the back of a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace.
Much more compelling is the Magpies’ defensive record. They’ve conceded three Premier League goals less than any other side this season and kept clean sheets in seven of their last eight games across all competitions.
Betzone go 13/10 about ‘No Goal’ in the Southampton Total Goals market and this looks well worth consideration.
The Saints have been shut out by Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa inside their last three home games and scored once or less in eight of their last 10 run-outs in front of their own fans.
At odds-against this wager is far more attractive than similar bets based around low scoring. Under 2.5 goals is priced up at 8/11 and Both Teams to Score-No is 5/6.
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United prediction
Best Bet: Marcus Rashford to score anytime @ 6/4
There can be few quibbles with a price of 4/6 about a Manchester United win in this encounter. The rejuvenated Red Devils have won 12 of their last 15 in all competitions and trounced the Tricky Trees 3-0 at Old Trafford as recently as December 27.
Less trumpeted but equally impressive has been Forest’s recent upturn in fortunes. Steve Cooper’s men have quietly gone about becoming a lot harder to beat in recent times, losing only three of their last 14 games in all competitions.
The City ground has been a real bastion for the Premier League freshers, yielding four wins and four draws from their last eight outings. Those scalps included wins to nil over Liverpool and Tottenham.
In short, this won’t be easy for the visitors but it’s difficult to bet against a side that have been in such a rich vein of form. The value may lie in backing of one the key contributors to their renaissance.
Marcus Rashford has been a goalscorer reborn during United’s recent impressive sequence, finding the back of the net nine times in his last nine games. That included opening the scoring with a well taken goal from a corner against Forest at Old Trafford in September.
Rashford has chipped in with the goals that have helped secure many of his team’s recent wins and backing him at 6/4 to find the net anytime against Forest looks the value alternative to the 4/6 about a win for the Red Devils.
