Once again punters must don the deerstalker and confront The Mystery of the Ferguson Curse.
Exactly what is going to do Manchester United in this week? Their misfiring frontline, that flappy rearguard, the marshmallow middle?
Professor Plum in the scullery with the Remington Fuzz Away?
No one knows. It’s a five-pipe problem. Even Coleen Rooney, the Spray-tan Sherlock, has had to retreat to her ‘mind palace’ in Alderly Edge for a lie down.
Liverpool are 4/6 to break their Old Trafford jinx (4.30pm). That looks suspiciously thin.
History shouts for the DRAW – five in the last 10 meetings - and for UNDER 2.5 goals (seven from 10).
United are W10 D8 L4 at home against the Big Six in recent PL seasons while Liverpool’s Big Six away stats are W6 D9 L6.
Take the 11/10 (Coral, BetVic) UNDER 2.5 goals – with Europe looming, any ‘early closing’ vibe is on our side too.
Worldie hunters want ‘no goalscorer’ at 11/1 (Bet365) .
Team news is murky, but at least we know for sure Paul Pogba won’t be on penalties.
Injured Pog’s shaky Prem spot-kick record now stands at scored seven, missed four. His overall senior career tally is scored 10, missed five.
United’s touching confidence in him has punished punters. It’s payback time. Get on a fair 11/5 (888sport) there’s a pen awarded.
With Sadio Mane and Daniel James on show there’ll be no lack of trying, will there?
Longshot fans will have noticed that the 9/1 (Bet365) ‘United score a penalty’ is too big . Nibble that.
In the Championship, big Michael Dawson’s continued injury absence might be leaving Nottingham Forest a bit short at the back for the trip to Wigan (2pm).
The Latics have airpower to spare. Highrise striker Kieffer Moore broke his duck for the season with a goal in a Wales shirt last week.
If he starts, take the 16/1 (Unibet) that ‘Moore scores a headed goal’.
Forest’s Lewis Grabban is your ‘anytime scorer’ likely-lad shout at the general 7/4 .
