Three defeats in his first six Premier League matches as manager of Manchester Utd have been put to the back of David Moyes’ mind, as his side have taken 13 points from a possible 15 since the 2-1 loss at home to West Brom.
United were more industrious than explosive during their vital 1-0 win against top-flight pacesetters Arsenal last time out at Old Trafford, but they can knock Southampton out of the top four with a big win at newly-promoted Cardiff.
You won’t get better odds on a Red Devils triumph anywhere else, with Coral going top price about the champions continuing to produce the kind of form shown before the international break with a victory at the Cardiff City stadium.
Man Utd to win @ 3/4
United have won 12 of their last 13 games against newly-promoted sides, with the 2-2 draw at the back end of last season against West Ham the only glitch in that run.
The champions go into this match off the back of nine games in a row in all competitions without defeat and thumped Norwich and Fulham – who currently sit just below Cardiff in the table with one and two points fewer respectively – in the last few weeks.
Robin van Persie – who is evens to score for the fifth Premier League game on the spin – is expected to pass a late fitness test, after missing the Netherlands’ international break fixtures with a groin strain and captain Nemanja Vidic has recovered from the concussion he sustained against the Gunners to return at centre-back.
They face a Cardiff side struggling to find their feet in the Premier League and riven with internal strife, thanks to chairman Vincent Tan’s questionable decision making.
Malky Mackay’s men have lost five of their last eight games in all competitions and are taken to lose further ground in their race for survival against Moyes’ boys.
Adnan Januzaj to score first @ 6/1
Wayne Rooney and Van Persie lead the first-goalscorer market at 4/1 each, but the Dutchman’s 18-year-old fellow left-footer could be the key to breaking the deadlock against the Bluebirds.
Januzaj didn’t get a run-out against Arsenal at Old Trafford, but he has started United’s last two Premier League away games, scoring both goals in the 2-1 win at Sunderland and laying on an assist for Van Persie against Fulham.
The Belgian-born starlet has yet to declare his international allegiance and therefore took no part in the recent break, meaning he will be fresh and raring to go if handed a start in Wales.
Under 2.5 goals @ evens
Three of United’s seven games on the road in all competitions this term have produced two goals or fewer, with Moyes’ side unable to muster up more than a single strike in four of their away matches.
Against a Cardiff outfit that has managed one goal or less in each of their last five Premier League games, the evens about this tie featuring a pair of strikes or fewer seems like a sensible punt.
