Matchweek 7 of the 2023/24 EPL season saw Manchester United hit a new low, Spurs break their duck against Liverpool, and City show signs of vulnerability
Manchester United reach new low
It wasn’t this bad under Louis van Gaal or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It wasn’t even this bad under David Moyes. But now, Manchester United have officially had their worst start in the EPL era. Defeat at home to Crystal Palace ($5.50), despite starting as $1.52 favourites, consigned the Red Devils to their fourth loss in seven games to start the 2023-24 season, as the groans of discontent around Old Trafford grow louder by the week. Manager Erik ten Hag seemingly had the club on an upward trajectory, but things have nosedived with back-to-back defeats at home.
The 1-0 defeat on Saturday afternoon came through the unlikeliest of sources; a sweet first-time Joachim Andersen strike. The Danish defender was a whopping $40 to be the first goalscorer in the clash, and $15 to be on the scoresheet at all. But the story was all United, with predictable jeers ringing out at full-time. After starting the season as $1.72 hopes of finishing inside the Top 4 again this EPL campaign, ten Hag’s men are already well behind the pace and out to $4.50 in that market with Palmerbet.
🔴 Ten Hag: “It’s frustrating beginning of the season for everyone. Especially for the fans, but for us as well”.
“We’ve to stick together, fight together and get better and make sure we get improvements”.
“I understand the ‘boos’ from the fans”. pic.twitter.com/gXKOna0cxp
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 30, 2023
Spurs break duck as Ange-love increases
We didn’t think the love for new Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou could increase. But injury-time victory against a Liverpool side they hadn’t beaten since 2017 will do that. And the scenes post-match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium won’t be forgotten in a hurry. The Aussie manager’s side prevailed as $2.85 underdogs in, without doubt, the most controversial match of the EPL season to date. Not only did Liverpool ($2.10) cop two red cards (and almost hold on for 25-plus minutes with nine men), but were denied a clear goal from VAR that later enraged manager Jurgen Klopp.
Spurs skipper Son Heung-Min opened the scoring in the pulsating clash ($6.50 first goalscorer) before Cody Gakpo evened the ledger on the stroke of half-time ($3.00 anytime goalscorer). Reds defender Joel Matip’s own goal in the 96th-minute yet again sent the home fans wild and moved Spurs to second on the EPL table, just a point behind leaders Manchester City. Liverpool’s exceptionally bad luck in the game, which significantly aided Spurs, has been used as a reason for Tottenham’s three points. And sure, a draw was likely a more accurate reflection of the game. But when it was 11 v 11 Postecoglou’s side more than took it to their more fancied opponents. After starting the campaign as $4.20 Top 4 hopes, Tottenham are now into $1.91 to finish inside the Champions League spots. And just look what it means to the fans:
Put your Volume ON and UP for 60,000 Spurs fans singing ‘I’m loving Big Ange instead.’ 🤍
Unbelievable scenes. Pinch yourself. The Ange Postecoglou revolution is here 🇦🇺#PL #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/XBufX7pp01
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) September 30, 2023
City offer first glimpse of vulnerability
Spurs, alongside North London rivals Arsenal, are now the only two EPL sides undefeated in the 2023/24 campaign after a shock loss from champions Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s men started as $1.28 favourites away to Wolves ($8.50) at Molineux, but walked away empty handed after the home side caused one of the biggest upsets of the EPL season to date. The result finished a bad week in general for the sky blues. Midweek defeat to Newcastle in the League Cup, too, means they’ve now lost back-to-back matches for the first time since January last year. Prior to this they had been beaten just twice in 41 matches.
While still very early in the campaign, the result is a boost to Arsenal’s title hopes, with Mikel Arteta’s men shortening from $8.00 into $6.00 with Palmerbet. This came after the Gunners brushed aside Bournemouth 4-0 on the south coast ($10 pre-game at -3.0). It was a win for neutrals, too, hoping for a close title fight. Table-topping City (18 points) lengthened from $1.36 to $1.53 on the back of the result with both Arsenal and Spurs (17 points) hot on their heels.
Pep Guardiola forgot Hwang Hee-chan’s name during his pre-match press conference calling him “the Korean guy.”🇰🇷
Hwang just scored the winner against #MCFC and the Wolves admin didn’t forget… 🤭 pic.twitter.com/5DhqjStwU2
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) September 30, 2023