The battle for the fourth and final spot in the 2015-2016 UEFA Champions League continues this weekend when Manchester United takes on Liverpool FC as 11-4 moneyline underdogs in English Premier League action.
United take the pitch in Sunday’s Red Devils vs. Reds matchup at Anfield holding a slim two-point lead over Liverpool on the EPL table. With 56 points and nine matches remaining, a Red Devils victory could also move them ahead of third-place Arsenal and second-place Manchester City, who sit with 57 and 58 points, respectively.
The Red Devils are coming off a 3-0 victory over Tottenham last weekend—their third in their last four matches—and have been solid performers on the road, amassing a 6-5-1 record in their last 11 games away from Old Trafford.
Sunday will be the second meeting between United and Liverpool in Premier League competition this season, with the Red Devils posting a convincing 3-0 win at home in mid-December after being kept off the scoresheet in their previous two against the Reds.
Liverpool takes on its longtime rivals as 23-20 moneyline favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark, with the draw line pegged at 12-5.
LFC has claimed victory in its last five EPL contests and is undefeated in 13 matches since its previous meeting with the Red Devils. The Reds’ strong play has salvaged a season that threatened to slip away after the club was defeated in six of their first 12 matches.
While the Reds’ current hot streak has moved them to within 10 points of Chelsea at the top of the table, they sport distant 150-1 odds of claiming the Premier League championship at the sportsbooks.
However, Liverpool maintains solid 1-1 odds to qualify for next season’s Champions League, closely trailing the Red Devils, who sit at 4-5.
In Spain, the El Clasico rivalry will once again be rekindled this weekend with FC Barcelona facing Real Madrid as 4-6 favorites in La Liga match betting. Real Madrid and the draw line each sport long 7-2 odds.
Sunday’s matchup between Los Blancos and Barca at the Camp Nou continues the rivals’ see-saw battle for the top of the table in La Liga, with Barcelona holding a one-point edge after winning nine of their last 10 matches, while Real Madrid dropped points in matches against Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal earlier this month.
But if recent trends are any indication, the upcoming edition of El Clasico will be another closely contested affair, with seven of the last 10 meetings between the clubs being settled by one goal or less. FC Barcelona has posted four victories during that stretch, while Real Madrid prevailed on three occasions including a 3-1 home win back in October.
Liverpool vs. Man Utd and Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Betting Matchups for Weekend – Bleacher Report
