Weekend Outlook (04 Apr 2009)

Manchester United vs Aston Villa

"...Perhaps the end-season jinx was set upon us earlier than normal?..."

- JayWalk, 04 Apr 2009

We really lost the plot in the run-in and a slew of red card from out of the blue just sent us into an uncontrollable tailspin.

What happened?

Perhaps the end-season jinx was set upon us earlier than normal?

For the uninitated, ManUtd has this little jinx that whenever we approach the end of the season, especially coming in the last 4 games of the season, we were bound to stumble spectacularly to send loads of people into the hospital with heart attacks.

An embarrassing defeat on our own soil by rival Liverpool who wiped the floor with us and then the shock defeat by minnows Fulham.

We really need to snap out of this now and especially when we are playing the ECL Quarter-Finals this coming mid-week. Fortunately, we were given an easy draw against Porto but given our curent form, we aren't going to beat anybody.

Expect those who are currently serving domestic suspensions due to red cards to feature in mid-week clash against Porto.

JayWalk The Talk: We have a huge list of injuries to worry. Berbatov, Hargreaves, Rafael, Ferdinand and Anderson are out. To take a Chinese idiom, "to add frost to snow" is when we have Vidic, Scholes and Rooney serving their suspensions.

Expect new faces to feature in Sunday's game. Ronaldo-Tevez partnership?

JayWalk The Walk: Bookies are making ManUtd give a 1.25-ball handicap and 2.10 decimal odds to beat it. Do the bookies already know that it is going to be a victory for the Red Devils?

It is hard to figure this one out considering the recent form of ManUtd against a team who is chasing the last ECL spot. Then again, Aston Villa also lost their last 2 games as well.

I say we will still win this game although I am not very sure if they can clear the handicap. Still, given that results have more often than not, surprised us, I am going to take the leap of faith and punt a 2-0 victory for ManUtd.

Disclaimer: The above views are purely my own two-cents' worth. In other words, I cannot and will not guarantee that my predictions are accurate. If you want to bet on the game, do so at your own risk. Also, please bet responsibly and within your means regardless of how "sure thing" that game may appear to be. As the old saying goes, "The Ball Is Round". Good luck.