Crouchy’s Shouts: City stumble against United in 13/1 Community Shield Bet Builder

City and United are ready to bring the curtain up on the 2024/25 season and Crouchy's got a tasty tip for it

Man City v Man United Betting Tips

CROUCHY’S BET BUILDER

Double Chance: Man United & Draw
Erling Haaland to score
Marcus Rashford to have 1 or more shots on target
Casemiro to commit 1 or more fouls

Saturday, August 10 – 3pm: Man City v Man United
Community Shield at Wembley Stadium, London
Where to watch: ITV, STV in Scotland

The Community Shield is not a trophy people chirp about at the end of the season. No one throws it in with the Champions League, Premier League, and the cups, do they? And this is coming from a man who’s got the winner in the Community Shield and who takes it very seriously because I had a great time in it, but it’s not a major competition.

However, it is a proper test to start the season. I always think teams are quite lucky to have it really because you know you wouldn’t play against a full Premier League side a week before the season starts unless you’re in it as teams are still chopping and changing. But it’s a proper game, and it’s a big occasion for the fans and the clubs too. People want to win it, they want to see the new signings in action and it goes from being a pre-season game to a more competitive game with a trophy on the line.

So I do think it’s important to do well and to win it, but whether or not the managers on Saturday feel that way it remains to be seen.

City, for instance, will have a very changed team. It still feels they’re on a bit of a hold there as players from the Euros have been given a lot of time off in preseason. And I get that because it stands you in good stead towards the end of the season when the top players have to play every game. The break some of those lads are getting now is really more mental rather than physical because it gives players a chance to get away from football and just relax for a while. Guardiola’s done very well managing that and getting them recharged.

For United, they’ve got to see it as a way to get some positive momentum going into the season. For me personally, I always thought “if I can get off to a good start here, I can essentially get a start in the first game of the Premier League”. That’s how you’ve got to look at it. Certainly the players who didn’t play at the Euros have a chance to prove that they’re worthy of a starting place when the league kicks off.

And let’s not get away from it, this is a massive derby too and everything that goes with that.

There’s also a few injury concerns defensively with Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka, possibly Luke Shaw, and Malacia all probably missing, as well as the new lad, Leny Yoro. And when you consider the firepower City have that could be a problem.

Double Chance: Man United & Draw

But City haven’t been at their best in this game over recent seasons and we’ve seen a few upsets. They can start the season slowly sometimes, and even if I think they’re probably going to win the league again this season, that’s no guarantee that they’ll win on Saturday.

United have players that can hurt City, especially if they play a weaker team, too. I’m not saying it’s a banker United win but it’s one of those games where you just never know what’s going to happen, so taking United and the Draw in the Double Chance makes sense to me.

Marcus Rashford to have 1 or more shots on target

Marcus Rashford’s one that can do damage. He’s going to start up-front probably with Hojlund out. He’s one that didn’t play at the Euros too – I think United fans will probably be over the moon that he didn’t.
So hopefully we can see he’s managed to stay fit and he can have a big season for them. He scored in the Cup final against City too and can get a shot on target at least here.

Erling Haaland to score

Another player who had the summer off is Erling Haaland. He might’ve had a stinker in this game a couple of season’s ago against Liverpool, but you’ve got to fancy him to get off and running with a goal in this, especially if United are putting out a makeshift defence.

Casemiro to commit 1 or more fouls

I was so impressed with Kobbie Mainoo at the Euros, but it looks like he might not play on Saturday. City are probably going to be without Rodri too in midfield, meaning Kovacic and Kalvin Phillips will probably start, and they’ll be up against Casemiro, who I’d go for to give away a foul on the United side.

Crouchy’s Community Shield Bet Builder

Double Chance: Man United & Draw
Erling Haaland to score
Marcus Rashford to have 1 or more shots on target
Casemiro to commit 1 or more fouls

All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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