Football Betting Tips: United’s European heroics could lead to league stalemate

BARCELONA in 1999 and Istanbul in 2005 live long in the memory as the greatest Champions League comebacks in modern history, however we could have another contender after Manchester United’s epic night in Paris on Wednesday.

The Red Devils looked dead and buried after their 2-0 first leg defeat at Old Trafford, but Marcus Rashford’s added time penalty sealed an unlikely triumph against their Parisian opponents.

It’s the latest feather in the cap of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who in masterminding what many called mission impossible, led his side to become the first ever in Champions League history to progress having lost at home by two goals or more.

Solskjaer’s stock is rising week-by-week and it would take a brave man to suggest he won’t be in the United dugout on a permanent basis next season, though with a trip to the Emirates on Sunday, things don’t get much easier for the Norwegian.

In Arsenal, he takes his side to one of the Premier League’s most in-form clubs.

You feel the Gunners are beginning to convey the style that Unai Emery wants and their recent results back this up, with just two league defeats in 2019.

They wasted a gilt-edged chance to reclaim north London bragging rights when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a stoppage-time spot kick, but the way they controlled the game for large periods was more fitting of an Emery side than the one which wilted to Manchester City and Liverpool previously.

This game usually produces goals. In fact, there hasn’t been a 0-0 draw since February 2014 and since then all but two of the 11 fixtures have seen both clubs score.

In short, you’d expect plenty of goals, however I get the feeling this might be a tad cagier than usual.

What was so incredible about United’s midweek European heroics was that they did it without 10 first -teamers, both through suspension and injury.

Even though the talismanic Paul Pogba will be back for this one, you’d have to think Solskjaer will be looking at taking a more pragmatic approach than the one he adopted in their 3-1 win at the Emirates in the FA Cup in late January.

Both sides have toughened up their defences in recent weeks and I’ll be backing a stalemate at 13/5.

POINTERS

Draw 13/5