Premier League football - Manchester United vs West Ham

Manchester United host West Ham tonight in the Barclays Premier League hoping to bounce back from the disappointment of their 3-1 weekend defeat at Goodison Park. The defending Champions`s manager blamed his sides` poor performance on tiredness and will not be pleased about playing another game so shortly afterwards. United are second in the league, four points behind leaders Chelsea.

The hosts are favourites for the game at 2/9 (bet £90 to win £20 profit), leaving West Ham as underdogs at 16/1. The visitors have won their last two matches without conceding a goal, but those are their only two wins in their last seven. They have drawn three times in that period, however,and another stalemate tonight is priced at 6/1.

The bookmakers have made a 2-0 win for United the most likely score for the game at 11/2, slightly ahead of a more convincing 3-0 at 7/1, with 1-0 at the same price. A 1-1 draw, which West Ham would be thrilled with, is available at 14/1, with a shock 1-0 Hammers win priced at 40/1.

In-form striker Wayne Rooney has been made favourite to score the first goal of the match at 11/4, with Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov following him at 9/2 and Antonio Valencia at 9/1. West Ham`s best chance of opening the scoring tonight is seen as being Carlton Cole, who is looking to earn a spot in the England World Cup squad for the tournament this summer in South Africa.

Manchester United are 8/13 to lead at both half-time and full-time tonight and 4/1 to win the match after the scores are level at the interval. The bookmakers offer 12/1 that both halves end in a draw and the Red Devils are 33/1 to lead at half-time only for West Ham to snatch a draw by the final whistle. The Hammers are 40/1 to win the match are drawing at half-time.

The Red Devils slipped up at the weekend and the four-point gap that now separates them from Chelsea has seen them pushed out to 13/5 for the Premier League this season. West Ham started poorly this term but have fought their way back into thirteenth place and are now as long as 9/1 for the drop.

Manchester United vs West Ham betting odds

Premier League 2010 betting odds

Relegation betting odds

Other football betting previews

Claim up to £750 of free bookmaker bets