Manchester United is a +140 favorite and Chelsea a +200 underdog in Soccer Betting Odds.

Chelsea has won their last five EPL matches to get back in contention. They have looked scary lately, with goalie Petr Cech regaining his edge. He has allowed just 28 goals in his 35 starts. Offensively, Chelsea has found rhythm as well. Florent Malouda, Didier Drogba, and Salomon Kalou have carried the offense. In addition, Fernando Torres has adjusted to the team. With the way they are playing in all phases, Chelsea looks unbeatable.

Manchester United has played consistently well all season. Edwin van der Sar has been solid in goal all season for the team, so goals will be at a premium. Dimitar Berbatov has been the big star, leading the team in goals. In addition, Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney have also made large contributions on offense. The team is among the most explosive in the soccer world.

This is a huge showdown, and it will say a lot about who wins the championship. Manchester United has the advantage, with the lead in the standings. However, Chelsea won the first match between the two in league play. Manchester United defeated them twice since then, winning both legs of their Champions League quarterfinal. This game is all about the EPL title, and both teams will be playing hard for it. According to online sports handicappers, Manchester United is a favorite to win this match.

Goalie Peter Cech has had a spectacular season in goal for Chelsea. In seventeen starts he has yielded a mere twelve goals. With Cech in goal Chelsea will be in every game. Offensively Chelsea has scored 31 goals. That is the second highest total after Manchester. Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda lead the Chelsea offense with a combined fifteen goals. Drogba also leads the club in shots on goal and is the leader on the Chelsea attack.

Edwin van der Sar has given up sixteen goals for the Manchester United on the season. He isn’t quite as solid as Cech but he has been strong all season. Offensively Manchester leads the EPL with 36 goals. Dimitar Berbatov leads the clubs with eleven goals. Nine players on the team are in the double digits when it comes to shots on goal.

Manchester United has yet to lose a game this season. Chelsea got off to a hot start but has cooled lately. They have two losses and three draws in their last five EPL games. That is not the usual standard for this team. Chelsea swept both meetings last season on their way to edging Manchester by one point for the title. This contest should go to the team who manages to gain any offensive advantage. With the strong goalies on both sides one goal might be enough to secure a victory.

Chelsea is off to hot start, winning each of their four EPL games so far while scoring seventeen goals in the process. For their part, Blackpool has exceeded expectations by picking up two wins and a draw in their first four games. Football betting fans are in favor of Chelsea because of the team’s splendid performance.

Chelsea has boasted a dominant offense so far this season. Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda have each scored four goals so far Salomon Kalou has added three. The offense has dominated the first four games. Goalie Petr Cech has been phenomenal as well. He allowed his first goal of the season in the fourth game. Chelsea looks every bit the league favorite despite not facing any of the elite squads.

Meanwhile, Blackpool has been a surprise. Aside from an ugly 6-0 loss to Arsenal, Blackpool has outscored the opposition 8-2 in their other three games. Both of their wins have come in the road, which speaks to the desire of this team. Goalie Matthew Gilks has been solid outside of the Arsenal game. He has twenty saves on the season so far.

On offense, Blackpool spreads the ball. Marlon Harewood is the only player with more than one goal, scoring twice in two starts. Blackpool is not nearly as potent as Chelsea, but they make the most of their chances.

Chelsea has a difficult slate coming up. They play a Champions League game before this one and face Manchester City and Arsenal after this match. They can’t afford to overlook a team like Blackpool. For their part, Blackpool has to hope for a better result than the Arsenal game.

This game could go a long way in showing how serious of a threat that squad can be. They aren’t at the level of Chelsea, but they should not be a pushover either.

The Ivory Coast squad is loaded with big names and they have generated a great deal of buzz heading into the tournament. They are the most likely candidate to become the first African team to reach the finals of the World Cup in its 80-year history.

A major factor in determining the Ivory Coast’s chances will be the status of forward Didier Drogba. He broke his arm in a his team’s final Friendly against Japan on June 4. He has stated that he will not play in the tournament, but his team has not ruled it out.
Should Drogba play, Brazilian fans can take solace in a match between his club, Chelsea, and
Inter Milan in a Champion’s League Match. Brazilian captain Lucio played for Inter in the match, and the defender was a big reason for his team’s victory. He led a defensive unit that made Drogba a non-factor in the match.

Brazil is the number one-ranked team in the world and is the favorite out of what is considered the toughest group. They are accustomed to successful World Cup tournaments and there is no question they will be prepared for the Ivory Coast regardless of whether Drogba plays or not.

Manchester United always has the big target on its back, but that target is even larger this season. As the defending European champions, Man U finds itself in a dogfight for the Premier League title, trailing Chelsea 45 points to 43. With Arsenal just four points out of first, the championship doesn’t look to be decided any time soon.

The fourth member of England‘s Big Four hasn’t been as successful so far. With only 33 points, Liverpool is fighting just to make the 2010-11 Champions League, trailing Tottenham by four points for the fourth spot. Tottenham isn’t the only club they have to worry about; they need to leap over Aston Villa and Manchester City (both of whom have 35 points) to grab the league’s final Champions League spot.

Chelsea’s defense can be largely credited for getting them atop the table; their league-low 16 goals allowed has also given them the league’s best goal differential. Arsenal leads with 51 goals scored, led by Francesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie’s combined 16 points. With 21 goals allowed, though, the Gunners will need defensive improvement if they want to be champions.

The Premier League’s scoring title has been even more competitive, as Man U’s Wayne Rooney, Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe currently have 14 points each, with Sunderland’s Darren Bent just a point behind them.