Premier League1 hour ago1 minute read

Baleba and Bouaddi Bring New Energy to Manchester Midfields

Carlos Baleba and Ayyoub Bouaddi offered bright spots during their first Premier League starts for Manchester United and Manchester City.

The EagleEyeOdds deskWritten from the match data, checked against our model before it goes out

Baleba brings fight to United

Manchester United are having a difficult time under Michael Carrick, collecting only six points from their opening six league games. Carlos Baleba, signed for 65 million pounds from Cameroon, offered supporters real hope in his full league debut against Leeds United.

After recovering from an ankle ligament injury that delayed his start to the season, the 22 year old midfielder lined up next to Andrey Santos. Baleba completed 88 percent of his passes across 74 minutes and added physical power to the center of the pitch. Carrick praised the young duo after the final whistle, calling their performance a massive positive. Dominic Calvert-Lewin equalised after Bryan Mbeumo scored United's opener, but Baleba showed he can handle tough battles.

Bouaddi steps up for City

Manchester City are dealing with the consequences of their guilty verdict off the pitch, but 19 year old Ayyoub Bouaddi gave fans plenty to admire on it. The Moroccan talent, bought for 85 million pounds, looked calm and composed during his first league start against Ipswich.

Bouaddi managed 93 touches, made three tackles, one interception, three clearances, and won seven ground duels. He also produced seven line breaking passes to open up the opposition defense. Head coach Maresca chose to keep expectations grounded after the match. He called the showing not bad and reminded everyone that the young player has just arrived from France and should not face excessive pressure each week.

What it means for the next game

Manchester City vs AEK Athens (Champions League, Tue, 20 Oct): Manchester City win 78%, draw 13%, AEK Athens win 9%; expected goals 3.02 to 0.98. Our safest pick: Over 2.5 goals.

Como vs Manchester United (Champions League, Wed, 21 Oct): Como win 45%, draw 26%, Manchester United win 29%; expected goals 1.63 to 1.26. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals. Our best value pick: Como to win.