Manchester United’s form in the Champions League this season has been superb and they can take a giant step towards a Wembley final on Tuesday.
The 1999 and 2008 winners travel to Germany to take on Schalke in the first leg of the opening semi-final and, despite the host’s magnificent run to the last four, it is the Premier League leaders that should gain a decisive advantage.
United are around the 2.30 mark to do so and I think that represents fair enough value.
Having failed to convince many domestically, despite being booked for a record 19th English league title, there has been no doubting Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in Europe and the canny Scot will be eyeing a third success in this competition come the end of May.
Ferguson has been quick to point out the potential pitfalls en route to either a clash with Real Madrid or Barcelona in the showpiece, it was hard not to be impressed by the way Schalke disposed of Inter in the quarter-finals, but Sir Alex could not have wished for a better tie at this stage of the competition and United’s form in it over the past few season is phenomenal.
Beaten just three times in their past 46 matches, a run stretching nearly four years, the Red Devils have the experience and quality to go all the way and it is their record away from Old Trafford that has been particularly impressive.
An injury-time defeat in Munich at the hands of Bayern remains United’s only defeat in 23 games away from the Theatre of Dreams and they can also point to five consecutive clean sheets in this year’s renewal on their travels.
While Schalke will be no pushovers, they have a perfect Champions League record at the Veltins-Arena this season, United are clearly a cut above and will also be a virtually full strength.
That is significant, particularly the presence of the excellent Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic at the back, and United can make Schalke look more like a mid-table Bundesliga side, they currently languish in tenth, rather than the very best in Europe with victory.
2pts Back Man Utd (vs. Schalke) @ 2.30 (various)