Benfica vs. Man Utd: Champions League Betting Preview

Manchester United could not have started the new Premier League season in any better fashion and they can begin their quest for European glory in style on Wednesday.

Having been outplayed by Barcelona at Wembley in May, United, and manager Sir Alex Ferguson in particular, will be desperate to make amends in 2012 and they have an excellent chance of doing so based on the early evidence of the new season.

The 5-0 win at Bolton on Saturday, with Wayne Rooney bagging yet another hat-trick, brought United’s goal tally to 18 in just four top flight matches and the England forward is in the form of his live.

Recent injuries to the impressive young England duo of Tom Cleverly and Danny Welbeck are blows but Rooney has been sensational in every outing this term and his treble at The Reebok was not unexpected.

Having missed the early weeks of the season with concussion, Javier Hernandez made a timely goal-scoring return to action too with a brace and Fergie must be licking his lips at the prospect of what might come from this new-look United line up.

While domestic dominance has been very much established, it is the Champions League trophy that the Scot craves and he’ll have been delighted with the draw in Monaco last month.

Alongside United and Benfica are Basle and new boys SC Otelul Galati and while progression is in no doubt whatsoever for the English champions, they’ll want to get the job done with the minimum of fuss.

Benfica, who finished a distant second to runaway winners Porto to qualify, have won three of their opening four fixtures in the Primeria Liga but they are certainly a class or two below their illustrious opponents and United should be more like 1.65 chances to begin with a win.

3pts Back Manchester United (vs. Benfica) @ 1.91 (various)