Betting: Rooney to score first against Stoke

Javier Hernandez is fit to face Stoke at the Britannia this weekend, and that’s the last news that the Potters would have wanted.

Chicarito has scored three goals in two appearances against them and netted in the 27th minutes in both games.

He was lucky to escape serious injury following Ashley Cole’s horror tackle in United’s 3-1 defeat of Chelsea, and it was terrific news when the gaffer revealed on Thursday that he was available for this game.

United are not surprisingly odds-on to maintain their fantastic start to the season, and are general 1.53 shots with the likes of bet365, Paddy Power, Stan James and Victor Chandler.

They have won all their six Premier League games against Stoke, and have conceded just two goals in the process.

Add to that the fact that they are unbeaten in five this campaign and have netted 21 goals in doing so and you can see why the bookies are running scared.

With Wayne Rooney in rampant form and Nani now really beginning to turn on the style a comfortable victory looks on the cards.

I would not be surprised to see them win this to nil, and that can be backed at 2.6 with bet365.

United’s defence is looking very solid, and despite David de Gea coming in for criticism in some quarters he actually has the best stats for any goalkeeper in the Premiership.

He has made more saves than any other keeper (28) and also has the best saves to shots ratio – keeping out 88% of all shots on target faced.

Stoke have also only managed to score three goals in their last seven PL matches, so a United clean sheet looks on the cards.

Rooney is the obvious starting point in the first goal scorer market having netted in all five games this season – including two hat-tricks.

Wazza is a 4.5 shot with Paddy Power to get the opener, Nani looks the real value punt at 9 with bet365 as he is as short as 6.5 with plenty of firms.

There is not much value to be had in the correct score markets, as the bookmakers appear to have factored in all the stats and gone shorter than usual on United winning 2-0 or 3-0.

However the 2.3 about United in half time/full time markets with bet365, Boylesports and Stan James makes plenty of appeal given how quickly the Reds have been out of the blocks this season.