Man United slight betting favorites for win over FC Porto despite thrashing against Spurs

In what may come as his final act of duty as Man United manager, Erik ten Hag and his side are riding a thin betting line as favorites to land a victory against FC Porto on the road this week, in the Dutchman’s pivotal trip to Portugal. 

Returning to UEFA Europa League football in a midweek fixture, Man United look to turn in their first victory in three games, most recently suffering a 0-3 loss against Tottenham in their Premier League return last weekend at Old Trafford.

And last week in their European opener, squandered a first half lead through Christian Eriksen with FC Twente pegging them back to steal a point in the first matchup of the new league format.

However, despite their abysmal run of form, Man United are closing as a slight -163 betting favorite with strafe offering tips and odds on the Premier League side’s trip to the Estadio do Dragao on Thursday evening.

Man United slight betting favorites to beat FC Porto

Conceding a trio of goals from Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke throughout a one-sided defeat over the course of the weekend – which left Man United sitting in thirteenth in the Premier League table, suffered their second straight 0-3 loss at Old Trafford following a battering against Liverpool. 

And despite receiving backing from executive, Omar Berrada before his side’s loss to Tottenham, it’ll prove to be a pivotal week for ten Hag which features Thursday’s trip to FC Porto and a weekend return against high-flying Aston Villa under the tutelage of Unai Emery, ahead of an October international break return. 

However, amid United’s loss against Tottenham and the ever-mounting pressure on his status as United boss, former Ajax head coach, ten Hag admitted he was not thinking about potentially receiving his walking papers, insisting a decision was made between himself and the board to stick together over a patchy summer of speculation.

“I am not thinking about this,” Erik ten Hag said following Man United’s loss to Tottenham. “We all made in the summer the decision to stay together, as an ownership, a leadership group. Also, we made the decision from a clear review what we have to improve and how we want to construct a squad. But we knew it will take some time, how the window went, some players late in like (Manuel) Ugarte.”

“Also, we have to make some improvement in [the overarching] organization, we still have some injuries, we need some time,” Erik Ten Hag explained. “We are all on one page or in one boat together, the ownership, the staff and the players as well. I don’t have that concern.”

And while ten Hag’s future is under fierce scrutiny, potential leading candidates for the permanent role at Old Trafford have emerged in the form of former forward, Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is currently serving as his compatriot’s assistant manager. 

Furthermore, former England national team manager, Gareth Southgate is also appreciated by the United hierarchy, while Serie A winner, Simone Inzaghi has been heavily linked with a move amid his run with Internazionale.