Manchester Utd. - Arsenal UEFA - Champions League Prediction

Manchester Utd. - Arsena
29.04 20:45
Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger lock horns for the 38th time as managers but for the first time in European Competition.
Wenger's Arsenal hold the upper-hand so far with 14 victories compared to United with 13 wins, can Ferguson level the scores at Old Trafford?
In the Champions League the Red Devils have kept seven clean sheets from their ten games, more than any other side, but recently in the Premier League the defending champions have been less stubborn, conceding 13 goals in their last eight games.
Arsenal are inconsistent to say the least in defence, at the Emirates they've only conceded two goals this calendar year but on their travels the Gunners haven't kept a clean sheet since the start of February. Thankfully for the Londoners they're managing to score them at the other end and are now 20 games unbeaten in the Premier League.
This looks to be a really tough game to call, if United defend like we all know they can then they should be able to snuff out Arsenal's attacking threat, especially as the visitors are missing the injured Robin van Persie and the ineligible, and outstanding, Andrey Arshavin. However with captain Cesc Fabregas back and looking back to form and full fitness questions will surely be asked of the uncharacteristically fragile reds' defence.

With the aforementioned players absent for the Gunners, and with Fergie's team unbeaten in 20 Champions League games at Old Trafford, it points towards a home win which can be backed at 4/5. I'm sure Arsenal would be delighted to take the tie back to London level, if you think that will happen then odds of 2/1 will prove tempting. The visitors have won only three times in their last 13 Champions League away games and don't look great value at 10/3.
United's Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has scored seven goals in his last nine games, in all competitions, and unsurprisingly leads the betting in the first goalscorer market at odds of 9/2. In the Champions League though Dimitar Berbatov has been the best outlet for goals, scoring four in five starts, he can be backed at 11/2 to get the first goal of the night. For Arsenal, Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor has bagged five goals in five Champions League appearances and is 8/1 to open the scoring at Old Trafford.
Prediction: Dispite their emphatic 5-2 win last weekend over Tottenham , Man Utd do look a little cagey at the back, and Arsenal are plying superbly well. Pacey winger Theo Walcott has scored three goals in his last five matches and is a cracking price at 12/1 to grab the first of the game, 5/1 just to score in the 90 minutes.
Tip: Manchester, Odds 1.8; Over 2.5 goals, Odds 1.7; Manchester Handicap -1, Odds 2.5;