Ryan Christie to commit two or more fouls is priced at 2.25 with bet365, an extremely generous line when you consider both his foul tendencies and the quality of opposition he’ll face here.
The standout factor here is the odds disparity, Paddy Power, SkyBet and Betfair all have the very same line priced at 1.33, implying a 75.2% chance of landing. That kind of price difference didn’t just raise my eyebrows; it made my jaw drop.
Christie’s discipline record speaks for itself. For Scotland, where he has been typically deployed in a more advanced role on the wings, he’s averaged 1.82 fouls per 90 across his last 27 internationals.
Even when used in a deeper role for Bournemouth last season, his numbers were almost identical; 1.83 fouls per 90 across all competitions. This year, and he’s already dialled up that aggression further, averaging 2.9 fouls per 90 so far this season.
Those stats alone make this a strong play, but when you overlay his likely matchups, the case becomes even clearer. Christie is expected to come up against a Danish left-hand side stacked with ball carriers, physical threats and utter pace:
Patrick Dorgu:
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Has won nine fouls across his last two internationals
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Won 2.69 fouls per 90 in all comps for United last season
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And has already won six fouls across the opening two Premier League games this season.
Morten Hjulmand:
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Averages 1.42 fouls won per 90 internationally
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Drew 2.03 per 90 in Liga Portugal last year
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Is up at 2.4 per 90 this season (12 fouls won in five games).
Kasper Dolberg:
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Averaging 1.98 fouls won per 90 across his last 29 international caps
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Won 1.64 per 90 in the Belgian Pro League last season
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Has drawn two in his each of last two starts this campaign.
With that trio combining down Denmark’s left, Christie will be repeatedly dragged into defensive duels and transitional battles, which will severely test his discipline.
It’s easy to see why most bookies have priced this line so short – bet365’s current odds of 2.25 looks like a serious miscalculation.