English Football Tips: No easy starter for Solskjaer at Cardiff

WAS Jose Mourinho the problem? Is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the solution?

We'll get some kind of answer to both questions as Solskjaer takes charge of Man United for the first time in tonight's live TV game.

Ironically he heads to Cardiff – the side he led to relegation in 2014 with just seven wins. He parted company with the Welsh after a poor start to the Championship and is now “on loan” from Malmo with most believing a big-name boss will be lined up to take charge at the end of the season.

Solskjaer is a United legend after winning the Champions League under Alex Ferguson but is a fairly inexperienced boss boss and it's a massive leap from Malmo to Manchester.

However, he'll be trying to make a success of it and give himself a chance of the job long term.

It will be interesting to see how he sets up and if gets more from the stars who flopped under Mourinho.

I imagine he'll be more attacking and start with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial with Romelu Lukaku on the bench and give Paul Pogba a leading role in midfield. Defensively his choices are limited.

Cardiff have picked up with four home wins in five so United will have to be much improved but new manager syndrome should lead them to three points.

A best price of 3-5 with Unibet doesn't attract but I like over 2.5 goals at 5-6 with McBookie – it's landed in nine out of 10 of United's away games.

Cardiff, a biggest 11-2 at McBookie, have netted in five out of six so will pose a threat to United. Over 2.5 goals and United pays 27-20 at Ladbrokes.

Don't consider a first scorer until you see Solksjaer's starting XI but Cardiff's Callum Paterson is worth a look to net at any time at 14-5 with McBookie. The Scotland international netted the winner against Southampton to make it four for the season.

Elsewhere there should be another routine win for Man City against a Crystal Palace side who must dislike the Etihad more than turkeys hate Christmas.

The champions are no bigger than 2-13 at McBookie and you can see why – with Palace losing 5-0, 5-0, 4-0, 5-1 and 3-0 on their last five visits.

That's 22 goals conceded and just one scored. Going by that City should win 4-0 or 5-0 with those results paying 9-1 and 15-1 respectively.

Best bets here could be City to win to nil at 20-23 with McBookie or City and over 3.5 goals at 11-8 with boylesports.

West Ham are on a superb win of four wins in a row and should see off Watford at home. They are 11-8 at bet365.

In the Championship I like Stoke at home to Millwall. They have started to motor and are unbeaten in nine and up to 11th after a slow start.

They're scoring goals too with exactly five in their last five games. Stoke to win pays 5-6 at Marathonbet and I'll be on Stoke to score 2+ at 20-23 with Coral as Millwall have conceded at least two in four out of six.

In League One best bets could be Bradford at home to Scunthorpe at 5-4 with Marathonbet. Bradford have gone goal crazy with 13 in four while Scunny can't buy one with none in four.

Bury should use home advantage in League Two to edge out Tranmere. The Shakers are just 7-10 at Betway though.

Recommended Bets

• Man Utd & over 2.5 goals (27-20, Ladbrokes)
• Man City & over 3.5 goals (11-8, boylesports)
• West Ham (11-8, bet365)
• Stoke to score 2+ (20-23, Coral)
• Bradford (5-4, Marathonbet)