Sale vs Saracens Prediction: Sharks can edge Sarries

In the pick of the week’s games from the Premiership, frontrunners Sale Sharks welcome Saracens to what is set to be a wet and windy AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night.

With six wins from their opening eight games of the league campaign, it has been an impressive start from Alex Sanderson’s Sharks.

Mark McCall’s Saracens find themselves just two points behind the frontrunners, ahead of what looks set to be a titanic tussle in Greater Manchester for this one.

Match odds

There seems to be little to choose from between these sides in the match winner market, with Sale Sharks the slight favourites at 4/6.

Saracens are 5/4 to head back to London with the win, while a tie on the night in the north west is available at 18/1.

Team news

After resting their big names for their European Champions Cup trip to Leinster last time out, Sale director of rugby Sanderson has made wholesale changes from the visit to Dublin.

The trio of George Ford, Manu Tuilagi and Ben Curry all return to the starting XV, while Jean-Luc du Preez and Agustin Creevy have both recovered from their respective knocks.

Saracens director of rugby McCall played a full-strength side for their Champions Cup win over Connacht and have made just the one change from that victory, with Ivan van Zyl coming in at scrum-half inside skipper Owen Farrell.

England internationals dominate the forwards, with the likes of Jamie George, Maro Itoje and Billy Vunipola all starting from the off.

Sale Sharks -2.5 handicap @ 20/21

With two teams packed with international talent, there is likely to be very little to choose from between these sides.

The wet and windy conditions, that are not unusual for this time of year in Greater Manchester, are likely to be even more of a leveller and will dictate the way this one is played.

In Ford and Farrell, both sides are blessed with generals at fly-half who will look to put their packs in the right areas of the field.

Whoever can come out on top in that kicking battle at the AJ Bell Stadium will have a big impact on which side is left smiling come the full-time whistle.

What might also prove key is the fact so many Sale stars had last weekend off, while others in the squad did themselves credit with a 37-27 defeat to Leinster.

That Leinster side was packed with Irish internationals and those Sale players could leave Dublin with their heads held high after an admiral display.

With Sanderson bringing back their big names and with a couple returning from injury, Sale should be the fresher of these two sides on Friday.

That might well prove the deciding factor in a game that is likely to see penalty kicks decide the outcome.

The fresher Sharks are worth considering at 20/21 to fall on the right side of the -2.5 handicap.

Check out the rest of our Rugby Union Betting Tips here.