Gloucester v Sale predictions and Gallagher Premiership tips: Sale can grind out Kingsholm success

Where to watch Gloucester v Sale

TNT Sports 1, 3pm Sunday

Best bet

Sale to win & under 47.5 points
1pt 10-3 Betfair

Gloucester v Sale predictions

Europe proved a welcome distraction for Gloucester over the last two weeks as they sealed top spot in their Challenge Cup group, beating Edinburgh and Castres to make it four wins out of four.

But now they have to get back to the grindstone in the Premiership. The Cherry & Whites will try to arrest a run of nine consecutive defeats but face a tough test against a solid Sale side.

The Sharks have had a wobble of late, losing three of their last four league games including at home to Bristol last time out. And they also had a tough workout in Europe, missing out on a place in the Champions Cup knockout stage after defeats to the Stormers in Cape Town and at home to champions La Rochelle.

This is a chance to reset the dial, and although they are missing their England cadre including fly-half George Ford, Sale have a strong overseas contingent to ensure standards don't drop.

Robert du Preez starts in the number ten shirt for Ford while Ernst van Rhyn, Dan du Preez, Si McIntyre and Cobus Wiese are back from injury to bolster the Sharks' pack.

Last week's win over Castres came at a cost for Gloucester as fly-half Adam Hastings was forced off injured, so Charlie Atkinson makes his club debut having signed from Leicester a month ago.

He looks set to face a tough task trying to create anything against the meanest defence in the top flight but the hosts are still rated two-point favourites.

Sale look a tempting bet at odds-against but given their form lapse it may be wise to bump up the price by backing the Sharks to win a game featuring no more than 47 points.

Their record of 228 points conceded is the best in the Premiership. But remarkably they have scored fewer than they have shipped, posting 202 points of their own and 28 tries scored to 30 conceded.

Sale haven't been blowing teams away - they put 40 points on bottom side Newcastle but their next highest tally is 27 - and this contest could well open up slowly.

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