Chelsea can go level on points with Manchester United if they beat the Red Devils in what promises to be a blockbuster clash at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
Antonio Conte’s Blues are currently fourth in the table, three behind Jose Mourinho’s men, and will be aiming to win at Old Trafford for the first time in nearly five years.
Both teams have had little time to recover from their Champions League midweek exertions- more so United, who had to travel 1500 miles down south to Spain to take on Sevilla on Wednesday night. Chelsea were also in action against Spanish opposition, drawing at home against reigning league leaders Barcelona at Stamford Bridge. They played the counter attacking game well with a 3-4-3 that saw Pedro and Willian support Eden Hazard upfront and both Morata and Giroud left on the bench.
Chelsea were always underdogs against Barca, more so given their recent poor form, but they gave a good account of themselves against the Catalans, and many pundits considered them unlucky not to win. Willian could have had a hat trick, beating Marc-Andre Ter Stegen twice in the first half, only for both shots to hit the posts.
Indeed, Barcelona’s much vaunted attack was kept quiet for nearly 75 minutes, and it was only a moment of madness from the otherwise outstanding Andreas Christensen that allowed the visitors to equalise. The young Danish defender put in a misplaced pass, and Barca pounced. Neither Cesc Fabregas nor Cesar Azipilicueta, who made a desperate lunging last ditch attempt, were able to collect the ball, and Andres Iniesta quickly strode forward and passed it to an unmarked Lionel Messi, who beat Thibault Courtois to score his first ever goal against the Blues.
Manchester United were poor against Sevilla and mustered just one shot on target in the whole 90 minutes. The Andalusians outshot Mourinho’s side 25-6 overall- a glaring indictment on the Red Devils’ current attacking woes. In their last five games across all competitions, United have only managed 11 shots on target, not a stat you’d expect from a team with the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial in their ranks.
A look at the odds at the My Top Sportsbooks website reveals that Chelsea are 14/5 to triumph at Old Trafford on Sunday, with United being quoted at 39/29 at the time of writing. The Blues could go as high as second if they pick up all three points, but could also drop to fifth if they lose or draw and Spurs win away at Palace. The referee for this fixture is Martin Atkinson, who has already been in charge of three United league games this season- their 4-0 win at home against West Ham, and their draws against Liverpool and Burnley respectively. Chelsea’s games with him in the middle this season have seen the Blues lose to Man City at home and draw with Arsenal in the League Cup.
United have some concerns in midfield, with Ander Herrera joining Marouane Fellaini on the sidelines after limping off early against Sevilla. That could mean another test for young Scott McTominay, whose performances in a United jersey this season have belied his age. There are rumours swirling that Mourinho has fallen out with Paul Pogba, but the Frenchman did his defensive duties well against Sevilla after coming on as a substitute for Herrera, and will be keen to stamp his mark on this game as well.
Head to head- last five meetings between United and Chelsea
Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd
Man Utd 2-0 Chelsea
Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd
Chelsea 4-0 Man Utd
Chelsea 1-1 Man Utd
Man Utd v Chelsea kicks off at 14.05 UK on Sunday February 25, 2018