Premier League: Manchester United vs Chelsea live
Preview: Manchester United vs Chelsea
Manchester United will be the main attraction in this weekend’s Premier League matches on Sunday afternoon, as they face Chelsea at Old Trafford at 4:30pm GMT. The two English giants experienced different outcomes in the EFL Cup earlier this week, with the Red Devils defeating Leicester City 5-2, while the Blues were knocked out by Newcastle United.
A new chapter is set to begin for Manchester United as Rúben Amorim, the manager of Sporting Lisbon, has been confirmed as Erik ten Hag’s replacement at Old Trafford. Amorim will not take over until after the November international break, allowing interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy to lead the team for three more matches. The players have responded positively to Van Nistelrooy’s coaching style, recently defeating Leicester 5-2 in the EFL Cup, but their main focus is on improving their Premier League performance. Currently, United has only earned 11 points, marking their second-lowest total at this point in a Premier League season.
Despite United’s current struggles, this match presents a significant challenge for Chelsea, who are eager to prove themselves under Enzo Maresca. The Blues were close to breaking into the top four as they approached the weekend, but faced disappointment midweek when they were eliminated from the EFL Cup by Newcastle, a team they had previously defeated in the league just last Sunday. Maresca made several changes for the midweek match, so his key players should be well-rested as Chelsea aims for their second consecutive victory over United, something they haven’t achieved since March 2011.
Head-to-head
Manchester United has remained unbeaten in their last 11 league encounters with Chelsea at Old Trafford, achieving 5 victories and 6 draws in that span. Additionally, Manchester United has secured two wins in their last five league clashes with Chelsea, suffering one defeat and drawing two. The latest matchup concluded with Chelsea winning 4-3 last season.
Prediction
Despite Chelsea’s poor performance at St James’ Park, Maresca’s top team is expected to be more aggressive in their attack at Old Trafford, and Van Nistelrooy won’t be able to resolve Manchester United’s defensive issues immediately. Nevertheless, if Wednesday’s game is any indication, the home team seems to have revitalized their offense, leading us to think that Sunday’s highly anticipated match will be an exciting, high-scoring draw.
