Chelsea welcome Manchester United to Stamford Bridge in a blockbuster Super Sunday clash to conclude the latest round of Premier League action.
Should Manchester City fail to win on Sunday afternoon, victory could see Chelsea move four points clear at the summit.
Man Utd can climb as high as sixth with a win if Tottenham lose away to Burnley on Sunday afternoon.
Team News
Chelsea could welcome Kai Havertz back after the German was rested in Tuesday’s Champions League win over Juventus with a hamstring injury.
N’Golo Kante (knee) is unlikely to feature but Mateo Kovacic (hamstring) and Ben Chilwell (knee) are ruled out.
Man Utd will be without Harry Maguire after the England defender was sent off in last weekend’s 4-1 defeat at Watford.
Edinson Cavani (tendon) could be available for selection but Luke Shaw (head) is a doubt whilst Raphael Varane (hamstring), Paul Pogba (quad) and Mason Greenwood (Coronavirus) remain sidelined.
Stat Attack
- Chelsea are winless in their last seven league meetings against Man Utd (D4, L3).
- Man Utd are unbeaten in their last five visits to Stamford Bridge in all competitions (W3, D2).
- Both meetings in this league fixture last season finished goalless for the first time, which marked the first time that this had happened since September 1921.
- Five of Chelsea’s 30 league goals this season have been scored from headers.
- No Man Utd player has been caught offside in the Premier League on more occasions this season than Cristiano Ronaldo, who was caught offside on 11 occasions in nine league appearances.
Prediction
Having ruthlessly dismantled Leicester in their last league game, Chelsea certainly carried that momentum into an even more clinically dominant display against Juventus but Ben Chilwell will be a huge loss on the left flank with his pace here.
Man Utd meanwhile were just shambolic at Watford last weekend and didn’t show much improvement in the first half of their midweek Champions League win over Villarreal, in which David De Gea often had to save Utd’s bacon until two late clinical goals sealed a scrappy win.
This game though feels like it could be beyond Utd because if Chelsea get on the front foot and score first, I can’t see this being anything but a long match for the visitors even if De Gea is at his best because they look vulnerable without Maguire in defence.
Utd though can take heart from their recent form at Stamford Bridge but I just can’t see them winning this time, unless they produce the mother of all improved performances.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Manchester United
Result: Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United