Chelsea and Manchester United will be eager to return to winning ways when they face off at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
Gameweek 31 of the 2023/24 Premier League season will end on Thursday, which will bring us two games. The action on the day will start with the game between Liverpool and Sheffield United at Anfield before Chelsea and Manchester United round off the latest round of fixtures with their high-octane clash at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea might not have envisaged another horrendous Premier League campaign after finishing outside the top half of the table last term. Things were supposed to improve under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino. But while there have been some positive signs, including reaching the latter stages of both cup competitions, the Blues remain in the 12th spot in the standings.
As for Manchester United, the Red Devils have also endured a frustrating campaign when they had hoped to potentially vie for the Premier League title. Instead, the Red Devils are nearly 20 points behind the table-topping Liverpool, with a top-four finish looking unlikely. However, the FA Cup might provide some respite after they beat the Reds to reach the semi-finals.
The reverse fixture saw Manchester United eke out a 2-1 win over Chelsea, with Scott McTominay scoring a match-winning brace. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
Mauricio Pochettino has greeted positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Manchester United on Thursday, the Chelsea manager will be bereft of the services of eight first-team players.
Robert Sanchez, Trevoh Chalobah, and Malo Gusto have trained this week and should be available to take on Manchester United. However, Reece James (hamstring), Wesley Fofana (knee), Levi Colwill (ankle), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Ben Chilwell (unspecified), Christopher Nkunku (thigh), and Lesley Ugochukwu remain on the sidelines.
Djorjde Petrovic will take his spot between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Manchester United. The backline should feature Malo Gusto, Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, and Marc Cucurella.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in the double pivot. Conor Gallagher will reprise the no. 10 role while pulling his weight in the defensive phases. Finally, Nicolas Jackson will lead the line for Chelsea, with Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling; Jackson
Manchester United
Unlike his counterpart in the Chelsea dugout, Erik ten Hag has new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge. The Manchester United manager will be without five first-team players on Thursday.
Lisandro Martinez (calf) and Victor Lindelof (thigh) are the latest absentees, with the duo out for the next few weeks. The two defenders have joined Luke Shaw (hamstring), Tyrell Malacia (knee), and Anthony Martial (groin) on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans are fit and available after recovering from their respective issues.
Manchester United will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Chelsea, with Andre Onana taking his place between the sticks. The backline should consist of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Harry Maguire, and Diogo Dalot.
As for the midfield unit, Scott McTominay should pair up with Kobbie Mainoo in the double pivot, with Casemiro being an option on the bench. Bruno Fernandes will reprise his usual no. 10 role, with Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford being the two wide attackers. Finally, there is no looking past Rasmus Hojlund to spearhead the Manchester United attack.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Maguire, Dalot; McTominay, Mainoo; Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Key Stats
- Chelsea are without a win in the last 12 Premier League meetings with Manchester United (D7 L5). That is their longest run without a league victory against the Red Devils. Meanwhile, Manchester United can complete the Premier League double over Chelsea for just the second time, previously doing so in the 2019/20 campaign.
- Chelsea’s only defeat in their last 15 home games in all competitions came in the Premier League against Wolverhampton Wanderers in February (W10 D4).
- Manchester United have suffered 11 top-flight defeats this season, one short of equalling the Premier League club record of 12 in a single campaign: 12 in 2013/14 and 2021/22.
- Manchester United have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games against London sides, losing four of the most recent six.
- Cole Palmer has been involved in 21 Premier League goals for Chelsea this season, scoring 13 and assisting eight. Only Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink (32 in 2000/01) and Diego Costa (23 in 2014/15) have been involved in more in their debut campaign for the Blues.
Player to Watch
Mason Mount
Harry Maguire was a candidate due to Manchester United’s worsening injury crisis in the defensive unit. Cole Palmer was also an option because of his incredible run of form this season. But we have picked Mason Mount for this section as he gets ready to return to Stamford Bridge for the first time since leaving Chelsea.
The English international was a polarising figure during his spell with Chelsea, yet a fan favourite during his final seasons. However, he has become the pantomime villain for Chelsea fans since joining Manchester United. So, scoring his first competitive goal for the Red Devils is good timing for the English international as he looks to seal a happy return to his former stomping ground.
Prediction
Chelsea 2-2 Manchester United
Manchester United have conceded more shots than any other Premier League club in 2024, with almost every team exposing their defensive frailties. On the other hand, Chelsea are in the top three teams for the average number of big chances created per game in the Premier League, although they are 14th for scoring those big chances with a 37.5% ratio.
So, Andre Onana will be a busy man between the sticks, with the Chelsea attackers giving him a hard time. However, Manchester United are enjoying a solid unbeaten run against the West London club, giving them the mental edge this midweek. In the end, there might not be much to separate the two teams, keeping all factors in mind. So, The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Manchester United.
