Chelsea vs Manchester United - The Match Preview + Team news

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The matches in February reach their end with Chelsea hosting one of the biggest matches of the season  today.


This top five super Sunday showdown matches Chelsea with Manchester United on the back of mid-week nights against Spanish teams in Europe. Chelsea inflicted the first ever home defeat in the knockout stages of the Champions League on Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid, whilst Manchester United completed eliminating Real Sociedad from the Round of 32 in the Europa League with a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford. 

After the biggest win of his Chelsea career to date, Thomas Tuchel will have to navigate Chelsea through their most testing period of the season. Sadly we now know that crowds will not be back at stadiums until at least mid-May.

This game would have been a fine fare had fans been present at Stamford Bridge, with games against second placed Manchester United, champions Liverpool and Carlo Ancelotti's Everton in the league, plus two cup fixtures which are decisive, all due to take place between now and the first international break. 

Tuchel has certainly hit the ground running becoming the 16th manager since 1992/93 to avoid defeat in his first 6 games in charge, and the first since another former Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri in 2018.

Manchester United's run of 19 premier league games began at Stamford Bridge with a 2-0 win in February 2020. However, Chelsea are currently unbeaten in their current three premier league games at home under Tuchel, with a clean sheet being achieved every time.

Team news for Chelsea 

The bond-building team result on Tuesday displayed in Romania was by far the most impressive under Tuchel, even though the German will want to see room in improvement in the accuracy of passing, particularly within the final third.

Chelsea currently remain undefeated under his reign going into his sixth and toughest premier league assignment to date. Today Tuchel will hope to achieve the feat of predecessors Maurizio Sarri, Luis Felipe Scolari and Jose Mourinho in going seven games undefeated.

The decision made to use Olivier Giroud against the deep lying 6-3-1 formation of Atletico Madrid bore fruit in rather spectacular fashion with the winner adding the record of the oldest goalscorer in the knockout stage in Chelsea's history in the Champions league.

However, Tammy Abraham will hope to return against a Manchester United defence which plays more on the front foot than Simeone's side, which has proven to be susceptible to speed and movement. 

The Spanish media in particular were impressed with the patience of the Blues, with intense pressing and pace in Romania, with academy graduates Callum-Hudson Odoi and Mason Mount singled out for praise. 

Mount who is currently on a hot run of form, will now have scoring a first goal at home this season within his sights. Both Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz both looked confident and purposeful when they both came on, taking the game to Atletico Madrid when possible. 

In that game Chelsea enjoyed the lions share of possession, too, with less wastefulness within the final third, a hard fought victory would have been far more comfortable. 

Today's opponents Manchester United have often laboured against teams which apply a low-block defence and although this is not Chelsea's style, in Bucharest the Blues limited Atletico's chances, conceding no shots on target. 

Chelsea as a whole are looking less susceptible to the counter-attack, and are alert to the duration. These qualities will be especially vital against a side sitting in second place going into today's game.

Thiago Silva will not be available to face the Red Devils at Stamford Bridge. However, on a positive note should Cesar Azpiliqueta be involved for today's game then he will draw level with Chelsea's 10th highest appearance-maker Eddie McCreadie on 411 matches for the Blues. 

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