United In Focus catches up with Managing Editor of The Chelsea Chronicle, Jack Drury, ahead of Manchester United’s trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Manchester United are looking for their first win in three matches when they take on Chelsea this weekend.
As things stand in the Premier League, United are seven points clear of Chelsea, who sit outside the Champions League spots in sixth place.
Chelsea have won just one of their last seven league games, losing their last two matches 3-0 against Man City and Everton.
Alejandro Garnacho head down playing for Chelsea
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
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Ahead of the game, I was delighted to catch up with Jack Drury of The Chelsea Chronicle, a respected outlet for fans of the West London club.
United will be eager to do the double over Chelsea, after a 2-1 win at Old Trafford earlier this season.
Anyhow, among the topics discussed are Alejandro Garnacho, who left United under a grey cloud to sign for Chelsea last summer, and the fight for Champions League qualification.
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Are you confident about qualifying for the Champions League?
Jack: “Not overly confident. While I’m not predicting the downfall that some fans are, it is going to take a serious turnaround in form to get into the top five. Perhaps the best bet now is hoping Aston Villa get the job done in the Europa League.”
Is Liam Rosenior a joke or the right man for Chelsea?
Jack: “The coverage of Liam Rosenior has been a joke. Lazy, sometimes offensive, social media humour. In truth, the Blues were already on a downward spiral when Enzo Maresca was in charge, and Rosenior has been thrown into the fire. While I don’t see it being a long-term answer, it certainly won’t be all his fault.”
Have you been impressed by Alejandro Garnacho this season?
Jack: “Pretty unmoved so far. I think he’s a dangerous option off the bench, and has played an important role in the cup competitions. Think the money could have been spent better though.”
It was reported that Garnacho recently deleted all Chelsea-related content from his TikTok account and replaced it with reposts of United videos. How has that gone down with Chelsea fans?
Jack: “I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been something that’s been picked up by Chelsea fans. There are a few more pressing matters that are concerning them at the moment.”
What are your thoughts on Alejandro Garnacho ahead of United facing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge?
Will he even get off the bench this time?
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What is your stance on BlueCo 22, as owners of Chelsea Football Club?
Jack: “BlueCo are stubborn in their approach to running Chelsea, and there were large sections of fans who were willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. However, the refusal to build on high points (Club World Cup win for example) has started to annoy them beyond belief. There is supposedly going to be a protest at Stamford Bridge on Saturday involving Strasbourg fans, who are not too keen in the slightest on the owners.”
If you could sign one player from United, who would it be and why?
Jack: “Despite being third in the league, this was actually a pretty tough question to answer. I think Lammens is a decent ‘keeper but don’t think he’d be the level of upgrade we need. Fernandes is brilliant but probably only has a couple of decent seasons left in him. I think I would go for Mainoo, someone we’ve been linked with before. Partnering him with Caicedo would be something special.”
After losing 2-1 at Old Trafford earlier this season, how are you feeling about facing United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday?
Jack: “The game at Old Trafford is strange to think about, with Sanchez’s very early red card having a big impact. Chelsea need a strong start this weekend to get the fans on board, and I think they can do that and nick a narrow and probably unconvincing win. 2-1.”
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Drama was never too far away from Garnacho during his time in United’s first team.
After receiving several reprimands from Erik ten Hag and Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho quickly fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim, making last summer’s departure inevitable.
Garnacho has already sparked speculation regarding his Chelsea future by removing all club-related content from his official TikTok, as referenced in our Q&A with Jack from The Chelsea Chronicle.
This was reported by talkSPORT. To make matters worse, if you were a devoted Chelsea fan, Garnacho reposted clips celebrating his time at United.
This all comes after Garnacho expressed regret over his United exit.
Garnacho will be hoping to make his first appearance against United on Saturday after being left on the bench earlier this season at Old Trafford.
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