Chelsea will be eyeing revenge when they take on Manchester United in the Premier League this Saturday.
The last time the two English giants faced off, United won 2-1 in a game that saw Robert Sanchez sent off just five minutes in. United also went down to 10 men when Casemiro was dismissed, but Chelsea were unable to find an equaliser.
Moises Caicedo impressed against United that day, and Liam Rosenior will be hoping for a repeat of that performance on the weekend.
Who should partner Moises Caicedo in midfield against Manchester United?
Moises Caicedo's tackling stat vs United
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Opta supercomputer predicts Chelsea to beat Manchester United
Opta’s supercomputer thinks Caicedo and Chelsea’s chances are quite good. In a match preview shared by Opta Analyst, it has given the Blues a 43.7% chance of victory.
United have a 29.5% chance of winning, while the supercomputer thinks there is a 26.8% chance that the game ends in a draw.
That would not be the worst result for United, but from Chelsea’s perspective, they badly need a win.
Rosenior’s side are already seven points behind their upcoming opponents and are running out of time to close the gap with them.
They are four points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool, so Champions League qualification is still within reach, especially if they can beat the Reds at Anfield next month.
Lose to United, though, and there is little hope of catching up to them. They must do everything they can to beat Michael Carrick’s team and bring them deeper into the battle for top five.
Chelsea will be boosted by the return of Enzo Fernandez, whose in-house suspension is now over.
Arsenal legend Paul Merson discussed Fernandez’s absence against Manchester City last Sunday, claiming that Chelsea really missed him.
Without the Argentine on the pitch, the team struggled to cope with City’s press and play through the lines. United will not press as aggressively, but Rosenior will welcome having a player of his calibre available for selection again.
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