Chelsea vs Man Utd – preview
Sunday will see two stellar Premier League games go down, the latter being Chelsea's highly-anticipated showdown with Man United in Matchweek 26. The Red Devils will be making the trip to Stamford Bridge for the 11:30 a.m. ET kick-off as Solskjaer's men look to beat Tuchel's top-four hopefuls in order to keep up pace with league leaders Man City.
The Premier League's second-placed club find themselves 13 points behind Guardiola's side, albeit temporarily, thanks to City's 2-1 victory over West Ham. Failure to win in London could all but end Man United's slim title hopes. Fernandes and Co. head into this clash on the back of their goalless draw at home to Real Sociedad in the Europa League round of 32, but having won 4-0 in the previous leg, Man United can be forgiven for letting their foot off the gas.
Regardless, the Red Devils' form has taken a turn for the worse recently. Ole's side have won only once in their last three league outings and boast only two victories from their last six fixtures, hence the huge gap separating them from Man City. The visitors can take confidence from their away form, however, as the Old Trafford side haven't lost on the road in the EPL in over a year.
It is important Man United deliver as they are gearing up for a crucial 19 days of football, with the EPL giants set to face Chelsea, Palace, Man City, and West Ham in league while taking on AC Milan both home and away in the Europa League between now and March 18.
However, beating Chelsea at the Bridge is easier said than done especially when you factor in how well the London giants have been performing under Thomas Tuchel. Since succeeding Frank Lampard, the German tactician has taken a club in danger of missing out on the top four and has lifted them up to fifth in the table.
Fourth-placed West Ham are only two points ahead and after the Hammers' 2-1 loss at Man City, the Blues boast a golden opportunity to leapfrog David Moyes' side. While Chelsea have scored only one goal or less in five out of the eight games he has overseen across all competitions, the home side have picked up 14 points from a possible 18 under Tuchel.
Werner and Co. are yet to find their groove in attack but defensive stability has propelled the London giants. Nonetheless, whether the likes of Zouma, Rudiger, and Christensen can stop Bruno Fernandes and Co, the best attack in the league this season, is uncertain. Do not miss this showdown.
Team news
Chelsea: Thiago Silva remains on the sidelines, which is a huge blow. Other than that, Tuchel's has a fully-fit squad to choose from.
Man United: Pogba and Mata are unavailable for the trip to Stamford Bridge. However, it's not all bad news as Cavani, Van de Beek, and McTominay could return for Sunday's showdown. Rashford, Maguire, and Shaw were all rested over the midweek but should return to the lineup.
Key stats
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The last time these two sides met at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, Chelsea lost 2-0.
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The Blues haven't lost back-to-back games at the Bridge to Man United in over 25 years (since October 1995).
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The Red Devils have registered three consecutive clean sheets in the EPL vs the Blues.
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The London giants are yet to concede a goal at home in the EPL under Tuchel.
Broadcast listings
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
