Tag: Manchester United

Chelsea v Manchester United Betting Tips (Premier League) – 20th October 2018

Chelsea kick things off as the Premier League returns to action on Saturday, as they host Manchester United. Jose Mourinho makes a return to his former home yet again, after struggling in recent clashes with the Blues. So far this season the Red Devils have struggled to keep the pace with the early Premier League pacesetters, which this time around includes Chelsea. The days of Mourinho and Antonio Conte’s battling style are gone, replaced with a forward thinking approach that has pushed the Blues back into title contention.

There’s some gap between Chelsea and United – both in terms of points and performances. The Blues will likely recognise the current state of play around Old Trafford, which looks alarmingly like the final Mourinho season at Stamford Bridge. So far this term he’s seen his side struggle for form across all competitions, and it’s hard to see the Special One’s ego being prepared for a tough visit to his former stomping ground. However, does he have a plan to block “Sarrismo”?

Team News: Barkley Backed to Keep Blues Place

The Blues have found a settled side, the majority of which seems pretty easy to call. Even the battles which were once a toss up look certain, with Olivier Giroud likely to start ahead of Alvaro Morata, and Willian over Pedro. The only real contest remaining comes in the centre of midfield, and Ross Barkley seems to have the edge over Real Madrid loanee Matteo Kovacic. The former Everton man was impressive against Southampton, and after a strong display away to Spain for England, he deserves a start.

The Red Devils come here with a few injury concerns, including former Blue Nemanja Matic. The midfielder is set to miss this trip to his former home, and that leaves United slightly open in the middle of the park, with Ander Herrera also missing out this weekend. Jesse Lingard didn’t make the England squad for this month’s internationals, and he could well sit out as the Red Devils head south. It’s hard to tell just how Mourinho is going to set his side up, but you can be sure he’ll try out some mix of man marking and repetitive fouling on Eden Hazard.

Man United Form

Things certainly haven’t been going Mourinho’s way of late, and there were rumours that he was set for the sack this month. He went into their clash with Newcastle under pressure, with speculation suggesting that United would use the international break to find a replacement. The Red Devils didn’t make that change, although Mourinho did pull off a 3-2 win after being 2-0 down to the Toon, so that result could have kept him in place for now.

Before that, United had failed to win their last four games. That run included an EFL Cup exit at home to Derby, and a dull 0-0 at home to Valencia in the Champions League. Their last away trip in the Premier League brought a defeat in London, with West Ham beating them 3-1. It’s not exactly been a great start for United, who are down in eighth, while the top five are separated by just two points at the top of the table.

Chelsea v Man United Head to Head

Chelsea have the edge over United of late, and Conte departed England with a solid record over the biggest club in the country. It must have been quite bruising for Mourinho’s ego that he lost four of six meetings with Conte, including all four in London. The pair last met in the FA Cup final back in May, which Eden Hazard’s strike settled.

  • Chelsea 1-0 Man United, May 2018
  • Man United 2-1 Chelsea, Feb 2018
  • Chelsea 1-0 Man United, Nov 2017
  • Man United 2-0 Chelsea, April 2017
  • Chelsea 1-0 Man United, March 2017

Betting Tips

  • Eden Hazard to score – 11/8 with Ladbrokes
  • Chelsea to Win to Nil – 19/10 with BetVictor

Chelsea are well fancied for this clash, as they are priced up at 7/10 with Coral to claim the three points. The Red Devils are 4/1 with Betfred for a shock away success, while the draw can be found at 11/4 with bet365. The recent form United have shown has clearly played a part in the latest betting odds, and that has made the unbeaten Blues favourites to come away with yet another success against their former boss. However, will they be able to see out this clash with one of their top six rivals, given how they slipped up against Liverpool in their last home Premier League outing?

The Blues do at least have the Premier League’s top scorer to call upon, and Hazard clearly has a point to prove to Mourinho. He addressed his time with the Portuguese during the international break, but are things as amicable as he suggests? Even if he has regrets over his time with Mourinho, he is bound to want to punish United, who always seem to come in heavy against the Belgian. After deciding the cup final back in May, we expect Hazard to trouble United once again here. After his excellent start, we’re backing him to score any time at 11/8 with Ladbrokes.

One thing of note about the recent clashes between these two is United’s lack of goals. They’ve failed to score in their last four meetings with Chelsea in London, while they’ve been beaten to nil in four of their last five visits to Stamford Bridge. We expect the usually defensive Mourinho to try and make this game tight on Saturday, and that could see them surrender their attacking threat. With four clean sheets in their last six, we think it’s worth backing the Blues to win to nil at home this weekend. They’re priced at 19/10 with BetVictor to win and keep a clean sheet.

Chelsea v Manchester United Betting Tips (FA Cup Final) – 19th May 2018

Chelsea head into this weekend’s FA Cup final on the back of a 3-0 hammering to Newcastle last weekend. The Blues finished the season by blowing their top four hopes, falling apart in the last week of the campaign. However, the damage was done much earlier, as the failure to invest last summer came back to bite the club. The side had little to offer other than the approach which many had already worked out how to counter, and as a result the Blues have looked predictable across the campaign.

Antonio Conte needs to change that this weekend, in what is set to be his final game in charge. The Italian is widely expected to depart following Saturday’s meeting with Man United and Jose Mourinho at Wembley, given that he bears the brunt of many of the club’s failings. Will he head out with silverware, as Chelsea look to go one better than last season in this competition?

Team News: Will Tinkering Conte Make Changes for Finale?

Chelsea have limited worries ahead of this one, with David Luiz likely to sit out yet again. The Brazilian defender is missing out on the World Cup after a tough season at the Bridge, and he’s likely waiting for a managerial change in the summer as he looks to resurrect his career. The only other player to miss out on Saturday in Ethan Ampadu, but this clash might have come a little too early in his promising career for the Welshman to feature.

The big issue for Conte again is the choice between a 3-4-3 or adding another body in central midfield, which he’s done in consecutive weekends. Against this United side, he may prioritise safety, leaving Eden Hazard and either Olivier Giroud or Alvaro Morata acting as the front two.

Man United have no players ruled out yet, but they do have doubts around Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Felliani this weekend. They could also miss French forward Anthony Martial, with the striker being linked with a summer switch to Stamford Bridge, having fallen out of favour under Mourinho. There are suggestions that the Portuguese will aim to mirror the Chelsea set up, with a potential three-man defence taking the field for the Red Devils this weekend.

Man United Form

Man United finished the season with a narrow win at home to Watford, days after a 0-0 draw at West Ham. They’ve limped across the finish line in the top flight, having won one, drawn one and lost one of their last three, seeing just two goals scored across those games. Their recent defeat at Brighton came with a much changed side, but it did mean that the Red Devils lost away at all three promoted sides this term, along with losing at home to bottom side West Brom, and drawing at Stoke. While they signed Romelu Lukaku to fix their issues against the worst sides in the division, United continue to struggle against unambitious sides.

Even if United had won all five of those matches mentioned, they’d have still finished five points shy of Man City. The Citizens have set a high bar this term, and United have struggled to match it. They’ve proved this term that there’s little between the four or five sides directly behind City, which is a worry for the likes of Tottenham and United, with Chelsea and Arsenal looking to rejuvenate this summer. The Red Devils have issues this weekend and next season, based on their inconsistency this term.

Chelsea v Man United Head to Head

The Red Devils won the previous meeting, but Antonio Conte has won three of the five meetings he has had with Jose Mourinho. Should the Italian be departing this summer, then he’ll be looking to head out with a positive record against a man who he has had plenty of fare ups with during a two season spell in England.

  • Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea, Feb 2018
  • Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United, Nov 2017
  • Manchester United 2-0 Chelsea, Apr 2017
  • Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United, Mar 2017
  • Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United, Oct 2016

Betting Tips

  • Under 2.5 Goals – 4/7 with BetVictor
  • Olivier Giroud to Score – 5/2 with Bet365

Manchester United are favourites for the clash at Wembley, as they come into this one priced at 8/5 with Coral to win this one in 90 minutes. Meanwhile, the Blues are 15/8 with Ladbrokes to claim another trophy, while this game is 2/1 with Betfred to go to extra time. United remain the favourites for glory, with Betfair making them 11/13 to lift the trophy via any means. The bookies are having a tough time picking between these two Premier League giants ahead of Saturday’s final. Can the Blues edge what is likely to be a close encounter?

Jose Mourinho is likely to make this a tight game, given his record in cup finals. The two managers are both conservative by their nature, and we could see Conte starting with three central midfielders to flood the middle of the park. We are expecting both sides to go with a cautious approach in this one, so we think it’s worth backing a low scoring affair. Under 2.5 goals is our first tip on this weekend’s cup final, which can be found at 4/7 with BetVictor.

Conte will have to pick between Morata and Giroud this weekend, and that pick will be crucial in what could prove a very close game. We can’t see any reason to go with the Spaniard, when you consider that the Frenchman has a brilliant Wembley record and remains unbeaten here, so Giroud should get the nod. With a strong record at this ground and in the FA Cup, Giroud is our pick to score, and he’s really well priced at 5/2 with Bet365.

Manchester United v Chelsea Betting Tips (Premier League) – 25th February 2018

Can Chelsea claim three points in their return to Premier League action on Sunday? The Blues are bound for Old Trafford this weekend, as they look to dent Jose Mourinho and Manchester United’s push for the Champions League. Despite adding Alexis Sanchez to the side, the Red Devils have struggled in the league of late, losing back to back away games. The last thing they need after a couple of setbacks is to welcome the champions to Manchester. With just three points between these two sides heading into this clash, it could have a huge bearing on this season’s top four race.

Of course, this weekend does represent something of a missed opportunity for the champions. They could well have been lining up at Wembley this weekend, having lost out to Arsenal in the EFL Cup semi-finals. The Blues will be on their way back from Manchester as the first silverware of the season is contested, so it would be a pretty demoralising trip south should they lose to Mourinho’s men. Can Antonio Conte and his team avoid that fate by securing all three points against their top four rivals on Sunday?

Team News: Will Conte Push for a Five Man Midfield?

The big question heading into this game is over the system Antonio Conte decides to go with. The 3-4-3 has been relatively unchanged in recent weeks, but the Italian has moved to a 3-5-2 in big games this season, in order to control the midfield. They’re likely to come up against five United midfielders in this one, so a change could be necessary. The system also helped the Blues claim a 1-0 win at home to United in the reverse fixture, and now that Conte has enough bodies in midfield to play with a five across the middle, he could be tempted to make a change ahead of this crucial clash.

Much of the week’s discussion has been about Mourinho’s relationship with Paul Pogba. The Portuguese doesn’t seem all that keen on the club’s record signing, and he’s not hit the heights expected given his enormous transfer fee. The midfielder should play a part in this game, but for Mourinho to make him effective he needs to tweak his approach. The signing of Sanchez seems to have impacted their setup, which is now a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Pogba alongside former Chelsea man Nemanja Matic in central midfield. That’s likely to be the duo once again on Sunday, which is at least a powerful double act, if nothing else.

Manchester United Form

Two defeats from their last three league games have left United much closer to the top four battle than to leaders Man City. The Red Devils trail City by 16 points, although they do have a chance to close that gap temporarily this weekend. Fifth placed Tottenham went into the weekend just four points behind Man United, with the remaining three Champions League spots seemingly being contested by the four sides sandwiched between City and Arsenal.

United do have a good record behind them at home, unbeaten against all of the sides below them in the standings. They lost to City at Old Trafford, but aside from that they have 10 wins from 12 matches, which has seen them average 2.46 points per game. That has given them the second best home record in the division, so Chelsea have their work cut out in this weekend’s clash against a side that has scored more freely on home soil.

Manchester United v Chelsea Head to Head

Chelsea have been hosting Man United pretty regularly of late, which has seen them claim three wins from their last five encounters. Their recent record at Old Trafford hasn’t been too bad, losing just one of their last five trips to Old Trafford. However, that defeat came in their visit to Manchester last April, which brought a rare loss for Conte on the way to the league title.

  • Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United, Nov 2017
  • Manchester United 2-0 Chelsea, Apr 2017
  • Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United, Mar 2017
  • Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United, Oct 2016
  • Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United, Feb 2016

Betting Tips

  • Under 2.5 Goals – 7/10 with Ladbrokes
  • Draw – 12/5 with BetVictor

Man United’s strong home form obviously makes them favourites for Sunday’s clash, and they’ve been priced up at 11/10 with Betfair to take the points. Meanwhile, the Blues are out at 11/4 with Betfred for a victory at Old Trafford. You can back the draw at 12/5 here, with these two sides looking quite even going into this weekend. Can the Blues pull off a victory, or will they be left outside of the top four and reeling from yet another blow to Conte’s position as manager?

While Chelsea have seen their fair share of high scoring away trips this term, we expect a different kind of game this weekend. These two managers may have a deep dislike for one another, but they come into this clash knowing that a safety first policy is probably the best way to go. We’ve all see how Mourinho sets up for big games, and if Conte goes for a midfield five once again then we’re likely to see a very cagey game played out between these two once again.

Only one of the last six meetings between these two have seen both teams score, while the last five meetings at Old Trafford have seen under 2.5 goals. Given how these two managers are likely to approach this game, we can see another low scoring affair on Sunday. We’re backing under 2.5 at 7/10 with Ladbrokes here. With four draws between the two at Old Trafford since 2013, we’re also going for this one to finish level, which is available at 12/5 with BetVictor. With a close game very likely, that seems like a great price.

Chelsea v Manchester United Betting Tips (Premier League) – 5th November 2017

Chelsea are being made to wait this weekend, as they play in the final Premier League fixture before the international break. The Blues face Manchester United in the second of Sunday’s massive double header, one which could prove crucial to the title race. The Blues are hoping to get themselves back in contention for top spot with a result against the second placed side, but they’ve already come up short against Man City this term. There’s a nine point gap between the reigning champions and the current leaders, but can they cut in to that before the squad heads on international duty?

After the midweek loss in Roma, Chelsea need to go off on a high before the break. This has been a troubled spell for the Blues, who this time last year went through October and November without dropping points in the league. This time around, things have been quite different. The performances have been far from the standard required, leaving Conte facing questions over his future. Can the Italian do anything to silence the critics this week, or will Jose Mourinho get one over him once again?

Team News: Conte has Kante on the Fast Track to Recovery

It seems like Conte’s response to the shambles in Rome is to rush N’Golo Kante back into the side. The Frenchman has been an obvious absentee in recent weeks, as he does a job few in world football can accomplish. Without Kante’s energy and positioning, this Chelsea team just aren’t the same. Conte will be hoping his return improves them defensively, but Kante coming back frees up a change in formation. Conte should have the options to go with a 3-5-2 set up this weekend, which should make the champions much tougher to break down than they were in Rome.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has one kind of approach in big games like this; don’t lose. The former Chelsea boss is well known for parking the bus in big games in England, and it seems like he’s becoming even more conservative as he ages. The way his side frustrated Liverpool and Tottenham last month was impressive, but United were clearly lacking an edge. The absence of Paul Pogba continues to leave United a little short, and he’s not returning any time soon it seems. The midfielder is out of this trip, which gives Conte’s likely three man midfield the edge in the middle of the park.

Manchester United Form

Manchester United have been solid for the most part, losing just once all season. That defeat came against Huddersfield on the road, which makes them a little nervy ahead of this trip. That’s probably why Mourinho refused to let the shackles off his team at Anfield earlier in the season, and why he kept things so tight at home to Tottenham. Those two matches failed to capture the imagination of United’s fans, and neither did the two wins over Benfica in the Champions League.

However, it’s difficult to argue with United’s defensive record. Oddly, the four goals they conceded came in trips to two separate teams, meaning they’ve kept a clean sheet in 80% of their league matches so far. Having shipped just one goal in four Champions League games. The Red Devils are obviously a solid defensive unit, even if they’re a bit dull to watch going forwards.

Chelsea v Manchester United Head to Head

The three meetings between these sides last season were all won by the home side, but things got gradually less impressive for Chelsea over the season. Their 1-0 win over United in the FA Cup was a really tight contest, and it took them a long time to break down 10 men. Meanwhile, the loss at Old Trafford saw Mourinho freeze out Hazard and nullify Chelsea, a tactic which others have adopted this season.

  • Man United 2-0 Chelsea, Apr 2017
  • Chelsea 1-0 Man United, Mar 2017
  • Chelsea 4-0 Man United, Nov 2016
  • Chelsea 1-1 Man United, Feb 2016
  • Man United 0-0 Chelsea, Dec 2015

Betting Tips

  • Under 2.5 Goals – 4/6 with Betfair
  • Draw – 9/4 with Betfred

Chelsea may be coming off the back of a nightmare result, but they’re priced at 29/20 with Bet365 to win this clash. Meanwhile, United are further out at 2/1 with Coral, but they’re priced at 8/15 with Ladbrokes to avoid defeat this weekend. Clearly the bookies are struggling to pick a winner between these two, which isn’t surprising in such a big game. Can either of these two grind out the result they need, or will this clash end up a stalemate?

The big worry for Antonio Conte has to be that his side are struggling at the back. If they put in a defensive display like they did in Rome, then there’s no way back against this United side. The champions need to be just as solid as United defensively, or else they’re going to suffer another defeat here. That is why we see Conte turning to the 3-5-2 set-up which they’ve used in big games already this season. Having lacked enough central midfielders for that system in Rome, Kante’s return changes things for the champions. They should be able to shore up the defence with more bodies in midfield, with a forward player likely to miss out on their place.

That should give us a really tight game on Sunday, and our tips reflect that. Three of Chelsea’s last four home games in the league have seen under 2.5 goals scored, and we see a similarly low scoring contest here. Both sides need to set up not to lose, which should result in a game of few chances. We think under 2.5 is great value at 4/6 with Betfair, while we’re backing these two to cancel each other out and share the points. The draw can be backed at 9/4 with Betfred here, and that seems like the most likely outcome between these two.

Manchester United v Chelsea Betting Tips (Premier League) – Sunday 16th April 2017

Chelsea head to Old Trafford on Sunday as they head in to the Premier League run in. The league leaders are hoping to maintain their seven point advantage over Spurs, and they’ve been warned to stay focused by boss Antonio Conte. The Blues need just five more victories to take back the title they last won in 2015. Will they be able to earn one of those wins over the man who led them to that last title? This is the first time that the Blues visit Old Trafford with Jose Mourinho in the home dug-out, which should make this a fiery occasion.

The former Chelsea boss has suffered two damaging defeats to his old club already this season, the first was a 4-0 loss in their last league encounter. A defeat at Stamford Bridge last month ended the Red Devils’ FA Cup hopes, can they get revenge by putting a dent in the Blues’ title push? It would certainly make for a nervy end if Spurs were to move within four points, so a loss here could be a massive blow to the leaders’ hopes of lifting the title next month. However, United’s Europa League exertions could just swing this towards the visitors.

Team News: Conte unlikely to change ahead of final big test

Once again Antonio Conte has no injury worries ahead of the weekend, let’s hope he isn’t getting too comfortable with having a full squad. While the stability and options are pushing the Blues clear at the top, the challenge comes next season when they’re playing two games per week. However, the run in allows them enough recovery time to keep a settled side, so we expect Conte to keep the same XI which saw off Bournemouth last weekend. Having reverted back to the strongest side, it’s hard to see any reason to change ahead of one of the last big challenges which the leaders face in their title push.

Mourinho’s Manchester United are a perfect example of the problems caused by a fixture pile up. Former Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata misses out on Sunday, while Ashley Young is also unavailable. Defenders Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are out, which leaves the Red Devils looking a little short on numbers at the back. The big question is over Mourinho’s formation. Las weekend he seemed to revert to the 4-3-3 he used when he first arrived at Stamford Bridge, but we wouldn’t rule out a 3-5-2 set up, to try and match Chelsea’s midfield.

Manchester United Form

Manchester United are unbeaten in 14 Premier League matches, but they’re not winning enough games to push on into the top four. The Red Devils have drawn 56% of their outings at Old Trafford, which is mostly down to their scoring woes, with a huge overreliance on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as shown in their toothless FA Cup loss at the Bridge last month.

United’s real success this season has been in the cups, with the League Cup won by Mourinho once again. He’s hoping to add a Europa League winners medal to their haul this term, and the Portuguese admitted that European silverware is more important than their push for fourth. He’s basically going to have to ape one of his great rivals this term, or fail completely. Does he take Arsene Wenger’s fourth place trophy, or follow in Rafa Benitez’s footsteps by leading an English giant to a second rate European trophy? It sounds like Mourinho’s nightmare.

Manchester United v Chelsea Head to Head

Before the recent Conte v Mourinho clashes, things were pretty even between these two sides. They drew both meetings last term, both of which came after Mourinho was dismissed from the Stamford Bridge dugout. The last meeting between these sides at Old Trafford was almost 16 months ago, and it’s safe to say the Blues’ fortunes have changed since then.

  • Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United, Mar 2017
  • Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United, Oct 2016
  • Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United, Feb 2016
  • Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea, Dec 2015
  • Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United, Apr 2015

Betting Tips

  • Chelsea draw no bet – 19/20 with Coral
  • Eden Hazard to score any time – 2/1 with SkyBet

This game is incredibly even according to the bookies, who can’t seem to settle on a clear favourite. Manchester United are just out in front in the betting, with Betfair making them 17/10 to take maximum points at home. However, Chelsea aren’t far behind at 9/5 with BetVictor. Meanwhile, you can back the draw at 11/5 with Bet365. Clearly there’s little between the two sides, and with United focusing elsewhere, they could well come up short at home to the leaders. We can’t see much value in the match betting, so we suggest looking elsewhere for a punt on this game.

We do like the look of Chelsea on the draw no bet market, seeing as United could be left running on empty. The Red Devils don’t have the biggest squad at their disposal right now, thanks to their injury list. That doesn’t give Mourinho a lot of options to change things between Thursday and Sunday, so we could see the leaders pulling off a result. By backing it on the draw no bet market, there’s a definite safety net. United have drawn nine of their last 13 at home in the league, so we’re backing the visitors draw no bet at 19/20 with Coral.

If anyone can inspire Chelsea to the victory, it’s Eden Hazard. Just as he did in 2015, the Belgian is picking up the slack from Diego Costa in the back half of the campaign. Once again, the Spaniard has seen his goals dry up after the turn of the year, but Hazard has scored three in his last two, all of them crucial goals. In a massive meeting with Manchester United, we expect the Belgian to make the difference. We’re backing him to score any time at 2/1 with SkyBet.

Chelsea v Manchester United Betting Tips (FA Cup) – 13th March 2017

A second consecutive Monday night clash for Chelsea sees them welcome back Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge. The former Blues boss will be looking to improve on his last visit here, which ended in a demoralising 4-0 defeat. There’s considerably more on the line this time around, as the Red Devils come here aiming to book a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. This tie pits the Premier League leaders against the League Cup winners, but which will move closer to the FA Cup final?

Antonio Conte will be aiming to complete a league and cup double, reminiscent of Carlo Ancelotti’s first season in charge. After their win at West Ham last week, the Blues seem to be uncatchable at the summit of the Premier League. United certainly can’t get near them, something even the belligerent Mourinho has admitted. He has tried some mind games, suggesting that the Blues have already won the league, allowing them to completely focus on this huge game. For United, this is sandwiched in between two Europa League games against Russian side Rostov.

Team News: Conte to end cup rotation while United plug striking gap

Antonio Conte has made quite a few changes to his team in the FA Cup so far, but the line-ups he’s named have become gradually stronger as the rounds went on. As we predicted ahead of the Wolves tie, this is likely to be the time when the first team turns up in the cup. This a huge tie between two big contenders for the competition, and Conte has no reason to rest players here. Rotating would cancel out their big advantage over Mourinho’s side, as the Blues have a fully fit squad once again. It’s likely we’ll see a similar team to the one which hammered United last time the sides met.

Mourinho has a couple of things to juggle in this game. While he’d prefer to win another FA Cup than the Europa League, the Champions League place on offer in the later makes it United’s priority. With two tricky Europa League games either side of this match, expect the Red Devils to make a few changes for this tie. They have one major enforced change to worry about, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic starting a three game domestic ban. He’s been key to their season so far, so the Swede will be a massive miss for the visitors.

Manchester United Form

Manchester United come into this game on the back of a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth in their last domestic outing. That result was a big blow to their Champions League hopes, which suits Chelsea even more. United slipped three points off Liverpool, and they could be as many as six points off fourth by the time this one kicks off. That heightens the importance of the Europa League to them, devaluing this competition. Their main priority has to be their two methods of returning to the Champions League, and their form of late hasn’t been good enough to secure that.

United’s recent big wins, over Saint Etienne in the Europa League and Southampton in the EFL Cup final, came via brilliance from Ibrahimovic. The Swede scored six in his last five matches. Without him, you have to ask how Mourinho’s side will fare. He’s scored 38% of their league goals this term, while he hit the winner at Blackburn in the last round. While they’ve been getting results of late, this is going to be a very different side.

Chelsea v Manchester United Head to Head

That win over United in October is the obvious stand out in their recent encounters. Aside from that, the other clashes between these sides have been fairly tight. Neither of the meetings between these two last term came with Mourinho in charge, the 0-0 at Old Trafford was around a week after his dismissal.

  • Chelsea 4-0 Man United, Oct 2016
  • Chelsea 1-1 Man United, Feb 2016
  • Man United 0-0 Chelsea, Dec 2015
  • Chelsea 1-0 Man United, Apr 2015
  • Man United 1-1 Chelsea, Nov 2014

Betting Tips

  • Over 1.5 Chelsea goals – 11/10 with Betfair
  • Diego Costa to score any time – 11/10 with Sky Bet

BetVictor are pricing the Blues as the 5/6 favourites for this game, no doubt in part to United’s other commitments. The lack of Zlatan Ibrahimovic should make a major difference, that’s seen United drift out to 7/2 with Coral to win at the Bridge. This game would go to extra time if drawn, after the FA scrapped quarter final replays, and Bet365 make it 13/5 for this clash to be level after 90 minutes. Neither side would want the extra hassle of that, but they’ll both be desperate to book a place in the last four. The bookies seem to believe that Conte’s men are going to progress, but we’re looking elsewhere for value on this clash.

Following Chelsea’s hammering of United here last time out, the Blues have been in excellent scoring form at home. They hit eight in two home FA Cup ties, while they’ve scored two or more in their last seven outings at Stamford Bridge. Since that win over the Red Devils in October, they’ve scored three or more in 70% of matches at this ground. We can see the travel weary United conceding another couple here, so we’re backing over 1.5 goals for the hosts, which is very well priced at 11/10 with Betfair.

We’re also backing Diego Costa to score one of those goals, following his strike at the London Stadium. You have to wonder just how much louder the outcry would have been if was Costa and not Ibrahimovic elbowing for revenge last weekend. However, the Spaniard is a changed man, and he’s in lethal scoring form. We can see him putting United to the sword, and getting one over Mourinho. He’s priced at 11/10 with Sky Bet to score in the match.