The most anticipated fixture of matchday 26 kicks of later today as Chelsea battle it out against Man United at the Bridge as both teams continue to fight for the top 4 this season.
Chelsea have really found it difficult in their recent games and their results have shown that. They have failed to get a win in their last 3 games, only earning 2 points out of 9 points which is considered a poor run by their standards. They are still sitting 4th on the table, but are nowhere near cementing that spot as Spurs have just reduced the gap to 1 point for the time being with their win against Aston Villa yesterday. The Blues can still revert the gap to 4 points if they beat Man United at home, to ensure that there is a bit less pressure going into the next premier league game at home as well. This is a very difficult fixture for Chelsea like we have already seen this season, losing twice to Man United in two different occasions, however, this is a must-win game for Chelsea and they must have learnt from their mistakes in those previous games and is expected to approach this game differently.
The Blues will most likely set up in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 formation, they are playing at home and would most likely have more of the ball. However, Frank Lampard will be conscious of Man United counter-attacking threats, so this could mean that Chelsea could infuse counter-attack in their gameplay as well.
Man United are in a much more difficult situation compared to Chelsea, as they have only managed to earn 1 point out of 9 points. Their form in their last 5 games haven’t been great, summing up how poor their season has been so far. They are sitting on 9th position on the table, however, they are still one of the huge favorites in the top 4 race and are not relenting in their efforts to finish in the top 4. The good news for them and the teams below the top 4 is that Man City have received a 2-year ban from participating in any Uefa competition, which means that if the ban stands, the team in 5th position will automatically qualify for the top 4. This news has completely changed the dynamics of the top 4 race as the number 5 spot is now palatable.
Man United will most likely set up in a 3-4-3 formation or a 4-2-3-1 formation. There is a huge possibility that they will approach this game against Chelsea mostly to counter-attack. This means that for them, they don’t mind not having the ball as they would keep their eyes on capitalizing and utilizing their counter-attacking qualities to hurt the Blues at the Bridge.
What do you think will be the outcome of this fixture?
I would love to read your thoughts and opinions… Enjoy your day.
Comments