I think Hazard and Willian will be more important to stop than Fabregas or Matic as it will be crosses that Drogba will be most threatening from rather than him making runs and Fabregas finding him like with Costa. And I think Mourinho will start Drogba if Costa and Remy aren't fit as I expect him to play Ramires ahead of Oscar so he can help with Di Maria and I don't think he will do that and also not play an out and out striker.
FA Premier League
Manchester United 1:1 Chelsea
Old Trafford
- Kick-off
- Sun, 26 October 2014 @ 4:00pm GMT
- Status
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Closed
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) look forward to a new life under Ruben Amorim. What system will we be playing? What players will impress? and how will it all go? We also say goodbye to Ruud Van Nistelrooy and review United's 3-0 win at home against Leicester City.
Discussion Live Updates 66 Your Lineup Prediction
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I'm very positive about this game. I said before the season started, that Chelsea lack depth in couple departments and now that is showing - with Costa and Remy out they suddenly look much less a threat. To compound the problem it looks like Shurrle and Rammires are also injured and Azpi is suspended. Drogba is ok for a 20 minute cameo, but he can't lead the line for the whole game and if Shurrle doesn't recover in time I'm fairly certain Chelsea will find it hard to score. I fancy our chances against this depleted Chelsea side.
I appreciate people calling for Carrick to play, but I think there is no chance for LVG to throw him in the deep end like that - he will be eased in slowly. Also it seems that Falcao's fitness requires careful management - LVG is reluctant to let him play the full 90 minutes, so I think RVP will start and Falcao will come in the second half. I think we should put Rojo and Smalling in the CB, while Jones should be put in the midfield to stick to Fabregas. Blind should shield the defense from any danger coming from Drogba, Oscar or Willian. Valencia/Herrera and Rafael should gang up on Hazzard and Fellaini should stick on Matic. With this setup 90% of Chelsea's threat would be nullified and ADM would have a free role trying to find holes in their defense - most likely on the left side, where Luis is still gelling with the rest. With that setup I can see us winning the game, while the chance to loose is very small, however the most likely outcome would be a draw.I;d snatch a draw right now considering our injuries, but can now possibly see United winning this.
Who's out for you lot?It's a big opportunity for us with Costa out, if he is, to really springboard our season because honestly, W-W-D-W, with Chelsea being that win would be decent going. If we then draw at the emptihad, well, even better.
I'd go all out at them, personally. Mata to score against his old side, Falcao to score two. Di Maria with the other. 4-2 United.I think we'll win this and then lose at Citeh.We are in good form at home. But our defence is what worries me, especially our CBs and Shaw. If we can get our shot together at the back and finally bench RvP then I can see us winning this.
Think Mou might play quite defensively against us so scoring won't be easy neitherChelsea fans will Costa be available? Seems he got released from hospital today with stomach cramps.
What do you think will be your starting eleven? Do yo see Fabregas starting deeper?I think Chelsea's team will be:
Courtois
Ivanovic
Cahill
Terry
Luis
Ramires
Matic
Fabregas
Willian
Hazard
Costa/Drogba
I'm not sure whether Ramires will play on the right with Willian central or if he will play deeper and be on the right of a three man midfield with Willian on the wing.Talking Reds: Radamel Falcao/Robin van PersieThis evening the discussion will be about Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie. Do you think van Gaal was right to start van Persie against West Brom, could the two forwards play together or are they better off alone, and who would you play against Chelsea? Discuss all this and more on our Facebook page here, thank you.
Ramires, Costa, Remy, Drogba ( possibly unless rushed back again), Schurrle, Azpilicuetta.I would like to see us go with Falcao as the sole striker for this match, and pack the midfield behind him. A fit Valencia could be an asset in CM for this match.
I fancy Ramires and one of Drogba or Costa to startI think Fellani in Attacking Midfield sitting on Fabregas and Carrick and Blind supporting behind. IMO Fabregas could be bullied by Fellani and Blind and Carrick could offer a shield against Matic who isn't a threader of passes.
My thoughts entirely. Falcao up front, alone, with Blind, Di Maria, Valencia, Herrera, Fellaini behind him. That would provide a pretty solid mix of tenacity and power behind Falcao. I hate to include Fellaini in there after one decent half but the idea of Matic bullying Herrera all game is a nightmare. We're going to need physicality in the midfield and Fellaini and Valencia can provide that and the latter can add some speed on the counter, opposite Di Maria, also.de Gea
Rafael--Jones--Rojo--Shaw
Herrera--Blind--Fellaini
Januzaj--Falcao--Di MariaUnless Hazard plays as a False 9 due to the current crisis upfront then there's absolutely no chance of Ramires starting. Willian and Oscar both offer his defensive qualities, pace and energy.De GeaWe'll take a battering here. United 1-4 Chelsea.
Rafael Jones Rojo Shaw
Herrera Blind Fellaini
Young Falcao Di Maria
We should throw Valdes straight in IMO.De Gea
Rafael Jones Rojo Shaw
Herrera Blind
Young Di Maria Januzaj
Falcao
Subs: Mata, Fellaini, Valencia, Smalling, Carrick
The kids have done better than the senior CBs this season.
Costa or Remy will most likely start, I'm 90% sure of it so ignore the soundbites of Jose and the press.
The starting XI will be something like this:
Courtois
Ivanovic Cahill Terry Filipe Luis
Fabregas Matic
Willian Oscar Hazard
Costa
With Oscar playing a deeper roll to buttress the midfield, so in theory more of a 4-3-3 than a 4-2-3-1
They really haven't. McNair looked decent enough but Blackett made a mistake any time he had to do any defending pretty much. Jones was very good all season apart from one mistake against west brom too. He just got injured at the wrong time. The problem is just the back 4 need games together to get an understanding, as all back 4's do. Currently, the west brom game was the first time our best back 4 played together. You can't expect them to shine right away.---------De Gea
Rafael Jones Rojo Shaw
-----------Blind
-----Herrera Di Maria
Valencia-----------Januzaj
-----------Falcao
Would be a bit shit to change system once again, but I like the look of that in terms of balance against the top side in the league.
I don't know what game you watched but what I saw from Jones on Monday didn't resemble a professional defender. In that form Jones is a liability, as demonstrated in said game.
That's pretty much what Blackett and McNair have done when called upon this season: Hit the ground running. Smalling, Jones and Evans on the other hand...
It's a shame Carrick may not be ready.
Chelsea are probably just going to sit deep, and Di Maria and Herrera will have to be so so disciplined to not venture too far wide or forward. If they do, Chelsea will tear the back five apart as soon as they win the ball.
And I'm not sure if Herrera or Di Maria would have it in them to stay that disciplined given all the allowance to go forward.
If we go with that, Herrera needs to temper his inclination to go everywhere and get involved high up. Basically play as a holder, and let the others do the attacking. It's a big ask.
Almost worth taking a risk on Carrick for that reason alone.
Evans has been shit, no disputing that. McNair played well too. Blackett though? Please. He had a habit of letting the ball run past him and was directly at fault for a few of the goals Leicester scored, and plenty of other things. He wasn't impressive at all apart from how he was on the ball. And it'd be madness to start McNair ahead of jones because he was decent against Everton and west ham. Jones was playing well but then got injured, and had his first game back against west brom where he had one brainfart. It happens. He's still a talented young defender, just needs games and to stop getting injuries.
Ramires started ahead of Oscar against Everton and City, I expect him to start again on Sunday to help Ivanovic with Di Maria.
I think you're being very kind to Jones here. IMO he clearly showed that he need more time before stepping back into the side.
Seems like he gets injured every other game he plays so maybe he should be given a rest against Chelsea?
But jokes aside, IMO Blackett and McNair can do a better job ATM.
Ramires has been injured for 3 weeks and he's barely match-fit, so he won't start. Willian will be given the job of closing Di Maria. Regardless, Oscar has to start considering his recent form.
I agree fully about Fellaini - I think he'll start. He'll probably do about as much as Mata has been doing (in terms of actually playing football) recently, but he'll be a total pain for Matic, and will at least distract the defence away from Falcao and RvP.
If Herrera isn't fit I think Valencia will start. I'd almost be tempted to start him regardless of Herrera's fitness anyway, for a game like this.
Rafael - (defender) - Rojo - Shaw
--------------Blind
-------Valencia - Di Maria
-------------Fellaini
----------Falcao - RvP
I think there's a good defensive energy to this team. Tactically we're getting better, and there has to be a turning point... Surely! Valencia and Di Maria will work hard, Blind is solid, Fellaini can be a total pest for set-pieces and can really help out against the muscle Chelsea have. I wonder if Jones (if he's fit...has he ever been fit?) might play right back also. We'll need strength, size and a bit of luck to keep them at bay I think, but Costa's out, and we've been playing better football.
Excited to see what happens!
I didn't realise Ramires had been injured for a few weeks, thought he was only a doubt because of a small knock. I stand corrected!
Ramires and Schurrle trained today nicely. Costa is a doubt. Drogba said he is fit to play.
Ramires and Schurrle were injured and might not be match fit to play. Isn't Ivanovic their LB? I thought ADM will be playing mostly against Luis and Willian.Will be interesting to see how we fair as underdogs.Fellaini making it into lots of line-up after west brom... I also think he should play to help deal with the physicality of matic. for what it's worth I'd go with.....
DDG
Rafael Jones Rojo Shaw
Carrick Blind
Herrera Fellaini Di Maria
Falcao
Honestly I wouldn't have been very optimistic about getting anything from this fixture a few weeks ago given the form of the respective sides so far this season, but considering (a) Chelsea's recent injury problems (b)the fact it's at old trafford and (c) that it's imperative we don't lose if we want to at least stay in the hunt.... I think United will be quietly confident about picking up the 3 points. If I was betting I'd go with United to win draw no bet....I went 2-2 on the score predictor.I am just excited to see who will start for us. Van persie hasnt been playing well, nor has mata. Do we drop both of them and start falcao and fellaini? Do we stick with the diamond and play both of them? Maybe even try fellaini on top of the diamond behind Falcao and van persie? May be fellaini wide like herrera and move Di maria behind falcao and Van persie? If we go 4-3-3 (i dont think we will) Play januzaj and di maria as wingers and Falcao/Rvp as striker? Its such a good headache to have when we have so many of our players back. Hopefully carrick will be in contention for city and with rooney back we will be much better force.I hope we play both Van Persie and Falcao upfront to test that Chelsea backline. Have them make runs in behind Terry and Cahill. We should use both strikers to put Chelsea's defence under pressure.It's an absolute must that we get at least 2 of Carrick, Herrera and Di Maria 100% fit to be able to stand a chance against this lot. I do think they are overrated a bit, but unless we have our best players firing, I don't see how we can hope for even a draw.Now I have suddenly developed pessimism. Costa and Remy are not fit hence Jose might go in the defensive mode like against City and Schurrle will come on as an impact sub. This might well be a 0-0.I actually think we will do well at least a draw or better as we are underdogs. But if we got beaten by 2 or 3 I wouldn't be surprised. He have to put Carrick and Blind in CM so if that involves playing ADM on the wing or as a CAM I don't really care. Also if we start with only 1 striker it will be Falcao, RVP has been so poor this season- Status
Man of the Match
Runners-up
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19%
David de Gea
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7%
Robin Van Persie
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6%
Chris Smalling
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4%
Luke Shaw
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3%
Adnan Januzaj
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3%
Daley Blind
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1%
Rafael
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1%
Marcos Rojo
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1%
Juan Mata
Player Ratings
Total Average Rating
Highest Rated Player
Lowest Rated Player
Compiled from 543 ratings.
Score Predictions
307,384,155
- Man Utd win
- Chelsea win
- Draw
Detailed Results
- 16% Man Utd 2:1 Chelsea
- 13% Man Utd 1:3 Chelsea
- 8% Man Utd 1:2 Chelsea
- 8% Man Utd 2:2 Chelsea
- 8% Man Utd 1:1 Chelsea
- 6% Man Utd 0:3 Chelsea
- 5% Man Utd 0:2 Chelsea
- 4% Man Utd 1:0 Chelsea
- 4% Man Utd 3:2 Chelsea
- 4% Man Utd 0:5 Chelsea
- 4% Man Utd 2:0 Chelsea
- 3% Man Utd 1:4 Chelsea
- 3% Man Utd 5:0 Chelsea
- 2% Man Utd 3:1 Chelsea
- 2% Man Utd 0:0 Chelsea
- 2% Man Utd 2:3 Chelsea
- 2% Man Utd 0:4 Chelsea
- 1% Man Utd 0:1 Chelsea
- 1% Man Utd 2:4 Chelsea
- 1% Man Utd 3:0 Chelsea
- 1% Man Utd 4:0 Chelsea
- 1% Man Utd 5:5 Chelsea
- 1% Man Utd 4:2 Chelsea
- 0% Man Utd 1:5 Chelsea
- 0% Man Utd 4:3 Chelsea
- 0% Man Utd 5:3 Chelsea
- 0% Man Utd 3:3 Chelsea
- 0% Man Utd 3:4 Chelsea
- 0% Man Utd 5:4 Chelsea
- 0% Man Utd 4:5 Chelsea
Match Stats
- Man Utd
- Chelsea
- Possession
- 52% 48%
- Shots
- 19 9
- Shots on Target
- 7 4
- Corners
- 4 7
- Fouls
- 13 14
Referee
Phil Dowd
Man Utd Lineup
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replaced by James Wilson
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