Team
news, stats and prediction ahead of Chelsea vs Man Utd in the Premier League
on Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm.
Team news
Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell misses out having sustained a knee ligament
injury against Juventus in midweek.
Serbia holding midfielder Mateo Kovacic remains sidelined, while fellow
defensive midfielder N'Golo Kante is unlikely to feature after twisting
against Juve.
However, striker Romelu Lukaku could return to the squad after injury.
Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire is banned after his sending-off at
Watford last weekend and Luke Shaw may also be absent again with a head
injury.
And both Fred and Edinson Cavani are doubts, while Raphael Varane and Paul
Pogba are still injured.
Jones Knows prediction
This could be the last game Manchester United lose before Christmas.
Sensible and grown-up football tactics were employed in midweek against
Villarreal and hey-ho, a clean sheet was banked and their frightening array
of attacking players took over in the final quarter. Arsenal, Crystal
Palace, Young Boys, Norwich, Brentford and Brighton are all up next. United
might just catch fire.
I can see United being hard to beat here, too. However, this Chelsea side
just find ways to win. They are a machine. I can swerve the 4/7 with Sky Bet
for a home win though and go hunting for some juice in the player prop
markets. Chelsea's ability to find goals from all over the pitch has yet to
really be taken into account by the markets.
Thirteen of Chelsea's 30 Premier League goals have been scored by defenders
- no other team has had more than four goals from defenders.
There is an array of angles to consider in the shots and goals market for
Chelsea's players. With Harry Maguire missing, United will be vulnerable
from set pieces. That makes Antonio Rudiger (9/1 with Sky Bet), Thiago Silva
(8/1 with Sky Bet) and Trevoh Chalobah (9/1 with Sky Bet) all runners in the
anytime goals market. Rudiger, who loves a strike from distance too, has
also managed at least a shot on goal in his last 11 appearances across all
competitions and has had two shots or more in five of his last eight Premier
League matches. That's a 5/2 shot with Sky Bet to happen again and is a
great slice of value.
Reece James is also a must-back in the shots markets but this time in the
shots on target selection. James is Chelsea's Premier League top goalscorer
this season with four goals as the quality of his attacking play has
catapulted to another level. He has a striker's instinct for goal from
wing-back - just look at his effort vs Juventus in midweek. It was
outrageous.
James has had seven shots on target in his last five games across all
competitions and averages 0.8 shots on target per 90 minutes this season.
Sky Bet have kindly priced up both the James and Rudiger angles as a very
tasty 11/1 shot. A price which is oozing with value.
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1
BETTING ANGLE: Reece James to have one or more shots on target & Antonio
Rudiger to have two or more shots (11/1 with Sky Bet)
Opta stats
Chelsea are winless in their last seven Premier League games against Man
Utd, only having a longer run without a league win against the Red Devils
once before (10 games between 1938 and 1950).
Manchester United have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four Premier
League meetings with Chelsea - the only team to record a shutout in more
consecutive league games against the Blues is Newcastle United, who did six
in a row between 1913 and 1919.
In all competitions, Manchester United have won three of their last four
away games against Chelsea (D1), having won just three of their previous 25
visits to Stamford Bridge before this.
This is the fifth time Chelsea have hosted Manchester United in a Premier
League game when starting the day as the league leaders. The Blues have won
three of the previous four (L1), going on to win the title in the season of
each of the three victories (2005-06, 2009-10 and 2014-15).
Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League away games in
London (W7 D4), winning each of their last three in a row. They last won
four consecutive league visits to the capital between May and November 2005.
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