Chelsea aims to put a miserable UEFA Champions League result behind it as Antonio Conte’s side welcomes Manchester United on Sunday.
The Italian is under pressure following a 3-0 defeat to Roma on Tuesday night and welcomes his rival, Jose Mourinho, to Stamford Bridge in a clash between Premier League heavyweights.
United, in contrast, is coming into the game fresh off a 2-0 win over Benfica and Mourinho’s side will look to down a second title rival in the space of a week after beating Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday.
Our friends at Football Whispers take a look at where the game could be won and lost and uses its unique algorithm to predcict the most likely starting XI.
Key Battle: Romelu Lukaku v Gary Cahill
Tuesday wasn’t a good night for any of Chelsea’s defenders inside the Stadio Olimpico, but Gary Cahill will need to dust himself off after that humbling experience as he prepares to face United’s Belgian forward.
Lukaku, who was a Chelsea transfer target in the summer before joining United
, has scored seven goals already this season but hasn’t netted in his last five. However, the former Everton favorite will fancy his chances against a brittle Blues defense that has had only one shutout in its last eight games.
Lukaku doesn’t have the happiest memories of facing Chelsea, however. Last season, he failed to score both home and away against Conte’s charges, as Everton lost 3-0 and 5-0. Spearheading a more confident attack, though, Lukaku should see this game as an opportunity to silence a few critics and prove that he does not go “missing” in the big games.
He will be up against one of the most experienced defenders in the league, however, and Cahill has succeeded with 86 percent of his tackles so far this season.
With plenty of positional sense and mobility, the England international will be a tough nut to crack for the Belgian, but they should provide one of Sunday’s most intriguing battles.
Potential game winners: Anthony Martial (Man United) & Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Anthony Martial was back to somewhere near his best against Benfica, terrorizing the Portuguese side’s defense. Although he missed a penalty, his footwork and close control in the build-up to winning it was particularly eye-catching.
The Frenchman hasn’t always looked like the happiest of players under Mourinho but he seems to have regained a semblance of the confidence that lifted him to 17 goals in his first season at Old Trafford. His recent displays have not gone unnoticed at international level, either, earning a call-up to the France squad for the upcoming exhibitions against Germany and Wales.
Alvaro Morata, Eden Hazard and Pedro have emerged as Conte's first choice front three, while 3-4-3 and 5-3-2 remain the club's preferred systems despite the side's form dropping in recent weeks.
Antonio Rudiger has quickly established himself as an important first team player, while the likes of David Luiz, Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta continue to be automatic first choice starters.
Kante's fitness will be key to how Conte decides to line up and he will hope to be able to call upon the 26-year-old.
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