Chelsea vs Manchester United – Match Preview

FA Cup | Preview

18/02/19

Chelsea vs Manchester United – Match Preview

Jose Breton-Pics Action / Shutterstock.com

In terms of the F.A. Cup 5th Round the best has certainly be saved for last, as Chelsea play host to Manchester United on Monday night and with replays no longer a part of the competition at this phase, it means there has to be winner at Stamford Bridge.

And this ground has already seen these two sides played out a highly entertaining 2-2 draw back in October of last year, one that saw Ross Barkley earn a point for Chelsea in the dying seconds of the game.

Both teams are firmly in the race for finishing 4th in the Premier League at the end of the season and although there are no points on offer at the start of the next week, a win for either side will give them a huge confidence boost going into the final third of the campaign.

And talking of confidence boosts, Chelsea will have at least found one on Thursday night when they earned a win in the Europa League Round of 32., one that was very much needed after their recent trip to the Etihad.

Their last league outing saw them hit for six, as a rampant Manchester City ran riot on their way to returning to the top of the table. Maurizio Sarri’s men were nothing short of abject that afternoon, as they found themselves 4-0 down after just 25 minutes.

Somewhat ironically though, it was Sarri who was left apologising for his players’ performances come full time and the former Napoli boss may well become the former Chelsea boss at the end of the season, if he does not deliver any silverware to the club.

Silverware is also the primary objective for Manchester United’s interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Not only because the 1999 Champions League winner wants to bring the good times back to Old Trafford, but also because it solidifies his prospects of earning the job on a permanent basis.

However, it might have to be the FA Cup where all their hope now lies, as Solskjaer suffered his first defeat since taking charge of the club back in December 2018, one that came at the hands of French giants PSG.

The 2-0 reverse on Wednesday night, leaves United with it all to do in the second leg and they will have to go to the French capital without Paul Pogba. The World Cup winner was sent off in the final minute after earning two yellow cards.

And Manchester United may also have absentees for Monday’s trip to the capital, after a number of injuries were inflicted during that defeat to PSG. Both Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial are fitness doubts and will be sorely missed should they be unavailable.

At the same time, you do have to wonder just how strong each lineup will be, what with the Premier League battle for 4th place still the overriding objective for both clubs. Will either Sarri or Solskjaer hold anything back or will they go all out?

There’s not a great deal to split these two clubs, the fact that there is just a point between them in the league going into this game highlights this. It was a draw in the league, it could well be that it’s a draw after 90 minutes and then from there on it’s anyone guess as to who goes onto the 6th Round.