This weekend Chelsea will take on Manchester United at Stamford Bridge in one of the most important matches so far for either side .
Both sides need a win to arrest recent slumps in form, and Manchester United are every bit as desperate as Chelsea at the moment. Though Chelsea tend to feel as if there is no pressure more serious than that at Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho is in a bad way in Manchester at the moment as well.
With the amount of money Mourinho has spent, Manchester United expect far more out of the players on the field. Despite Paul Pogba being injured, United have one of the most expensively assembled sides in the history of football. It is impossible for many a United supporter to accept that all their hopes laid on the shoulders of one 24-year old Frenchman.
However, Mourinho – in an away match – will not feel a need to perform to United’s attacking history. He will consider it exactly what it is: an important title-leading away fixture where he needs a result. United were unconvincing in their victory against Tottenham and lost to Huddersfield. Mourinho will want to ensure a result against Chelsea.
He will do so by playing Romelu Lukaku as a lone striker and then packing the midfield. While United may be lacking Pogba, they still have remarkable amounts of quality in their midfielders. It would not be out of his nature to play a defensive-minded 4-3-3 / 4-5-1. It will be exactly 2003-era Chelsea.
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The reason for this is simple. United’s defenders, with the exception Eric Bailly, are simply bad. United will want to keep the ball in the midfield for the majority of the match. Expect long balls to Lukaku that either have him through on goal or him laying it off to Henrik Mkhitaryan, Ander Herera and Nemanja Matic to shoot from distance.
United’s wingers will bang them into the box as well. When United are off the ball everyone will be behind it except Lukaku, who will be at the halfway line.
Manchester United could very possibly win this one 1-0 or 2-1. They are playing this style of football very effectively, and at the moment Chelsea do not have any defenders who can stand up to Lukaku. David Luiz is the only one with the physical capabilities but, well, you saw Roma.
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A disciplined approach will be necessary here. If done properly, Chelsea can get something out of it. If not, then expect big trouble.