Chelsea host Manchester United, and our staff are confident that the dark days of Roma are thoroughly in the past and Jose Mourinho will return to Manchester empty-handed.
All games are important, but some are more important than others. And there are games where Jose Mourinho brings Manchester United to Stamford Bridge on the eve of an international break.
Barrett Rouen: Chelsea 3 – 2 Manchester United. Chelsea edge this one in an entertaining match that is born out of a very instinctual brand of football. Chelsea win because of the home advantage. Many of the players whom Jose Mourinho mistreated rise to the occasion to show that Mourinho is the past and Antonio Conte is the man of now and the future.
Travis Tyler: 2 – 0. Both teams start cautiously until Mourinho uncharacteristically blinks first, urging his team to attack. This opens them up, and a fired up Chelsea are ruthless on the counter and get two quick goals before the game dies down for the remainder.
Kevin Peacock: 2 – 1. Antonio Conte’s post-Roma dressing room meltdown could go two ways. I’ll take the optimistic view that the shame players felt after Tuesday’s loss inspires them to a cagey 2-1 win, with a goal from Alvaro Morata midway through the first half which United equalise at the start of the second. Eden Hazard jinks left, then right before firing into the bottom right corner of David de Gea’s goal from the edge of the penalty area.
Scott Brant: 2 – 1. Jose Mourinho will pack it in and counter-attack. Chelsea pick them apart getting two in the first and holding on to the lead till the final whistle. Eden Hazard plays with a chip on his shoulder, netting both early.
Abhishek Pancholi: 2 – 1. The troops rally behind their general and start at a blistering pace, going 1-0 up before the break. Barring a few nervy moments, the Blues stay organized and repel United attacks with ease before scoring another goal on a lightning counter.
George Perry: 4 – 1. Manchester United will open the scoring and Jose Mourinho will try to shush the crowd. Chelsea will equalize and take the lead in rapid succession, and Mourinho will try even harder to shush the crowd. Michy Batshuayi comes on and scores a brace within five minutes. Mourinho forgets about the crowd as Antonio Conte goes full Hingle McCringleberry in Mourinho’s technical area, earning the greatest red card of all time.
Rupert Meadows: 0 – 0. Both managers settle for a draw, and a slow start turns into a cagey second half. Good chances at either end not taken.
Charlie Dawson: 1 – 0. Alvaro Morata with the goal, Romelu Lukaku with the miss, a tale of strikers, Jose Mourinho moans about defensive tactics, and all is well in the world.
Next: Chelsea will face their transfer windows past with Mata, Matic and Lukaku at Man U
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