Both teams had different experiences in the EFL Cup midweek: United dismantled Leicester City 5-2, while Chelsea fell to Newcastle United. As the club’s leadership finalizes details with prospective manager Ruben Amorim, Van Nistelrooy is hoping his team can carry over their impressive attacking form from Wednesday into this showdown with Chelsea.
United’s midweek victory saw them score five, sparked by Casemiro’s stunning opener and backed up by goals from Bruno Fernandes (twice) and Alejandro Garnacho. This attacking resurgence was a welcome sight, especially after last weekend’s disappointing 2-1 loss to West Ham—a match that cost Erik ten Hag his job.
Manchester United’s Premier League struggles have left them sitting in 14th place, with only eight goals from nine games, making them one of the league’s lowest-scoring teams. But with Wednesday’s outburst, there’s hope for a shift in momentum.
Meanwhile, Chelsea, under new head coach Enzo Maresca, haven’t struggled to find the net. Cole Palmer’s sharp finishing helped them edge Newcastle last weekend in the league, but Maresca’s rotated lineup couldn’t repeat the feat in the EFL Cup rematch.
Despite the cup exit, Chelsea fans are likely more focused on their league aspirations as they currently sit fifth, close behind Arsenal and Aston Villa. They’ve scored in seven consecutive away league games, although a recent 2-1 defeat to Liverpool ended a five-game winning streak on the road.
Recent clashes between Chelsea and United have been much more action-packed than the low-scoring draws of 2020 to 2022. United claimed a 4-1 victory at Old Trafford in 2022-23, followed by Chelsea’s thrilling 4-3 win at Stamford Bridge last season. Fans will hope for another exciting showdown between these two storied clubs.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Manchester United’s injury list hasn’t changed much, with Antony (ankle), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Harry Maguire (calf), Mason Mount (knock), Luke Shaw (calf), Leny Yoro (foot), and Kobbie Mainoo (thigh) all set to miss Sunday’s clash.Ruud van Nistelrooy also faced a setback just before the Leicester game when Christian Eriksen had to withdraw due to an unspecified issue, and it’s still unclear if he’ll be fit to face Chelsea.
Despite these absences, Van Nistelrooy probably won’t shake up the lineup that performed so well midweek. We could see fresh legs from Noussair Mazraoui and Rasmus Hojlund starting in place of Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee, with Andre Onana likely stepping back in for Altay Bayindir in goal.
While United are dealing with multiple injuries, Chelsea’s medical team only has one player in recovery—youngster Omari Kellyman, who’s sidelined with a hamstring issue and has no set return date.
Chelsea’s head coach, Enzo Maresca, has kept Jadon Sancho on the bench recently, but since Sancho can’t play against his parent club, Pedro Neto is expected to start on the left wing.
Neto’s inclusion should be one of a full lineup reset from Chelsea’s midweek loss, with Romeo Lavia likely partnering with Moises Caicedo in central midfield after Enzo Fernandez’s recent struggles drew criticism.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Manchester United possible starting lineup:Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez, Dalot; Casemiro, Ugarte; Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; James, Fofana, Colwill, Gusto; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson
EXPERT PREDICTION
Manchester United 2-2 Chelsea
But judging by Wednesday's performance, United’s attack seems re-energized, and with both teams ready to go all-in, we’re expecting a high-scoring showdown that ends in an exciting draw.
