Revenge & RecoveryThe two most successful English teams of the previous four seasons lock horns again early in the current campaign, and as usual there are intriguing sub-plots. The last time they met, Chelsea were dramatically beaten in a penalty shoot-out in Moscow at the end of a thrilling Champions League final. The European crown looked to be heading for West London when Chelsea skipper John Terry stepped up to take his kick. Had he scored he would have lifted club football’s most glamorous trophy; but he slipped, his effort hit the outside of a post and Manchester United went on to claim their third European Cup.
Ironically, Terry is already at the centre of controversy ahead of Sunday’s latest showdown between these two heavyweights. The England captain was sent off for a cynical foul during the Blues’ impressive 3-1 victory over Manchester City last Saturday. That should have meant an automatic three-match ban for Terry - the fate suffered by United’s centre-back Nemanja Vidic who was dismissed for two bookable offences as the defending champions succumbed to Liverpool at Anfield earlier the same day. But Chelsea appealed against Terry’s dismissal and, remarkably, the red card was rescinded - to the undisguised disgust of Sir Alex Ferguson, who feels anti-United bias was at work.
So United go into the game against Chelsea already harbouring a grudge, and also nursing the disappointment of a relatively poor start to the season. For their part, Chelsea still feel aggrieved about losing in Moscow - and being pipped to last season’s Premier League title by two points by the Red Devils. This game is a revenge mission for them; but more importantly it is a golden opportunity to open up a nine-point gap over their rivals before the end of September in the current season, which will almost certainly be all that matters to Chelsea on the day.
Yet coincidentally it was this weekend last year that Chelsea travelled to Old Trafford and lost to United in Avram Grant’s first game in charge, Jose Mourinho having left the club a couple of days earlier. Chelsea were shell-shocked on that occasion; they won’t be on Sunday after making an excellent start to the season under new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.
They will also feel comfortable about hosting United at Stamford Bridge, which they have turned into the ultimate fortress in recent seasons. They won this corresponding fixture 2-1 in April, and have not been beaten at home by United since 20th April 2002, pre-Abramovich. Claudio Ranieri was Chelsea manager then, and Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were on target in a 3-0 United win. Things have changed since then, and Chelsea are undefeated at the Bridge in a record 84 Barclays Premier League games (won 61, drawn 23). They last lost at home in February 2004, to Arsenal. Chelsea are also (uniquely) unbeaten in the League throughout 2008, winning 16 and drawing six of the 22 Premier League games they‘ve played since the turn of the year. Their last top-flight defeat was also at the hands of Arsenal, on 16th December 2007, and the Blues have picked up eight more points than United during the current calendar year. Yet is was United who lifted both the major trophies last season, and that is what rankles at the Bridge.
Carrot & Stick
So the fact that Scolari’s Chelsea can go nine points clear by beating United is a huge incentive - not that incentives are usually required when any of the Big Four clash. United on the other hand will see the opportunity - no, the imperative - to win the game and peg Chelsea’s lead back to a much less daunting three points. But to beat Chelsea, especially at the Bridge, United will have to raise their game many notches above the level they’ve attained so far this season, especially in their last two games.
In losing at Anfield last weekend for the first time in a long time, United were out-muscled and out-thought in the second-half. And they struggled to break down Villarreal at Old Trafford in midweek, the game ending in a goalless stalemate. Meanwhile Chelsea, seemingly liberated tactically by Scolari, were pricking Manchester City’s pretensions with a 3-1 win at Eastlands, then brushing aside Bordeaux 4-0 with imperious ease in midweek Champions League action.
No question, then, about who goes into Sunday’s game in the better form. United are notorious for slow starts and certainly won’t be panicking yet; but they know from recent seasons that they can’t lag too far behind the pace for long. And Stamford Bridge is not exactly the easiest place from which to launch a winning streak. But they will be buoyed by Cristiano Ronaldo’s encouraging cameo performance after coming off the bench against Villarreal. The Portuguese winger, who enjoyed a simply sensational campaign last season, is seen as United’s talisman, and his presence against Chelsea will lift spirits among the Red Devils.
Not that Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard sees any reason to tremble. He says Chelsea have nothing to fear whether Ronaldo plays or not, and adds that he would rather face a full-strength United than a weakened side. Morale is high after those seven goals in their last two games, and Lampard said of Ronaldo: “I don't know what the situation is with him and I'm not too concerned really.
“He's probably the best player in the world, having done what he did last season, you can't take that away from him. If they put him back for our game then we'll have to deal with that.
“We're good enough to deal with Manchester United at their strongest, we shouldn't want them weakened. If they are strong they are strong and we still want to beat them.”
Top after having dropped just two points in four matches so far, Chelsea will present a formidable defensive barrier to United’s attackers, who as yet have not been firing on all cylinders - though Ferguson expects them to get back in the groove soon. Only Arsenal have conceded fewer goals than the Blues’ two so far, while United, normally prolific in front of the net, have so far managed just three goals from their three Premier League matches.
Compounding Ferguson’s problems as he smoulders about Terry’s reprieve is the question of who should replace the banned Vidic in his own back-four. One option would be to move Wes Brown from right-back and replace him with the fit-again Gary Neville. But an alternative would be to give Jonny Evans a start at centre-half following his impressive showing against Villarreal.
"I need to work out whether I go with Evans' ability but lack of experience or whether I opt for Wes' experience and Gary at full-back," said Ferguson.
"Gary was only playing his second competitive match on Wednesday but he did very well. That will bring him on if I decide to play him on Sunday but Evans was excellent as well."
Ferguson added: "Jonny was the big plus. For a young man of 20, he shows great maturity in his game. He reads the game well, which is a fantastic asset to have at such a young age. He is commanding in the air and a good user of the ball and that gives me confidence that he could step right into the first team with no worries."
As for Neville, the right-back is philosophical about his chances after such a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The Villarreal game was his first competitive start since he broke his ankle against Bolton Wanderers in March 2007.
"I just need games," he said. “Having been out for so long I need a run in the side. But it is difficult to get that at the moment because Wes Brown has performed so well and deserves to play.
"It is just a case of remaining patient, keeping fit and training well every day. I have made steady progress and when you look at the programme of matches we have coming up I am sure there will be enough games for everyone."
FORM GUIDE
Chelsea
17 Aug v Portsmouth (H) WON 4-0 (EPL)
24 Aug v Wigan (A) WON 1-0 (EPL)
31 Aug v Tottenham (H) DREW 1-1 (EPL)
13 Sep v Manchester City (A) WON 3-1 (EPL)
16 Sep v Bordeaux (H) WON 4-0 (CL)
Total Seasons in Barclays Premier League 17
Consecutive Seasons in Barclays Premier League (current) 17
Total Matches Played 624, Won 313, Drawn 169, Lost 142,
Goals For 986-Goals Against 608.
Man Utd
17 Aug v Newcastle (H) DREW 1-1 (EPL)
25 Aug v Portsmouth (A) WON 1-0 (EPL)
29 Aug v Zenit St Petersburg (N) LOST 1-2 (SC)
13 Sep v Liverpool (A) LOST 1-2 (EPL)
17 Sep v Villarreal (H) DREW 0-0 (CL)
Total Seasons in Barclays Premier League 17
Consecutive Seasons in Barclays Premier League (current) 17
Total Matches Played 623, Won 395, Drawn 138, Lost 90,
Goals For 1223-Goals Against 541
TEAM NEWS
Chelsea
Frank Lampard will make his 400th Premier League appearance knowing that's he's three short of 100 career goals in league action.
The Blues' CL side was unchanged from the team which had put Manchester City to the sword so potently. Scolari, therefore, will be loathe to tinker. Continuity is possible after John Terry's Eastlands red card being successfully overturned.
Anelka, having bagged two in a week, is expected to start despite Didier Drogba slowly snaking his way towards full fitness. Michael Ballack is also pushing for a place, but may be held back from the starting line-up for another week. Michael Essien, of course, is a long-term crock.
Possible Starting XI: Cech, Bosingwa, A Cole, Terry, Carvalho, Mikel, Lampard, Deco, J. Cole, Malouda, Anelka.
Last Starting XI (v Bordeaux): Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, A. Cole, Obi, J. Cole (Belletti 74), Deco (Ballack 61), Lampard, Malouda (Kalou 84), Anelka.
Man Utd
Dimitar Berbatov has recovered in time from his recent knee injury to make the matchday squad, while Cristiano Ronaldo, having made a comeback midweek, is eligible for selection. Edwin van der Sar will continue in goal as the luckless Ben Foster faces another two months on the sidelines. Key centre-back Nemanja Vidic is suspended.
Possible Starting XI: Van der Sar; Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra; Hargreaves, Fletcher; Ronaldo, Scholes; Rooney; Tevez.
Last Starting XI (v Villarreal): Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Nani, Hargreaves (Anderson 62), Fletcher, Park (Ronaldo 62), Rooney, Tevez (Giggs 81). Booked: Tevez 72.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chelsea
Frank Lampard will be making his 400th Premier League appearance in total (for West Ham and Chelsea), and a measure of his impact since joining the Blues is that he needs three more goals to reach the milestone of 100 career League goals (West Ham, Swansea on loan, and Chelsea). Following his decision to reject the overtures of Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan, Lampard has looked at ease with himself and his game, and given his ability to come from deep and find the net, United will need to watch him carefully.
Man Utd
With Dimitar Berbatov new to the team - and possibly not playing the full ninety due to his injury status - and Wayne Rooney too often being played out of position, the main United goal threat is coming from Argentine Carlos Tevez. His prodigious work-rate and tireless chasing after lost causes is a major plus for United. He makes things happen, and it could be Tevez who finds a way through the Chelsea defence on Sunday.
PREDICTION
It is a testament to United’s consistency that they could suffer a second successive league defeat for the first time in as many as 122 games. But then Chelsea’s home form is itself a byword for consistency, so the danger facing United is real. While Scolari has made an impressive start to his Chelsea managerial career, with four wins and one draw from five matches in all competitions, United are on the brink of equalling their worst ever start to a Premier League season. That is what defeat on Sunday will represent. And it is an uncomfortable fact for United that they have been beaten more times by Chelsea in the Premier League than by any other club (10) and have dropped more points to them than to any other team (56). It is difficult to envisage a Chelsea defeat on their own ground, but perhaps United will treat this as their wake-up call for the season and emerge with a point.
Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United
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