United clinched a 3-0 victory against Stoke City in a very good performance on Tuesday night. With Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney the pick of the players once again, United cruised to victory. It was a complete contrast to the last time they played at Old Trafford where they struggled before succumbing to 1-0 loss to Southampton. It will be interesting to see whether they can keep this going. One of the major problems this season so far has been their inconsistency.
Chelsea themselves are looking on the up. Having not lost a game since the departure of Jose Mourinho, they are looking to mount a challenge for a spot in the top four. With Diego Costa and Fabregas starting to find a bit of form, they will pose a lot of threats to United.
Louis Van Gaal was able to give some injury news in his press conference stating that Bastian Schweinsteiger will miss the trip to Stamford Bridge. There are no fresh injury concerns as Phil Jones returned to training though he is still a while away.
Being 5 points behind 4thplace Arsenal almost makes this a much win game for United. These are 3 key battles that may decide the outcome of the game:
- Chris Smalling vs Diego Costa
Diego Costa has seemed to have found some kind of form again. More than his goal-scoring ability, he’s an absolute nuisance on the pitch. If not starting a fight, he’s going down far too easily. Smalling has been one of the defenders of the season so far, but he will have his hands full on Sunday. He will not only have to ensure he shuts down Costa, he will have to be careful not to be drawn into the Chelsea man’s antics.
- Anthony Martial vs Branislav Ivanovic
The Frenchman kept up his wonderful run against Stoke City scoring one and setting up Wayne Rooney for another. He’s looked to be United’s most dangerous player playing out on the left taking on defenders. He often weaves his way into the box and links well with Wayne Rooney. Branislav Ivanovic is one of the most experienced defenders in the League, but he’s been having a hard time this season. He’s struggled as a right-back and many wide players have looked to exploit that. It was Ivanovic’s error that led to United’s equalizer last season at Old Trafford. How he handles Martial will be crucial.
- Cameron Borthwick-Jackson vs Willian
The young defender just turned 19 on Tuesday and he put in yet another impressive performance. He’s done well every time he’s been given the chance. Not only has been defensively solid, he’s looked good going forward, even setting up Lingard for his goal against Stoke. Willian has been Chelsea’s bright spot in an otherwise dismal season. While the others have struggled, he’s impressed and been one of their most influential players this season. He’s not only been good on the ball, his free-kicks have been brilliant as well. Borthwick-Jackson will have to ensure he doesn’t let the Brazilian dictate proceedings.
