Premier League Matchday 31 Location: Stamford Bridge, London
Match Date: Thursday, April 4
History & Form
Chelsea and Manchester United may be 12th and 6th on the log, respectively (before Wednesday’s fixtures), but this is still one of the most anticipated games on the English football calendar.
It has been a difficult campaign for both sides, though United still aim to finish fifth. Depending on how results in Europe go for English clubs over the rest of the campaign, this position could be worth a Champions League spot.
Chelsea are a mess. They seem to constantly sit somewhere between 9th and 12th on the log, no matter how their results go. This is a shocking return, given that their squad cost over a billion pounds to put together, and it is why Mauricio Pochettino finds his job under pressure in the dugout.
Their seasons were summed up by their results in London at the weekend. Chelsea couldn’t find a way to get past struggling Burnley at home, drawing 2-2 at The Bridge even though Burnley played the entire second half with just ten men. United also left the capital with a draw, with their 1-1 result against Brentford featuring two wildly late goals.
United is looking to complete a Premier League double over The Blues for the second time ever. They won 2-1 in the home fixture thanks to a pair of Scott McTominay goals. The only time United has taken six points off of Chelsea in a Premier League season was in the 2019/20 campaign.
Chelsea
Neither team is coming into this game remotely healthy. Chelsea has seen Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia ruled out for the season. They join Christopher Nkunku, Reece James, and Ben Chillwell in the treatment ward.
Chelsea has spent too much money on players and is not getting the most out of them. The one exception to this rule is Cole Palmer. The Manchester City Academy star was surprisingly let go by Pep Guardiola in the summer, and he has scored 13 goals in 24 games this season from midfield, including both goals in the Burnley game last time out.
Manchester United
United have big issues at the back. Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans, and Lisandro Martinez are out, while Rafa Varane isn’t fully fit. Add in Luke Shaw’s long-term injury, and the Red Devils have a patchwork unit in front of Andre Onana’s goal.
Mason Mount was United’s goalscorer over the weekend, and you can bet he would love to strike against his former club again on Thursday. It has been a stop-start campaign for the England international, one that has seen him seemingly fall out of contention for the England squad heading into the Euros in Germany this summer. He needs to catch fire over the last few games of the season to get back into Gareth Southgate’s mind.
Best Bets
United’s history at Stamford Bridge isn’t happy. Since the beginning of the Premier League in 1992, they have won just six times against Chelsea at the stadium.
United has been tough for Chelsea to beat on their home pitch lately. The last three games the two powerhouses have played at the venue ended in draws. This includes the last meeting in October 2022, when Casemito scored a header in stoppage time to reel in the hosts and secure a point for United.
I like a draw here, given how these games have gone recently. Chelsea doesn’t have the firepower to test United’s weakness at the back, while the visitors have plenty of pace on the break to nick a goal and force a draw.
