2 pts Manchester United, (9/5 Hills), Premier League (4PM Sky Sports 1 & SS1 HD), 1 pt 2-1 Manchester United (11/1 general)
Roberto Mancini may have been quietly hopeful of opening up a 2 or even three point gap through his side’s easy win over Fulham on Saturday but he may be quite disappointed if Manchester United can find a way through Chelsea on Sunday.
It can’t be forgotten that Chelsea beat Manchester City here but they’ve won just two of eight since and have lost as many times in their last seven league games (3) as they had in the previous 53 matches at Stamford Bridge (courtesy Opta).
Meanwhile Manchester United, despite a poor run of performances by the high standards set earlier in the season, have won their last three in the league and slowly acquired the best away record in the League, ahead of even rivals City.
It all sounds easy from there but the main problem will be overturning the home record that Chelsea have (they’re unbeaten in their last 9 against United here), but little separates the sides and times have changed.
More pertinent is the absence of Ashley Cole, suspended after his red card at Swansea. His opposite number Antonio Valencia destroyed Arsenal at times and has often been a) a handful in this fixture & b) Crucial to the form of Wayne Rooney on many occasions.
That’s also supplemented by the fact that as Michael Cox of Zonal Marking fame explains here, it’s the first time for a good while that Chelsea will be playing another left back, and they’ll have to shift someone else along into that position.
The Blues are also missing Didier Drogba, centre back John Terry and Ramires (who had a large part to play in Chelsea’s chances at the Bridge) , which leaves them in a weak position. United, beaten at Liverpool in the FA Cup, now have Nani and Wayne Rooney in the side, which gives them a crucial outlet for attacking options.
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