Manchester United have a very poor record in their recent league competition trips to Stamford Bridge, so it’s only natural that the Red Devils enter the Super Sunday affair as underdogs. Chelsea, the reigning league champions, are currently below United in the table, but host United as favorites, and no doubt last year’s meeting has a lot to do with that.
Chelsea slaughtered United at the bridge last season, and it led to bad blood between the two managers, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. The fact that it’s Mourinho’s former club that he led to a league in two different stints as manager, only heightens the importance of this match.
All season long, Mourinho has been throwing shade at Conte in an attempt to mind game the Blues boss, and when asked about the magnitude of this contest, Mourinho acknowledged its importance while also downplaying the emotional connection to it.
“It’s a big thing because it’s a big match and because it’s a big opponent,” said at his news conference which was moved up a day earlier due to his having to be in Spain over his tax fraud charges.
“They are the champions and because it’s one of these matches between the top teams in the country. But, from the emotional point of view, it’s just one more game.”
Mourinho press conference video: go to this link
MUFC Injury report: go to this link
Without further ado here is The Sports Bank’s MUFC Starting XI Prediction (4-2-3-1):
Romelu Lukaku
Anthony Martial Marcus Rashford Ashley Young
Nemanja Matic Ander Herrera
Matteo Darmian Eric Bailly Chris Smalling Antonio Valencia
David de Gea
Odds via Ladbrokes: Chelsea- 16/11, United 2/1, Draw 21/10
Prediction: Chelsea 1, United 1
We’ll have the injury reports and Chelsea’s starting XI prediction for you shortly. As always feel free to post your own Man United starting XI and score predictions in the comments section.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now and Minute Media. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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