Off the back of a 2-0 win against Crystal Palace, Manchester United will be looking to progress into the final of FA Cup with a win against Chelsea on Sunday. The Red Devils have been flying high since the restart courtesy of a menacing front three of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Mason Greenwood, and along with the return of Paul Pogba and the acquisition of Bruno Fernandes, United pose a real threat to any team they face.
Manchester United Looking to Extend Their Unbeaten Run Against Chelsea in FA Cup
Head to Head
Manchester United have enjoyed some good results against Chelsea since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s arrival at the club. The Norwegian manager has been unbeaten against the London based side in the last five games across all competitions.
In the ongoing campaign, United have come up against the Blues three times, twice in the Premier League and once in the Carabao Cup. Solskjaer managed to get the better of Frank Lampard’s side on all three occasions, including an emphatic 4-0 opening day win at Old Trafford.
However, Chelsea do have a good record against United in the FA Cup over the last three seasons. They have managed to clinch two wins in three meetings, including a narrow 1-0 victory in the final at Wembley Stadium during 2017/18 campaign.
The Red Devils have been the in-form team since restart as they have won six out of eight games in all competitions. Solskjaer’s men are currently on an unbeaten run spanning over 19 games. Meanwhile, Chelsea have endured indifferent form since football resumed in mid-June. They have blown hot and cold, but they still have enough in their arsenal to come up with a strong performance in big games.
Team News
Solksjaer confirmed on Saturday that Luke Shaw is set to miss the game against Chelsea. The English full-back suffered an ankle injury against Southampton. His replacement, Brandon Williams, also suffered a nasty head injury in the same game, keeping him out against Crystal Palace. However, Williams has a chance to be fit for the game against Chelsea.
In an interview with MUTV, Solskjaer said, “Brandon will hopefully be okay, he’ll try to join in training today with his eye. We’ll see if he can see the ball when he comes in! He should be fine.”
Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe are long-term absentees for the Red Devils. The defensive duo is likely to return to first-team training next month.
Frank Lampard’s side is set to be without N’Golo Kante for the FA Cup semi-final. The English manager also confirmed that a few players have suffered minor knocks, so late fitness checks will impact his team on Sunday.
Key Battle
Midfield is the key area where fate is decided in big games. Chelsea are likely to go with Jorginho as their deeper midfielder. The Italian midfielder boasts a good passing range, but often gets overwhelmed when he is pressed aggressively.
There has been a common theme in the games between these two sides this season. United have been hurting the London club on the counter by winning the ball higher up the pitch. Solskjaer will be looking to exploit Jorginho’s weakness to win balls in the dangerous area. The Norwegian is likely to rotate heavily, so the duty of pressing Jorginho is likely to be in the hands of Bruno Fernandes or Jesse Lingard. Winning this battle will help United to create more chances, even if they make numerous changes to the team.
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