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On Saturday all roads lead to Stamford Bridge, as Chelsea welcome rivals Manchester United for a tough encounter on matchday 9 of the Premier League. The Blues have proven to be a torn in the side of the Manchester club in recent years, and remain the team with most wins against The Red Devils in the era of the Premier League.
As both teams prepare to resume hostilities on Saturday, there appears to be a wind of pessimism on the side of Man Utd. The Old Trafford outfit currently sits in 8th position on the league log, and are also 7 points below their opponents going into this weekend’s game.
Manager Jose Mourinho is under huge pressure to turn things around after a poor start to the season, punctuated by dressing room issues. On the contrary, Chelsea is enjoying a productive season, and are currently unbeaten under the tutelage of manager Maurizio Sarri.
Despite all the permutations pointing to Chelsea as favourites, Man United would definitely not go down without a fight. In fact, Mourinho’s men have the perfect platform to turn everything right back in their favour.
So here are three strong reasons why Man Utd could walk away with 3 points against Chelsea.
#3 Man Utd have their desire back
Stamford Bridge has never quite been a favourable ground for Manchester United. The Red Devils have not won a game at the ground since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson led the side to a controversial 2-3 win over The Blues. However, that bad run at Stamford Bridge could change this weekend.
One of the main reasons why The Red Devils have struggled this season is the apparent lack of desire from some players. The likes of Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Alexis Sanchez and Marcus Rashford have sometimes looked like they are uninterested in doing their jobs on the pitch.
But that massive 3-2 comeback win over Newcastle United before the international break could just have set the tone for that desire to be rekindled. After a very poor start to the campaign, the players probably needed some time off to get their acts together.
Now they will return for Saturday’s clash in high spirits, and with clear minds. Chelsea may start the game as favourites, but if Man Utd show the right desire on Saturday, there will be no reason why The Red Devils cannot win the game.
#2 Mourinho has no option than to attack
By now everybody who has been watching Manchester United would know that the crop of players the club possesses were made for the attacking game. Earlier in the season when Paul Pogba openly criticised Jose Mourinho’s cautious play, the Portuguese manager did not take it lightly at all.
However, the 55-year-old himself now understands that the only way to get the best out of his players is to give them the needed freedom to operate. Mourinho is a man under pressure, and right now he has no option than to give the players and fans what they have been calling for all this time, attacking and beautiful football.
The players showed against Newcastle United that when unleashed, they can be deadly against any side in the top flight. But more importantly, Mourinho’s decision to introduce three attack-minded players when the team was down 2-0 indicated that he is also beginning to understand that attack is the best way to win.
Chelsea will definitely be tougher than Newcastle United, but if the Portuguese gives his players the license to attack, then a good game should be expected at Stamford Bridge, and possibly a big victory. After all, player for player, Chelsea is not better than Man Utd. It is just that one team has found a befitting system for its players, while the other hasn’t.
#1 Complacency on the side of Chelsea could play to Man Utd’s advantage
Chelsea have had a flawless season so far under Maurizio Sarri. Six wins out of eight Premier League games, no losses in all competitions, and a 100 percent record in the Europa League, all these are good stats, but could also be a recipe for complacency. The Blues also know that they have had an upper hand over Manchester United in the last decade when it comes to this fixture.
Add that to the fact that The Red Devils have been off form this season, and it will not be difficult to understand why the favourite tag could eat into the heads of the Chelsea players. Complacency makes one feel good, but it also makes you blind to the preparedness of your opponents.
Manchester United and Jose Mourinho know that this is a must win game, and will be treating it with all seriousness. Therefore, any form of levity from Chelsea will be at their own peril.
Players like Alexis Sanchez, Anthony Martial, and Paul Pogba many have been off colour this season, but they still have the quality to change games within split seconds.
Chelsea start as favourites, but any form of complacency would play perfectly to the advantage of Manchester United in Saturday’s encounter.
