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Manchester United will take on Chelsea on Saturday after producing their best performance yet under Erik Ten Hag against Tottenham Hotspur in midweek.
A rampant and relentless Manchester United gave Antonio Conte's side no chance at Old Trafford on Wednesday. They came swinging out of the gates and managed to land two knockout blows to Spurs to earn all three points.
Fred and Bruno Fernandes were on target for Ten Hag's men. In the absence of Christian Eriksen and Anthony Martial, the Red Devils were expected to have trouble breaking down Conte's dogged unit. But United played with a considerable amount of swagger and proved to be by far the superior team.
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, was spotted storming off into the tunnel before the full-time whistle, visibly miffed at not being used in the game. Ten Hag has not taken kindly to his actions and has reprimanded the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Manchester United released an official statement confirming that Ronaldo won't be a part of the matchday squad against Chelsea. It read:
"Cristiano will not be part of the Man United team for this Saturday’s game against Chelsea. Rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture.”
Without further ado, let's take a look at how Manchester United could line up against Chelsea on Saturday.
Manchester United Goalkeeper - David de Gea
David de Gea seems to be working on his distribution and sweeping skills. He did a good job against Tottenham Hotspur and helped kickstart many a counter attack against Conte's side. De Gea was hardly tested during the game in terms of shot stopping. He will start against Chelsea.
Right-back - Diogo Dalot
Diogo Dalot turned in an impressive performance in midweek. Not only did he manage to nullify Ivan Perisic's threat, but he also got forward often and offered an extra option in attack. It was a spirited performance and Ten Hag will want to see more of the same from him against Chelsea.
Centre-back - Raphael Varane
Raphael Varane has been in excellent form in recent times. Except for a blip against Manchester City, the Frenchman has been delivering one authoritative performance after another this term.
Centre-back - Lisandro Martinez
Lisandro Martinez has been silencing his doubters since arriving at Old Trafford this summer. He was simply outstanding against Tottenham Hotspur and did not give Harry Kane an inch. Martinez is one of the first names on the teamsheet these days.
Left-back - Luke Shaw
Luke Shaw has regained his starting berth at left-back. The Englishman has done a good job of offering an extra attacking outlet in the final third. Shaw has not shied away from putting in a shift since his return to the starting lineup and he'll need to do the same against Chelsea.
Defensive midfielder - Casemiro
Casemiro is starting to show why he has the reputation he has in recent weeks. The Brazil international was excellent against Tottenham Hotspur and is the kind of leader that this United side desperately needed.
Central midfielder - Christian Eriksen
Fred struggled massively against Newcastle United but he was arguably United's best player against Tottenham Hotspur. With Christian Eriksen fit, Ten Hag has a big decision to make. But he is likely to bring Eriksen back into the starting lineup since the Dane is simply more consistent and creative.
Attacking midfielder - Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes created as many as nine chances in the game against Tottenham Hotspur, the most of any player in a Premier League game this term. He also scored United's second goal of the game. An in-form Fernandes will cause Chelsea plenty of problems.
Left-winger - Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho needs to trust his ability to beat defenders a little more and be more adventurous from the get-go. He will start out on the left flank once again for Ten Hag's side but will need to try and get involved a lot more.
Centre-forward - Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford has looked confident on the ball and his movement has been excellent in recent games. But his finishing has left a lot to be desired and the Englishman will need to improve on that aspect of his game.
Right-winger - Antony
With his Robbenesque shots, explosive runs and exquisite skills, Antony has endeared himself to the Old Trafford faithful in no time. He is proving to be an excellent addition to this United side and is one of their most dangerous players right now.
