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BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson has predicted Chelsea will come out on top in their clash against Manchester United on Sunday. Matchday 13 of the Premier League sees both teams battle it out at Stamford Bridge.
Lawrenson has predicted that the scoreline for the match will read 2-1 in Chelsea's favor.
Manchester United sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last week after a disastrous 4-1 loss to Watford. Michael Carrick has been the interim manager of the club since then. Reports are that Ralf Rangnick has agreed to join United until the end of the season. However, he'll be available starting next week.
Chelsea aren't alien to changing managers midseason themselves. They sacked Frank Lampard in January 2021 and brought in Thomas Tuchel. The German coach led them to the Champions League title in his first season.
Speaking about the managerial situation at both clubs, Lawrenson told BBC Sport:
“Chelsea showed you can have a successful season with an interim manager when they won the FA Cup under Guus Hiddink in 2009, but it is a big call for Manchester United to go down that route.”
He added:
“United’s track record when it comes to big decisions is hardly impressive recently, is it? Chelsea, meanwhile, seem to have made a very good one by appointing Thomas Tuchel at the start of the year.”
It will be interesting to see if Lawrenson's prediction comes true on Sunday.
Chelsea vs Manchester United isn't as straightforward as it seems
Considering the situation both clubs find themselves in, Chelsea can be predicted as easy winners against Manchester United.
They sit on top of the Premier League with a three-point lead over Manchester City. They come into the match after thrashing Juventus 4-0 in the Champions League. Chelsea also have the best defense in Europe's top five leagues, conceding just four goals.
However, Manchester United are also coming into the clash on the back of a morale-boosting 2-0 win away at Villarreal in the Champions League. With a new manager coming in soon, United's players will also be highly motivated to impress.
Moreover, Chelsea haven't won against Manchester United in their last seven Premier League games.
Chelsea will also have some key players in the form of Ben Chilwell and Mateo Kovacic out due to injuries. Meanwhile, N'Golo Kante is also a doubt for the clash.
Overall, it is set to be an interesting clash between the two heavyweights of English football.
