Chelsea vs. Manchester United – EPL, February 28, 2021

This is probably the biggest game of the weekend in the English Premier League, as Chelsea welcomes Manchester United to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

United is looking to win more points in the vain hope that its cross-city rival slips up in the next few months, while Chelsea hopes to break into the top four thanks to the new ideas of Thomas Tuchel.

Unsurprisingly, oddsmakers have priced this one very closely – with Chelsea the slight favorites to win at home. But Manchester United has not lost a single Premier League game away from home this season and must be considered for at least a draw on Sunday. The odds for the away win could tempt some as well.

It had looked as though the first signs of tension concerning the new manager had emerged at Chelsea at the weekend after the draw with Southampton. The London club did not play particularly well, and Callum Hudson-Odoi suffered the embarrassment of being substituted just half an hour after being sent on as a second-half sub himself.

But the win against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in the week showed that there seemed to be no hard feelings between manager and player – and the rest of the team also stepped up their effort considerably. We will never know what was said behind closed doors, but it does seem as though the Chelsea players have taken everything Tuchel has said on board and have come out with a renewed desire to win.

That’s bad news for a Manchester United side that is desperately trying to keep within touching distance of City at the top of the table. The blue half of Manchester is celebrating a ten-point advantage before this weekend’s games, and it does look as though everyone else will be fighting over the remaining Champions League places now.

United made fairly hard work of a routine win over Newcastle last Sunday and didn’t seem to be set out correctly to take advantage of a lack of firepower in the visiting starting team. A 3-1 victory was the eventual outcome, but it does seem as though United has the players to make life a little easier. This Sunday’s fixture will be far more difficult.

Manchester United does have an incredible record away from home this season – but has only managed to draw against the rest of the sides near the top of the league. Chelsea managed a goalless draw against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side earlier in the season, but I think that the new head coach will have enough ideas to inspire a home win this weekend.