EPL 2012-13 Match Preview: Chelsea Vs Man United
Kick-off: 12:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, October 28.
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London.
Chelsea host Manchester United in an eagerly anticipated Super Sunday clash between the top two teams in the league. The outcome of this game will have a significant impact on the points table. A win for the Blues would take them seven points clear of Sir Alex’s men while a loss might narrow their lead at the top to just one point. A draw would favour the blue half of Manchester as the Citizens – who are level on points with United — could close the gap at the top to just two points if they overcome a relatively easier opponent, in Swansea, on Saturday.
To follow our live coverage of the match between Chelsea and Man United , click here.
The Blues suffered their first defeat in all competitions this season in the Champions league tie against Shaktar Donetsk. Hoping to be quickly back on track, the Londoners would want to overcome their bitter rivals this weekend. However, they are likely to miss the services of veteran Frank Lampard, who got injured in mid-week. John Terry, who is serving a four-match ban for racial abuse of Anton Ferdinand, will be missed at the heart of the defence.
Meanwhile, Sir Alex has a serious selection head-ache in the striker department. While Van Persie and Rooney are the current first-choice strike pair, it is hard to ignore the contributions of Javier Hernandez, who scored a double in the sensational come-from-behind 3-2 win over Braga. Shinji Kagawa, who suffered a knee injury in the same game, is unlikely to feature on Sunday. Goal-keeper Lindegaard also misses out due to a thumb injury.
Chelsea’s probable lineup: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Mikel, Ramires, Oscar, Hazard, Mata, Torres.
United’s probable lineup: De Gea, Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Giggs, Carrick, Fletcher, Young, Van Persie, Rooney.
Prediction:
Manchester United have fallen behind in 8 of their 12 games this season and could possibly extend that dubious streak at the Bridge. Having dropped just two points this season, Chelsea are not only at their rampaging best but will try to put their home advantage to best effect.
Chelsea 2 United 1
About the Author (Author Profile)
Gokul is a software professional from Chennai, India. An avid sports fan, he is a keen follower of Cricket, Football, Hockey, Tennis and Formula One. He styles his articles as razor-edge analyses of all the hot and happening events in the field of sports.
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
