[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

DdG
Damo Mike Blind CBJ
Carrick
Herrera Fellaini
Lingard Rooney Martial​

 

[DomesticTadpole]

DdG
Damo Mike Blind CBJ
Carrick
Herrera Fellaini
Lingard Rooney Martial​

I would have thought he would bring Morgan back in if Fellaini is unfit and surely he wouldn't drop Mata after yesterdays performance?

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Same again I suppose. Fancy Martial to tear Ivanovic apart again...

Not much of a height threat like Stoke so Schneiderlin for Fellaini would be sensible, do not fancy Costa vs Fellaini matchup. Also Morgan's would be a bit more nimble to aid in defending against their inside forwards.

Costa's first ever game vs us.

Carrick's first game against them in quite a while.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Same again I suppose. Fancy Martial to tear Ivanovic apart again...

Not much of a height threat like Stoke so Schneiderlin for Fellaini would be sensible, do not fancy Costa vs Fellaini matchup. Also Morgan's would be a bit more nimble to aid in defending against their inside forwards.



Carrick's first game against them in quite a while.

I think Costa would target Fellaini, so might be for the best if he does have a knock just for this game.

 

[WhoDaGOAT]

This will probably be a low score draw. 1-1. LvG has a very good record against the big teams, so I wouldn't be shocked if we somehow managed to win.

If we can manage to secure the 3 points and Arsenal slip up again, we'll be hot on their tails.

 

[Havak]

I think we'll draw this, I rarely fancy us to beat Chelsea no matter what the form book says. However, if we play a bit more of the style of football we played against Stoke here, we've got a chance of maybe nicking it 1-2 or something like that. If we can win this, then there's no reason we can't sneak back into the title race if other results go our way (not that I think we have much of a chance of winning it, but it'd be nice to be there for the final few months and lift morale). It'd be better than the current thought of "we'll be lucky to get 4th" mentality that I and many others are finding themselves in.

That said, we really do need to try and capitalise on any mistakes that may happen. Obviously, not every result is going to go our way, but the next fixtures hold some promise:

Leicester - Man City (A), Arsenal (A)
Man City - Leicester (H), Tottenham (H)
Spurs - Watford (H), Man City (A)
Arsenal - Bournemouth (A), Leciester (H)
Man Utd - Chelsea (A), Sunderland (A)

It is not out of the realms of possibility that Leicester and Man City draw both games, with Arsenal and Spurs taking 4 Points each. If we managed to win both games that leaves us 3 Points behind Arsenal, Spurs, Man City (49) and 6 behind Leciester (52) and it all looks nice again. Odds are that won't happen and despite Leicester continually overcoming the odds, I think they'll lose both games finally and we'll at best be 1 Point closer to 4th by February 15th.

Anyway, as for this game:

de Gea
Darmian Smalling Blind Borthwick-Jackson
Carrick Schneiderlin
Lingard Mata Martial
Rooney
---
Romero; Varela, McNair; Herrera, Pereira, Fellaini; Memphis​

Fellaini got a knock so I'm not expecting him to start, could make the bench. Schneiderlin will probably replace him for a bit more control on the ball and legs next to Carrick. Everyone who played against Stoke has earned their place in my opinion so there's little reason to change. The only other possible change barring any injuries I foresee is Mata being dropped for either Herrera or Memphis, but I think these are more likely to come as a substitution during the game.

I'm going to put 1-1 in the prediction, but as I said earlier I hope and think we can take this 1-2.

 

[Gerald G]

De Gea
Darmian--Smalling--Blind--CBJ
Carrick--Schneiderlin
Lingard--Mata--Martial
Rooney
---
subs: Romero; Varela, McNair; Fellaini, Herrera; Pereira, Memphis

We need to play on the counter. One thing is for sure, we cannot lose. If we do and the teams above us win, then it is goodbye to top four.​

 

[Gol123]

De Gea
Darmian--Smalling--Blind--CBJ
Carrick--Schneiderlin
Lingard--Mata--Martial
Rooney
---
subs: Romero; Varela, McNair; Fellaini, Herrera; Pereira, Memphis

We need to play on the counter. One thing is for sure, we cannot lose. If we do and the teams above us win, then it is goodbye to top four.​

And the gap between us two could be 6 points.

 

[Gerald G]

And the gap between us two could be 6 points.

Chelsea?

 

[Devil may care]

With a bit of luck Costa will get another yellow in the second half and miss this.

 

[Gol123]

Chelsea?

Yes. Have to beat Watford first, though.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Interesting display against Watford from them.

 

[Devil may care]

Interesting display against Watford from them.

That's one word to describe it, for 75 minutes they reminded me of the bulk of our performances this season, so slow and lethargic.

 

[Silverman]

Big chance of a win for us with the way they are playing.

 

[Shark]

I can somehow see this ending in a draw. I really do hope not because we are better than them, but we have never been anywhere close to good enough on the road under LVG.

 

[DWelbz19]

They're absolutely shite. We should win this match.

 

[Spock]

I'm feeling good about this one. Rooney and Martial are in form, Mata played with joy last night and our back line has settled down nicely after a rough patch. Chelsea are always dangerous but they're there for the taking on Sunday. I see a win, narrow no doubt, but a deserved win nevertheless.

 

[CM]

Chelsea were pretty negative in the game tonight and left it late to start a flurry of attacks, once the Watford players had already tired.

Hopefully they'll try to be a bit more adventurous against us as they're the home team; wouldn't surprise me if they set up to stifle us in the first half though and then go for the win in the second. I reckon we'll draw.

 

[Adisa]

They will raise their game.

 

[NK86]

Yes. Have to beat Watford first, though.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Hate away games at Chelsea. cnuts raise their game against us all the time, regardless of form.

Don't care about good football I just want three points. An own goal will do fine .

 

[marukomu]

Big chance of a win for us with the way they are playing.

You a United or Chelsea fan?

 

[VivaJanuzaj]

Fellaini vs Costa - The battle of the elbows, who will get red carded first?

 

[Adisa]

Haven't beaten them since 2013. Our record against them is very poor.

 

[Havak]

Haven't beaten them since 2013. Our record against them is very poor.

Yep, said in an earlier post I'm never confident of us beating Chelsea. Ancelotti's record managing Chelsea is good with only one PL defeat in 30 games. I think a draw is the most likely result and sadly, I think both managers would settle for it. Neither set of fans would, though!

 

[Adisa]

Yep, said in an earlier post I'm never confident of us beating Chelsea. Ancelotti's record managing Chelsea is good with only one PL defeat in 30 games. I think a draw is the most likely result and sadly, I think both managers would settle for it. Neither set of fans would, though!

Can't see LVG settling for it. Chelsea's season is over. Draw does us no good. We won't make 7 points on Spurs.

 

[ants7]

It would be amazing to get three points. Would really put a new spin to the whole "LVG out" theme. I hope it'll happen. But can't really see it.

 

[Random Task]

Make or break for LVG and his philosophy. Lose this and it will be yet another case of 1 step forward and 2 steps back. Winning on the otherhand just might ease the pressure and get the fans believing in him again.

Huge game and if we have any real aspirations of reaching top 4 we simply must win.

 

[peridigm]

It would be amazing to get three points. Would really put a new spin to the whole "LVG out" theme. I hope it'll happen. But can't really see it.

The 3 pts or LVG out?

 

[Thisistheone]

Really looking forward to this. Will tell us a lot more about where we're at than that Stoke win.

Corner turned... let's hope so.

 

[Gol123]

Was always a pipe dream.

 

[Gerald G]

When we ply away at Chelsea we may play well but we would usually lose the match frustratingly or get a draw at best.

 

[saivet]

A heads up for anyone that may be going, there is a tube strike scheduled over the weekend.

 

[Samid]

A heads up for anyone that may be going, there is a tube strike scheduled over the weekend.

Feels like there's a strike for something every week in the UK. People need to chill a little.

 

[groovyalbert]

Same team as Tuesday with Schneiderlin in for Carrick if he can't get through another 90 minutes so soon.

Those calling for Fellaini to be dropped will most likely be left disappointed, especially when considering the quality of Willian's set pieces and the aerial threats of Costa/Terry/Zouma/Matic etc.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Yep, said in an earlier post I'm never confident of us beating Chelsea. Ancelotti's record managing Chelsea is good with only one PL defeat in 30 games. I think a draw is the most likely result and sadly, I think both managers would settle for it. Neither set of fans would, though!

Thank god Ancelotti isn't boss anymore then!

 

[ants7]

The 3 pts or LVG out?

What I meant was that if we won at Stamford, a thing we haven't done in years, maybe the result would turn some "LVG-out" campers around.

 

[Chuckazulu]

Yep, said in an earlier post I'm never confident of us beating Chelsea. Ancelotti's record managing Chelsea is good with only one PL defeat in 30 games. I think a draw is the most likely result and sadly, I think both managers would settle for it. Neither set of fans would, though!

Thank god Ancelotti isn't boss anymore then!

 

[SSSSnake]

Hard one to predict really....Chelsea have hardly looked much better since Guss took charge but I suppose like all new management this will take time.

I'd be happy to see the same team personally. Fellaini is a big lump but will help for those set pieces. I'm predicting a 0-1.

 

[RDCR07]

Is Morgan back for this one?