Sunday, May 5, 2013

Manchester United vs Chelsea

MANCHESTER UNITED

De Gea
Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra
Jones, Carrick
Valencia, Rooney, Kagawa
Van Persie
CHELSEA

Cech
Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole
Luiz, Mikel
Mata, Oscar, Hazard
Ba


Sir Alex Ferguson looks set to make a solitary change from the team that faced Arsenal as Shinji Kagawa seems primed to replace Nani, operating off the left wing.

Ashley Young (ankle) is definitely ruled out while Nemanja Vidic (knee) and Danny Welbeck (calf) are also doubtful as the strains that ruled them both out of the Arsenal game persist.

Rafa Benitez, meanwhile, appears ready to make his now-customary changes to the starting line-up as various players look set to make way from the team that beat Basel 3-1 on Thursday.

John Terry, Ashley Cole, John Obi Mikel, Juan Mata, Oscar and Demba Ba are all expected to replace
Gary Cahill, Ryan Bertrand, Frank Lampard, Ramires, Victor Moses and Fernando Torres from the previous starting XI.

There are no serious injury problems for the Blues, though Marko Marin, unlikely to feature anyway, may only be fit enough for the bench as he continues to recover from a thigh problem.

  • Over the course of the Premier League era, Manchester United have lost more games (13) and conceded more goals (55) against Chelsea than they have against any other team in the league.
  • However, Chelsea have managed just one clean sheet in their last 17 league trips to Old Trafford - a 3-0 win in December 2001, with a goal from Mario Melchiot followed by a double from Eidur Gudjohnsen.
    • United have hit the woodwork more often than any other team in the Premier League this season - 22 times, while Chelsea have hit it the fewest amount of times - five.
    • Though it is doubtful whether he will feature in this match, of all the players to have played over 150 Premier League games, the Red Devils' captain, Nemanja Vidic, has the best win percentage of any player, having played 184 and won 136.
    • Chelsea skipper John Terry (pictured right), however, boasts a similarly impressive record as the Blues have won 67 per cent of Premier League games with him playing this season and just 48% without him.
    • The Blues have scored 15 headed goals this league season - the most in the Premier League.


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