Injury worries as Chelsea battle old foes Manchester United in EPL clash
With the Premier League becoming more intense, the focus is on Stamford Bridge as Chelsea gets ready to face Manchester United in a highly anticipated midweek match tonight.Both sides are determined to achieve a vital win that might potentially influence the course of their season, as Chelsea aims to distance themselves from the lower part of the Premier League table and Manchester United strives to rise up in the standings.
Chelsea came into the encounter with a disheartening 2-2 tie against Burnley in their last game.Under the guidance of manager Mauricio Pochettino, the Blues have performed admirably, now occupying the 12th spot in the Premier League standings with a total of 40 points from 28 matches.
Nevertheless, Manchester United will prove to be a formidable adversary. Although experiencing a recent decline in performance, the Red Devils now hold the 6th spot in the standings with 48 points earned from 29 matches.
Manchester United entered the match with a 1-1 draw against Brentford in their most recent encounter on Saturday.Erik ten Hag’s team emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline in the last match against Chelsea, which took place at Old Trafford in December.Regarding team updates, Chelsea will receive a significant boost from the inclusion of Trevoh Chalobah, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Robert Sanchez.
The trio of players have returned following their absence from the Burnley match last Saturday.Malo Gusto is expected to be physically ready to play against Manchester United since he did not sustain any injuries after being substituted in the 87th minute of their previous match.
Ben Chilwell is now unable to play due to sickness. He was unable to attend the previous weekend’s match because he injured his knee while representing the English national team.Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Lesley Ugochukwu, Reece James, Levi Colwill, and Romeo Lavia remain sidelined due to injuries.Meanwhile, Manchester United will have the presence of Amad Diallo, who is returning from a one-match ban following his absence in the draw against Brentford.Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez are unavailable.
Raphael Varane’s availability is uncertain following his early substitution against Brentford. However, manager Erik Ten Hag indicated that Varane’s substitution was a precautionary measure.Chelsea’s potential starting lineup consists of Petrovic, Gusto, Disasi, Cucurella, Badiashile, Gallagher, Caicedo, Fernandez, Sterling, Palmer, and Jackson.Possible starting lineup for Manchester United: André Onana in goal, Diogo Dalot, Raphaël Varane, Harry Maguire, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka in defence, Casemiro and Mainoo in midfield, with Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund, and Marcus Rashford in the attacking
positions.
By Nnaemeka Odenigbo
