Chelsea vs. Manchester United: Picking a Blues Lineup to Beat the EPL Champions

Sunday's Premier League matchup between Chelsea and Manchester United has a lot at stake for both teams. Chelsea is currently in fourth place in the EPL and being 12 points behind the two Manchester clubs, it's very doubtful they'll be able to win the EPL title. Manchester United could possibly use this win to jump ahead of Manchester City for sole position of first place in the EPL.

So there is definitely a lot at stake for when these two teams meet. Although Manchester United are the clear favorite, it must be remembered that they haven't won a game at Chelsea since 2002. The Red Devils also have a lot of injured players right now, so this opens the door for a possible Blues victory.

Still it won't be easy. Already earlier this season Chelsea was beaten 3-1 by Manchester United at Old Trafford. In order for the Blues to win, Andre Villas-Boas is going to need to successfully coach a great match and put in a successful starting lineup. 

In this article, I'm going to predict which 11 players will start for Chelsea this weekend. My assumption is that Chelsea will use the 4-2-1-3 formation that has been working well for them lately.

Left Wing: Juan Mata

The Spanish winger is definitely a obvious starter for Chelsea. For the entire season, Mata leads the team in assists with seven. So far it's enough to prove him worthy of the $30 million Chelsea paid to bring him in just prior to this season. 

Matta also has some agility as he can play both midfield and forward. To me it seems more likely that he will get the start at left wing like he has for the majority of the season. This is a player known for creating goal-scoring chances and he will be needed to do just that on Sunday.

Striker: Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres has struggled the last few weeks, particularly in the area of scoring goals,  when he has now gone more than 1,000 minutes without scoring a goal. It is a disturbing trend for a player who was known as one of the world's most feared strikers.

Although Andre Villas-Boas has been publicly backing Torres to start scoring goals regularly, this could actually be a bad thing as it contributes to growing pressure on Torres. However one of his three goals in a Chelsea jersey was against Manchester United last year. Maybe this week he'll be able to make it two goals against the Red Devils.

Right Wing: Daniel Sturridge

This young player is arguably Chelsea's best player today. Daniel Sturridge has scored nine goals this season that ties him for the team lead.

After have broken through in limited playing time early this season, Sturridge has made himself a crucial part of Chelsea's offense. However the drama of their stressful season has also affected him as well as reports have circulated that Sturridge is disillusioned with Chelsea. The Blues and their fans can only hope that these reports do not prove to be a distraction on Sunday. 

Attacking Midfield: Raul Meireles

In the 4-2-1-3 formation, there is one midfielder that stays forward to support the offense more. The player best situated for that role is Raul Meireles. It's a role that Meireles has proved himself comfortable in time and time again. 

The Portuguese player has had a good season so far as he continues to develop into an all-around midfielder. His good passing range sets himself up nicely for the midfield position. As the highlight video above shows, he also gets in the action himself with some goals of his own. 

Right Midfield: Oriol Romeu

Even though he struggled against Swansea, we should still expect to see Oriol Romeu starting at midfield against Manchester United. This Spanish midfielder may not be the best player for the job but now there aren't too many options. John Obi Mikel is seemingly out of favor and Michael Essien is still trying to get back to full health, leaving Romeu as the starter. 

Also known for defensive skills, Romeu should be expected to be back there helping out during the course of Sunday's game. At only 20 years old, he is inexperienced and shall likely be learning under fire as a starter. 

Left Midfield: Florent Malouda

Primarily known for playing left wing, I think that Florent Malouda will actually be starting at midfield for Chelsea. His technical gifts and physical strength should serve their midfield well against Manchester United. The start will be a rare opportunity for Malouda, who has mostly been reduced to substitute's roles this season. 

Like Oriol Romeu, Malouda is trying his best to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the injuries of Frank Lampard and Ramires. While at midfield he'll be all over the field, so we should expect to see him assisting in Chelsea's attack, which is where his primary strength lies as a midfielder.

Left-Back: Ryan Bertrand

The left-back position is in flux thanks to Ashley Cole's red card. There are several players that could step into this role. However I think that it will be Ryan Bertrand that gets the start. 

The understudy to Cole, Bertrand has done his best to learn from Cole's example. For this season he has only started three games, meaning he should be fresh and ready to play. It's unlikely at least for this season but maybe Bertrand will be able to use this opportunity to become a more regular player for Chelsea. 

Center-Back: John Terry

Chelsea's captain should definitely get the start as one of their center-backs. Against Swansea, Terry had been sidelined with a minor injury and his absence really showed. Now that he's expected to be healthy again, he will have to see more playing time.

One of only five players to have made over 500 appearances for Chelsea, Terry is one of the team's legends. One of the longest-tenured players on the team, his leadership is instrumental and it should be a boost for the team to get him back.

Center-Back: David Luiz

Brazilian defender David Luiz is a natural fit at the center-back position. He could potentially see time at left-back; however I think he is at center-back as Andre Villas-Boas gets a look at what he has in Ryan Bertrand. This also makes sense since Luiz himself says he is most comfortable in the center. 

His versatility and power should definitely be an asset against Manchester United. However he has a tendency to lose focus, and that something that no one on Chelsea can afford to do on Sunday. 

Right-Back: Jose Bosingwa

One of the few positives against Swansea was the play of right-back Jose Bosingwa. It was his cross that provided the equalizing goal. Therefore it makes sense that Andre Villas-Boas keeps him at right back.

Still Bosingwa does have some things to work on, most notably a dirty streak. In the attached video, he kicks a player out of bounds yet somehow goes unpunished. Once you get past that though, it's obvious that he's a good wing back who is quick and effective on both sides of the pitch.

Goalie: Petr Cech

Czech goalie Petr Cech has cemented his place as his team's top goalkeeper. He has made 45 saves this season and generally has looked good as goalie. Thanks to his height and his reach, he has made some pretty spectacular saves during his career. 

During this season Cech has posted six clean sheets. Not only is he the best goalkeeper on the team's roster, but he might be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.