Manchester United U21s vs. Chelsea U21s: Date, Time, Live Stream and TV Info
Manchester United and Chelsea will meet in a clash of U21 Premier League title hopefuls at Leigh Sports Village on Monday, with kick-off scheduled at 7.45 p.m. GMT.
The Blues lead the Division 1 standings with 21 points after 11 matches, but the Red Devils sit just three points back after their 2-1 loss against Fulham last week.
Both teams are expected to look much different entering Week 12, with several key contributors promoted to the senior side and a couple of new faces arriving at the end of the winter transfer window.
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Date: Monday, February 9
Time: 7.45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Leigh Sports Village
TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast on BT Sport 1 and Chelsea TV (for UK viewers), with mobile coverage available via the BT Sport Online Player app.
Preview
Chelsea currently lead the standings in Group 1, topping the table with 21 points, the top goal differential and more goals scored than any other club in Division 1.
The race for the top spot, is tight, however—United chase the Blues by just three points, currently sitting fourth. What's more, Chelsea will be without two top contributors, as star performers Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Isaiah Brown have been promoted to the senior squad on a full-time basis.
Outside of the Boot shared the news:
This puts even more pressure on star forward Dominic Solanke. The 17-year-old has been in sensational form and is one of the brightest prospects in Chelsea's academy, as evidenced by the fact he's so far ahead of his peers.
One player United fans will look forward to seeing is Andy Kellett, who became an overnight sensation upon completing a loan move from Bolton Wanderers.
As shared by Bleacher Report UK, the 21-year-old full-back was not exactly a highly sought-after prospect before word leaked he would be moving to Old Trafford:
According to Bolton fan-club Burnden Aces, he could be in line to make his debut on Monday:
"Andy Kellett could make his Manchester United U21 debut in their game against Chelsea on Monday night #BWFC #MUFC pic.twitter.com/RDgrXeSN2S
— Burnden Aces (@BurndenAces) February 8, 2015"
The Blues rely on pace and sheer athleticism in the attacking third, with the duo of Solanke and Charly Musonda leading the way, to disrupt defences. Chelsea have conceded 14 goals in just 11 matches, via the Premier League's official website—their defence is suspect, and outscoring opponents is the order of the day.
United's U21 squad features less star-power, as highly rated youngsters like James Wilson, Andreas Pereira and Paddy McNair ply their trade with the senior squad these days, and the loss against Fulham came as a major disappointment.
These two teams met in last year's final, with the Blues clinching the championship with a 2-1 win. This year's Chelsea side looks just as strong as last year's, while United have somewhat struggled out of the gate.
The Red Devils have been very good at home, however, and going up against a weakened Chelsea side without Brown and Loftus-Cheek, an upset could be in the making.
Final Prediction: Manchester United 2-2 Chelsea
