Chelsea vs. Manchester United: Tactical Preview of Premier League Game
Chelsea face Manchester United this weekend in a match that could have serious implications at the top of the Premier League table. Should the Blues win, the title will be all but theirs and Louis van Gaal's men will likely have to settle for third—can the Red Devils spring an upset?
Chelsea News
Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns ahead of this match but will sweat over the fitness of Loic Remy. Didier Drogba played a rather poor game at Loftus Road in place of the Frenchman (Diego Costa is resting a battered hamstring), so Jose Mourinho will pray Remy is fit.
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Cesar Azpilicueta is also a candidate to drop out of the side after being torched by Matt Phillips on Sunday, and Filipe Luis, tactically, may be a better fit at left-back anyway.
Otherwise, it'll be more of the same: Nemanja Matic, Ramires and Cesc Fabregas (No. 10) in midfield, with Eden Hazard and Willian on either side doing plenty of running and plenty of creating.
Manchester United News
Louis van Gaal would have liked to stick with the tried and trusted once again this weekend given his side are on a four-match win streak, but alterations will be forced by injury.
Phil Jones and Michael Carrick both exited the derby victory over Manchester City early with slight tweaks and are ruled out, per Manchester United's official Twitter account. Marcos Rojo will also miss the tie, as will Daley Blind, and Jonny Evans is still banned for spitting.
It could force Wayne Rooney back into midfield, or bring Angel Di Maria in centrally and see perhaps Ander Herrera drop into Carrick's role. If Rooney slides back it opens the door for either Radamel Falcao or Robin van Persie, fit again, to play up front.
Marouane Fellaini will line up centrally with Juan Mata and Ashley Young on the wings.
Key Point 1: Fellaini vs. Chelsea
"He is getting used in the right way,” Wayne Rooney said of Fellaini, per Mark Froggatt of Manchester United's official website. "He is a handful for defenders to mark. We like to play out from the back and if teams are pressing us then we have him as an option."
We've seen plenty of slow, monotonous play from United this season as they try to build from the back, but the re-emergence of Fellaini has given this side an extra edge. Teams now need to find a 6'4" midfielder to man-mark him, else there is no way to stop David de Gea pumping kicks into his chest and skipping 60 yards of the pitch.
Manchester City had a player capable of matching Fellaini physically in the form of Yaya Toure, but the Ivorian, frankly, showed no interest in working hard for his team last Sunday. Chelsea have one too, in Matic; he should lend more weight to the cause, and it could be the beginning of an epic 90-minute battle between the two.
Furthermore, Mourinho could even opt for a 4-3-3 with Kurt Zouma in the mixer too, giving himself three options (including Branislav Ivanovic at right-back) to stymie Fellaini outside of the bruising centre-backs.
The defensive personnel selected will be interesting, too. With United in possession, they usually hold on to it to allow Fellaini to get into the box and match up one-on-one against a full-back on the edge. Ivanovic has a chance against him, but Azpilicueta is 5'10", and he'll get dominated. Luis to come in?
Key Point 2: Chelsea's Right vs. United's Left
One of the foundations upon which United's recent good form has been founded has been their strong left-sided play. This partially includes Fellaini, of course, but focus must be drawn to the link-up play between Young and Daley Blind, too.
It's Young's crosses that create the mismatches for Fellaini's back-post headers, and it's Blind's overlapping and opening of space that allows Young to hold on to it long enough for his Belgian colleague to get into position in the box.
But Blind (and probable deputy Rojo) have been ruled out, meaning Luke Shaw will step in to play. Can the Englishman link up with Young and re-create the magic he and Blind have?
Willian, one of the world's hardest-working wingers, will be tasked with playing the role of spoiler. He's done it since he arrived at Stamford Bridge, so he'll be right at home trying, and Chelsea's attempts to nullify United may rest on his legs. The right-sided defensive midfielder (Matic) will shift across and Ivanovic will play physical, hemming in Young and Shaw and trying to trap them on the left.
This is going to be a war on all fronts—particularly in the zones Matic and Fellaini play.
