Barclays Premier League Preview: Chelsea vs. Manchester United

It’s that time of the year again folks! The battle to gain English football bragging rights. The Blues vs. the Reds. Didier Drogba vs. Wayne Rooney. Carlo Ancelotti vs. Sir Alex Ferguson. Cutting to the chase, it’s Chelsea vs. Manchester United! 

Ever since that emotionally and environmentally draining night in Moscow, Chelsea vs. Manchester United fixtures have gained that esteem, that vigour, that respect which was lacking in the English game in terms of pure top-of-the-table rivalry. Traditional rivalries were given a back stage, and quality football took centre stage.

It couldn’t get any bigger for the United gaffer, Sir Alex Ferguson, as he looks set to break the legendary Sir Matt Busby’s record of the longest serving manager at Old Trafford. And what bigger occasion could the 69-year-old get to break United’s eight-year hoodoo at Stamford Bridge.

United’s last conquer of the Bridge came back in 2002 when Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all found the net in a 3-0 hammering of the Blues.

With Chelsea having failed to win any of their last five league games, this could be the best opportunity for the Red Devils to get one over the Bridge.

However, Chelsea’s promising display in their last outing in the league at White Hart Lane would have given Carlo Ancelotti some hope of a reigniting of their title charge. The return of Frank Lampard would provide the ideal tonic, especially when you’re up against Manchester United.

United and Sir Alex would be brimming with confidence ahead of the fixture, and are on the crest of a wave after last week’s victory over Arsenal and the subsequent two-point lead in the championship, along with maintaining their unbeaten start to the league.

But Chelsea will know that a win against United would leapfrog them to the top of the league from the fourth-place position that they currently occupy.  

Carlo Ancelotti has already announced that Frank Lampard will start on Sunday evening. But Jose Bosingwa, Alex, Yuri Zhirkov and Yossi Benayoun remain sidelined. Chelsea are most likely to stick to their 4-3-3 formation with Malouda and Anelka flanking Didier Drogba.

United will be without veteran Paul Scholes after it was revealed that a niggling groin injury will keep the midfielder out until the New Year. United’s top scorer of the season Dimitar Berbatov could find himself warming the bench yet again after the Red Devils had a successful 4-5-1 outing against Arsenal with Wayne Rooney alone up front.

We’ve got a cracker of a game to kick off the festival season. These two sides have shared the last six Barclays Premier League titles between them, and this match could be pivotal to both clubs’ chances of keeping that duopoly intact.

Sir Alex insists that this game is “the most important game of the season.” Carlo Ancelotti thinks otherwise. But at the end of the day it’s the attitude of those 22 men on the pitch that makes the difference, and both sets of supporters and neutrals alike will be hoping for a bloody Sunday to say the least.

Over to the Bridge.