CHELSEA VS MAN UTD PREDICTIONS FOR TODAY MONDAY 17/02/2020
\CHELSEA VS MAN UTD = OVER 1.5
- Man Utd are searching for their third win over Chelsea this season.
- Chelsea kept just two clean sheets in their last 13 fixtures.
- United conceded in 10 of their 11 Premier League away matches so far this term.
- Man Utd are conceding just 1.16 goals on average per Premier League fixture in 2019/20.
Pivotal fixture in the race for a top four finish
Chelsea and Manchester United meet in Monday evening’s televised offering at Stamford Bridge, for a Premier League tussle that could prove a defining fixture in the race to secure a top four finish this season.
Ahead of their skirmish in the capital, Chelsea in 4th hold a sizable six-point lead over United, who slipped to 8th place after a disappointing run of one win in five league games in the lead up to the winter break.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be fully aware that his team are running out of opportunities to mount a genuine challenge for a top four place, though a deficit halving win at Stamford Bridge would reignite their flickering Champions League qualification hopes.
Chelsea starting to wobble
With just one victory from five Premier League games of their own in the lead-up to the mid-season hiatus, Chelsea’s grip on 4th spot is being threatened by an increasing number of challengers.
At the core of the Blues’ problems is their inability to keep clean sheets, and their return of just two shutouts from 12 top-flight fixtures saw under fire keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga replaced by the veteran Willy Caballero in between the sticks for Chelsea’s 2-2 draw at Leicester in their last league outing before the interval.
In total, Chelsea conceded at least once in 20 of the 25 Premier League fixtures they’ve contested since the start of the season, and it’s little wonder that Frank Lampard was left frustrated after the Blues missed a chance to sign defensive reinforcements during the January window.
With Chelsea’s defensive troubles left un-tackled last month, there should be opportunities to score on offer for United on Monday, and having beaten Chelsea twice already this season, the Mancunians will arrive in London in confident mood.
United searching for hattrick of wins
United beat Chelsea 4-0 at Old Trafford in the reverse league meeting between the teams in August, and 2-1 in a Carabao Cup triumph in October, however, shorn of the talents of Marcus Rashford, who bagged four of United’s six goals against the Blues last year, the Red Devils’ final third threat has been noticeably reduced.
So, while we expect United to register on Monday, recent form suggests that they could struggle to score more than once.
Since Rashford’s injury, United have gone an alarming three Premier League games without scoring, though Ole Solskjaer will hope that the additions of Bruno Fernandes and Odion Ighalo can help to re-sharpen his team’s blunt attacking edge.
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