Here’s a preview and prediction for Sunday’s Premier League clash at Old Trafford, where Manchester United face Chelsea in their first top-flight match following Erik ten Hag’s departure.
Manchester United vs Chelsea: Preview
Erik ten Hag’s fate at Manchester United seemed sealed for some time. Although last season’s FA Cup victory bought him a brief reprieve, it ultimately couldn’t prevent his departure.
United dismissed the Dutch manager on Monday, appointing his fellow countryman Ruud van Nistelrooy as interim head coach. The former striker is now set to oversee his second game against Chelsea this weekend.
The Red Devils have acted quickly to secure a permanent replacement, with Ruben Amorim from Sporting CP scheduled to join the club on November 11.
Until then, Van Nistelrooy will remain at the helm, having guided United to a 5-2 EFL Cup victory over Leicester City on Wednesday. His upcoming tasks include matches against PAOK in the UEFA Europa League and another Premier League clash with Leicester after Chelsea’s visit.
The midweek goal-fest likely lifted spirits at United, yet their previous two home league games against top teams this season were tough to watch, ending in consecutive 3-0 losses to Liverpool and Tottenham.
Will things change now that Ten Hag has left?
Ten Hag’s tenure saw him lose 32% of his Premier League games with United (27 out of 85)—a rate matched only by David Moyes (11 out of 34).
Seven of those 27 losses, including last season’s 4-3 at Chelsea, came from last-minute winners, marking the highest percentage (26%) of any manager with 20+ losses in Premier League history. This pattern raised concerns about United’s mentality under Ten Hag, according to some analysts.
While Amorim awaits his start, Van Nistelrooy now has a chance to reduce the pressure at Old Trafford. United currently sit 14th in the league and could slip further by kickoff, leaving their European hopes in a precarious position if they lose more points.
With just 11 Premier League points this season (W3, D2, L4), United have recorded their second-lowest points tally after nine games (only 10 in 2019-20). Remarkably, the only other times United lost four of their first nine games were in the last two seasons under Ten Hag.
The midweek performance, which saw United score five, provided a lift for fans who’ve been frustrated by the team’s struggles to convert chances this season.
United’s tally of eight goals is only better than Southampton and Crystal Palace (six each) in the 2024-25 Premier League. They’ve also underperformed their expected goals (14.8) by 6.8—currently the league’s worst differential. In fact, since 2022-23, only Everton (-26) have underperformed their xG more significantly than United (-17.9, with 123 goals from an xG of 140.9).
Chelsea, under Enzo Maresca, have had no such issues with scoring. The Blues have netted 19 goals in the league so far, trailing only Manchester City in scoring this season.
Maresca has leaned into youth this season, making Chelsea’s bold approach in the league unsurprising.
Chelsea currently have the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League at 23 years and 206 days. In their 2-1 victory over Newcastle last weekend, they became only the second team in Premier League history to field a starting XI without any outfield players aged 25 or older—a feat previously achieved only by Aston Villa in two matches back in 2013.
Cole Palmer has been a standout for Chelsea, directly contributing to 33 Premier League goals in 2024 (21 goals and 12 assists). Only two players have recorded more goals and assists in a calendar year for Chelsea—Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in 2001 (25 goals, 11 assists) and Didier Drogba in 2010 (22 goals, 13 assists).
Palmer found the net in both of Chelsea’s Premier League clashes with United last season, including a hat-trick in their 4-3 victory at Stamford Bridge. Only two other Chelsea players—Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (2000-2001) and Juan Mata (2012-2013)—have scored in three consecutive Premier League games against Manchester United.
Manchester United vs Chelsea: Head-to-Head
United are currently unbeaten in their last 11 home league matches against Chelsea (W5 D6) and are aiming to secure three consecutive victories over the Blues at Old Trafford for the first time since January 1957.
The teams last faced each other in April, where Chelsea came from behind to claim a thrilling 4-3 victory at Stamford Bridge. The Blues last achieved back-to-back league wins against United in March 2011, during a three-match streak.
The matchup between United and Chelsea is the most drawn fixture in Premier League history, with 26 of their previous 64 encounters ending in a draw.
Manchester United vs Chelsea: Form Guide (Last 5 PL Games)
Manchester United (DLDWL)
Just six teams have had a poorer start to the Premier League season than United, with crushing home losses to Liverpool and Tottenham underscoring their inconsistent form.
While there was hope that the 2-1 victory over Brentford might be a turning point for Ten Hag, Sunday’s defeat in East London was the tipping point for the club’s leadership. With only three wins from their first nine games, it has been a season to forget for United.
Chelsea (WWDLW)
Maresca has made an impressive start at Chelsea, orchestrating dominant wins over Wolves, West Ham, and Brighton. However, Chelsea has struggled against top-tier opponents, facing losses to Manchester City and Liverpool.
The weekend’s victory over Newcastle, once again sparked by Palmer, served as a timely reminder of Chelsea’s attacking potential. Maresca has positioned Palmer in a more central role than the 22-year-old played under Mauricio Pochettino last season, a shift that has helped Chelsea break down deep-lying defenses.
Manchester United vs Chelsea: Team News and Predicted Lineup
Manchester United: Team News
Ruud van Nistelrooy continues his role as interim manager of Manchester United, facing a challenging matchup against Chelsea in the Premier League.
The club legend has stepped in following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal while the organization finalizes a deal to appoint Ruben Amorim, who is set to take over in November.
This leaves Van Nistelrooy to lead the team against the Blues after beginning his tenure with a 5-2 victory over a significantly altered Leicester City side in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
Sunday’s encounter presents a much tougher challenge, but not many changes to the lineup are anticipated. Altay Bayındır, Victor Lindelof, and Joshua Zirkzee are likely to be replaced by Andre Onana, Noussair Mazraoui, and Rasmus Hojlund, while the majority of the squad could remain unchanged.
Casemiro, who scored twice—including a spectacular opener—along with Bruno Fernandes, who added two goals after Alejandro Garnacho’s strike, are expected to stay in the lineup.
Manuel Ugarte’s position may be at risk from Christian Eriksen, while Amad Diallo will be hoping for additional playing time.
Manchester United: Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
- Goalkeeper – Onana
- Defenders – Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui
- Midfielders – Casemiro, Ugarte, Fernandes
- Forwards – Rashford, Hojlund, Garnacho
Chelsea: Team News
Chelsea have no new injury concerns ahead of their Premier League match against Manchester United this weekend, with Jadon Sancho being the only unavailable player.
Sancho, who joined Chelsea on loan from United on transfer deadline day this summer, is ineligible to play against his parent club. Manager Enzo Maresca noted on Friday that the winger is still dealing with the illness that sidelined him during the midweek defeat to Newcastle.
“They are all available except for Jadon, who has been ill over the past few days,” Maresca said during his pre-match press conference.
The Italian made 11 changes to his squad for the 2-0 loss at St James’ Park, which resulted in his team’s exit from the Carabao Cup in the fourth round.
Maresca is likely to revert to his original lineup as his team heads to Old Trafford, where the atmosphere has improved following a convincing midweek victory over Leicester and the announcement of new manager Ruben Amorim, who will take over after the international break later this month.
The primary question surrounding Maresca’s starting lineup as he faces former teammate and interim United manager Ruud van Nistelrooy is whether captain Reece James will play in his preferred right-back position or switch to the left, as he did in last Sunday’s 2-1 Premier League win over Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea: Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
- Goalkeeper – Sanchez
- Defenders – Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, James
- Midfielders – Caicedo, Lavia, Palmer
- Forwards – Madueke, Neto, Jackson
Manchester United vs Chelsea: Prediction
Despite Chelsea’s poor showing at St James’ Park, Maresca’s main lineup should display far more attacking intent than their second-string squad at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Van Nistelrooy faces a tough task to resolve United’s defensive issues in such a short time.
Nevertheless, if Wednesday’s performance is any indication, United seem revitalized in attack. We expect Sunday’s highly anticipated clash to deliver on its promise, likely ending in an entertaining, high-scoring draw.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-2 Chelsea
When and Where to Watch The Match? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The highly anticipated Premier League clash between Manchester United and Chelsea is set for Sunday, November 3, at the iconic Old Trafford stadium, kicking off at 10 p.m. (IST). The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network for TV viewers, while online streaming will be available on Disney+ Hotstar, allowing fans to follow the high-stakes game on their preferred device. With a thrilling encounter anticipated at the iconic Old Trafford stadium, supporters won’t want to miss a moment of this Premier League showdown.
Read More: Savinho’s Recovery Brings Relief Amid Manchester City’s Injury Crisis
When is Manchester United vs Chelsea?
Manchester United and Chelsea is set for Sunday, November 3, at the iconic Old Trafford stadium, from at 10 p.m. (IST)
