Chelsea vs Manchester United Prediction, Betting Odds, Picks

• Chelsea are going strong in the Premier League with nine wins from 12 games
• Manchester United are searching for an interim manager until the end of the season
• Chelsea are in a good place right now and should prove too strong for United

Chelsea vs Manchester United Odds

The odds for Chelsea vs Manchester United are provided by BetMGM.

Chelsea vs Manchester United Pick

The Blues have been solid all season and should emerge victorious over a Manchester United team managed by temporary boss Michael Carrick.

Chelsea and Under 3.5 (+120)

Manchester United End the Solskjaer Era but Questions Remain

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer survived a 5-0 defeat by Liverpool last month, but it was always going to be difficult for the Norwegian to turn the situation around after that emphatic thrashing by Manchester United’s arch-rivals. Solskjaer clung on for another few weeks and remained in situ even after his side were humbled at home by the club’s second-biggest adversaries, Manchester City. But the former Molde manager’s position became untenable after last weekend’s 4-1 loss to Watford, and United duly sacked him less than 24 hours later.

Quite why the board did not act during the recent international break is a mystery. Aston Villa and Norwich City changed managers during that period, recognizing that the two-week pause for World Cup qualifiers was the ideal time to bed in a new head coach.

United’s hesitancy was another sign of their boardroom ineptitude. Solskjaer was plainly out of his depth as the manager of England’s biggest club, but the problems at Old Trafford extend far beyond the manager. There is no direction or identity from top to bottom and, when you consider how United have been run in recent years, it is not really surprising that they have failed to win a Premier League title since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Michael Carrick has been placed in temporary charge of the first team for now, as United searches for an interim manager who can steady the ship until the end of the season.

Carrick oversaw a 2-0 win against Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday and will be on the touchline when United face Chelsea this weekend. He has no frontline coaching experience and was arguably tarnished by being one of Solskjaer’s assistants, so United will no doubt be looking to replace him before too long. In the meantime, he must try and get a result at the home of the Premier League leaders.

Chelsea Ticking Along Nicely but Must Get Best Out of Lukaku

Chelsea maintained their three-point lead at the top of the table with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Leicester City last time out. The Foxes have yet to get going this term, but Chelsea’s dominance was still extremely impressive.

The defense kept Jamie Vardy under wraps all afternoon, the midfield controlled possession and won the ball back frequently, and the attack – which in this system includes the two wing-backs – posed problems for a shaky Leicester backline. It was the complete performance from the Premier League leaders, who then thumped Juventus 4-0 in the Champions League in midweek.

That aforementioned attack at the King Power Stadium featured Kai Havertz as a false nine, with Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi as inside forwards. Two substitutes, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic, combined for the third goal. It is fair to say Chelsea are not short of options at the top of the pitch, and the recent absence of Romelu Lukaku through injury was not een as keenly felt as some anticipated.

Lukaku is now fit again and it will be interesting to see how Chelsea configure the attack upon his return to the starting line-up, which could be on Sunday. The Belgian scored three times in his first three games back in the Premier League, but the goals dried up thereafter. Thomas Tuchel must find a way to get the best out of his $135m striker.

Table Shows United Are Not at Chelsea’s Level Right Now

Manchester United and Chelsea have won the most titles in the Premier League era. The Red Devils are still eight championships (post-1992) ahead of the Blues despite their recent malaise, but right now Chelsea are in much better shape than United. The two squads are of a similar standard on paper, but soccer is played on grass, and Chelsea’s superiority in practice is clear for all to see.

Of course, that does not necessarily mean Tuchel’s side will triumph here. Many teams experience an initial uptick soon after a manager is sacked; indeed, that is exactly what happened when Solskjaer replaced Mourinho as caretaker boss in December 2019. Carrick will hope to benefit from a similar ‘new manager bounce’.

Yet Solskjaer’s first game in charge of United took place at the Cardiff City Stadium, not Stamford Bridge. United have the individual quality to score against any opponent in the world, but it is doubtful whether they have the defensive organization to keep Chelsea quiet.

The Blues have conceded only four goals in their 12 league matches to date, and that rock-solid backline should help them to victory here. Back a home win and under 3.5 goals in the standout fixture of the Premier League weekend.

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