Chelsea vs Manchester Untied FA Cup preview

Chelsea vs Manchester United Preview  

Mourinho returns to the Bridge

Two heavyweights of the Premier League will once again clash at Stamford Bridge in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. Mourinho will once again get the opportunity to return to his beloved Chelsea, but this time he will be seen in the opposition’s dugout rather than the home side’s.

  

Head to Head

When the two sides met at the end of October in the same venue, it was a horrible return for the ‘Special One’ as United were thrashed 4-0 by the Blues. Since then it seems as if things are starting to go well for the Red Devils thus far. This will be the 11th meeting between the two sides in the FA Cup where the Blues have won 3 of the previous ties at Stamford Bridge.

Key matchups  

De Gea vs Courtois

If you want to keep winning trophies, especially in England, a key element you need is a top-class goalkeeper. Both David De Gea and Thiabaut Courtois would easily fit into that category. Courtois has a total of 13 clean sheets. De Gea on the other hand has a total of 10 from the same amount of games.  Both keepers are having a good season thus far, however I would say that in terms of how both teams are playing, I would say that Courtois may just have the edge in the battle of the keepers should both start.

Costa vs United’s defence

The battle between Diego Costa and Manchester United’s defence will be a treat to watch as the Brazilian born Spanish international striker is having a good season for Chelsea using his upper body strength to cause problems to the defenders of the opposing team. United’s defence, it is not as solid as Chelsea’s, so you would expect Chelsea to create quite a few chances in United’s half, especially if Costa gets into the game.

Fabregas vs Rooney

These two midfielders are the most experienced in the Premier League. The thing that stands out for these two players is their match awareness as they know how play accordingly to the match situation. I would say that dictating the midfield Fabregas is the better exploiter going forward as he can pick a pass from anywhere on the pitch whereas Rooney gives more stability in midfield, protecting the defence. He can score goals from anywhere on the pitch and is currently United’s all-time top scorer.

                                                                                         

Willian vs Rashford

These two players are probably the fastest players in both teams, particularly on the counter attack, Marcus Rashford started off as a striker but has proved that he can also play out wide. Despite Chelsea’s shocking season of 2015-16, the Brazilian left winger Willian was the stand out player in the team. Last season, Willian was Chelsea’s best player in a dismal season for the Blues. Scoring 14 goals in 35 appearances.

Team form

Things are looking good for both teams thus far. United will be looking to build on their success in winning the EFL Cup a fortnight ago, Chelsea on the other hand will be looking to resume their match winning form in the FA Cup and look to seek a place in the semi-final at Wembley as will the Red Devils.