Game of the week

Chelsea v Manchester United

Comment: 0 January 30th, 2012
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The John Terry-Anton Ferdinand racism issue again makes its way onto the pitch, as Chelsea prepare to host Manchester United, the squad of Anton’s brother Rio.  Speculations have begun flying from all directions, mostly on the attitude Terry will receive from Ferdinand during the pre-match Respect parade.

But beyond this issue comes either team’s continuing struggle for the Premier League title.  As of this writing, Chelsea stand at 4th place while United linger at 2nd.

League standings aside, however, the 2 squads’ forms stand almost equal, specifically Chelsea at Stamford Bridge against United on the road.  A 5-match review across all competitions shows the Blues with 3 wins, 1 draw and only 1 loss. The Red Devils also bear 3 wins, plus 2 defeats.

Manchester United however hold a slight edge in the Premier League, with 4 wins and only 1 loss on the road; Chelsea have 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss.

Tempers, adrenaline and a dash of personal vendetta may flare up as these league giants face off on 5 February.  But in the end, it is a race to the coveted EPL title and there is little doubt that either team is thinking of conceding.

Expect nothing less than an all-out battle between 2 squads willing to settle for nothing less than respect and an undeniable sense of greatness.

Beat the Blues or bust

By Wayne DeVille

This is one fixture Manchester United are raring to win.

If the Red Devils want to sustain their hot pursuit of Manchester City and at the same time put a period on the Blues’ aspirations in the Premier League, they should prevail at Stamford Bridge.

United have dominated the Blues in their 5 previous head-to-head clashes so paying another visit at the Chelsea enclave would pose no big problem.

But to succeed in an emphatic way, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side must show up in full strength.

Fans won’t care whether Rio Ferdinand shakes John Terry’s hands or not. They’ll all care about the outcome of the match.

A draw against Chelsea would just be fine. But a loss? City would laugh their hearts out with that result.

A Red Devil rally

By Jamie McClough

Chelsea might be the home team but their performance hasn’t really been something to be concerned of, has it?  Three games at Stamford Bridge, and only 1 win?  Not very convincing.

With Manchester United we have 2 wins and 1 loss in 3 road games.  No need to elaborate here, United are in fact a massive team and I don’t care how much some may hate them or sneer at the fact that they can’t get past second.

This is a must-win for both teams, but I think United’s reputation might be more on the line.  Chelsea losing to the great Red Devils may be unfortunate, but not unexpected.  United falling to Chelsea is a sign of bleaker things to come for the second-placers.

No need for United fans to be concerned though.  After defeating Chelsea 3 straight times, the Red Devils have proven themselves the more superior team.

The Red Devils need this win, and I say a win awaits them at Stamford Bridge.

Red Devils to show their fangs

By Noah Thatcher

A battle between two of the best squads in English football, it is sure to be an intense match-up. Chelsea have been in form lately, they’ve yet to lose in 5 matches and have only drawn once. Though there are still different issues off the pitch, they have cleared their heads when it matters most.

As for the defending champions, 2012 has had its shares of ups and downs. They were able to avenge their loss against league leaders Manchester City, but have been booted off the FA Cup by Liverpool. They also have different players suffering injuries that have not helped their causes.

With that said, the Blues have only won once in their last 5 meetings. Though they have the advantage of playing at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, the statistics will play in favour of the Red Devils. This may be the start of the Red Devils’ run back to defending their league title.

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