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Manchester United travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in the Fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday evening.
The hosts go into the fixture with plenty to prove after being thumped by Manchester City in the Premier League last time out, while it will be interesting to see how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s players react after suffering their first defeat under his tutelage against Paris Saint Germain.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Monday evening clash…
What History Tells Us
It’s of little surprise that the two sides have been so evenly matched in their 10 previous FA Cup ties. Both clubs have been fighting for honours at the top of the English game for the majority of the 21st century, and clashes between them are typically intense and decided by fine margins.
That United have scored five more goals and kept two less clean sheets than the hosts suggests they are the side who are most likely to open up and attack, and that particular outcome would be true to the ethos which Solskjaer has installed thus far.
Ultimately, though, there is very little splitting the teams and it’s a difficult result to call, especially given the tempestuous nature of both clubs during the current campaign.
Key Battle
Gonzalo Higuain is the player who arrived during the January window but it’s fair to say that Marcus Rashford feels like a new signing for United. Freed from the manacles which restricted him under Jose Mourinho, the England international has thrived under Solsjkaer.
Starting at the centre of a fluid front-three, oscillating from left to right and interchanging with Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, Rashford has proven to be a menace for Premier League defenders. The vast majority of his nine goals and six assists have arrived under the new manager and in the absence of Martial his performance could hold the key to victory.
Higuain, on the other hand, sits on the other end of the footballing spectrum. Unlike Rashford, he is older, more experienced and proven at the top level of European football. The goal scoring veteran will be looking to announce himself to English football with a clinical performance on Monday, and the fact he has averaged at 3.5 shots per league game this season suggests David De Gea’s expertise will be required to keep him at bay.
Ref in Focus
Could Kevin Friend become the pantomime villain at Stamford Bridge? Out of the 18 officials who have refereed a Premier League game this season, Friend has dished out the highest average of penalties per game.
Some might argue that he is too trigger-happy but perhaps Friend is simply bold and brave enough to make the game-changing decisions which others may shy away from.
With the likes of Eden Hazard, Rashford and Higuain all in line to start the game, Friend may be given no choice other than to cement his position as chief penalty-giver.
Team news
Chelsea go into the fixture with almost a clean bill of health. Marco van Ginkel is the only major absentee but he’d be lucky to take a seat on the substitutes bench even if he was deemed fit to make an appearance. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, meanwhile, will be hoping to take his place on the substitutes bench at the very least as he continues to recover from a back injury.
The major variable in Sarri’s predictable system this season has been in central midfield, where the Italian seems unable to decide whether he prefers Mateo Kovacic or Ross Barkley. But with Barkley’s glowing performance against Malmo fresh in mind, Sarri should be inclined to stick with the England international – for now at least.
From that game, Chelsea’s last encounter, we’re anticipating three changes.
United’s injury list has presented Solskjaer with a huge selection dilemma ahead of the trip to west London. The double injury blow in the build up to the fixture which has ruled out both Martial and Lingard has given the Norwegian plenty to ponder over.
Both have been pivotal in the recent post-Mourinho revolution, with their attacking prowess supplementing the flair provided Rashford in a devastating front three.
We’re tipping Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez to step into the first-team in their absence.
