Prediction: Manchester United vs Chelsea

Having shown some improvement of late, Manchester United need to prove they can match the best sides in the league when they host leaders Chelsea at Old Trafford. The Blues may face some problems up front, but they remain in a good position to extend the impressive run of results on Sunday afternoon.

When he arrived at Old Trafford, Louis van Gaal suggested it would take him around three months to get his new team playing the way he wanted them to, but that period is over and Manchester United remain far from their best. There were some mitigating circumstances for the Dutch boss with a number of important players missing through injury and plenty of problems at the back, but the general impression is the team with so many world-class players should be performing much better. The Red Devils did show some improvement of late, winning home games against West Ham and Everton, but they were again pretty disappointing in the 2-2 draw with West Bromwich and somewhat fortunate to get away with one point. Louis van Gaal will be delighted to welcome back Michael Carrick from an ankle injury, while Angel Di Maria should be fit to play despite suffering a knock at the Hawthorns. Meanwhile, Ander Herrera is doubtful with a rib problem and Wayne Rooney is banned. Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans and Jesse Lingard remain sidelined, but Paddy McNair could return.

Unlike their Premier League rivals, Chelsea have been absolutely brilliant this season and they are rightly considered the main candidates for the league trophy. Having only failed to beat Manchester City on the road while winning most remaining fixtures quite comfortably, the Blues go into this match high on confidence, especially with the midweek 6-0 triumph over Maribor in mind. Jose Mourinho does have some selection problems considering that both Diego Costa and Loic Remy are expected to miss out and it does look as though Andre Schurrle will be preferred to Didier Drogba up front. However, with Jose Mourinho having found a perfect balance in the side and his key men performing to their potential, the Blues certainly look good value for money to enjoy another triumph over high-profile side. Chelsea have won four of five away fixtures this term, while coming really close to defeating Manchester City at the Etihad, and that is another reason for optimism ahead of the trip to Old Trafford. Thibaut Courtois, Cesar Azpilicueta and Gary Cahill are set to be recalled after they were rested in midweek.

Conclusion

Manchester United are still far from the desired form and with players struggling to adapt to Louis van Gaal’s ideas, the Red Devils will find it hard to match red-hot Chelsea. The Blues have proved their worth in high-profile matches on so many occasions and I fully expect them to win at Old Trafford.

Verdict: Chelsea Draw no bet

Best Odds: 8/11

Bookmaker: William Hill