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Manchester United - Chelsea Special: Will The Real Title Winners Please Stand Up?
Saturday's showdown promises drama at high noon but will it deliver a title winner? Goal.com investigates...
Apr 2, 2010 11:00:00 AM
By Patrick Reilly
Title Odds by Titanbet: Man Utd 2.00 (evens), Chelsea 2.30 (13/10)
England's bizarre Premier League title race continues to frustrate and entertain in equal measure. The so-called big four have already lost a whopping 27 games (hang your heads in shame Liverpool with 10 defeats) with neither Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal being able to stretch their legs at the head of the table.
Saturday's lunchtime encounter at Old Trafford pits triple champions United against Chelsea, who are one point behind in the table with the Gunners snapping at their heels a mere four points off the pace. Between them the Red Devils and Chelsea have won the last five titles and the smart money is on the prize remaining in Manchester or returning to the trophy cabinet at Stamford Bridge.
No European football in midweek means Carlo Ancelotti's side are fresher and still on a high after the 7-1 hiding of Aston Villa last weekend. Frank Lampard is scoring goals for fun and there is a huge desire to depose United from their throne and claim the Blues' first title in four years. A single John Terry goal won the return fixture last November. Chelsea will face Bolton, Tottenham, Stoke, Liverpool and Wigan in their title run-in.
Chelsea To Win Match And League Title: 4.50 (7/2)
These Chelsea Pensioners Are Past It And Will Win Nothing. Discuss
The Blues being totally outplayed by Inter won't have gone unnoticed by Sir Alex Ferguson. Under pressure and needing to respond at crucial moments in games isn't an Ancelotti speciality, and matches don't come more high profile than this. Chelsea are not the force of old and whisper it, or in Marcel Desailly's case shout it; they are in decline and need some fresh blood.
Four titles in a row and usurping Liverpool in the history books is motivation enough. United have won their last four league matches and destroyed Chelsea 3-0 in the corresponding fixture last season. This is the Red Devils' biggest test of their title run-in in which they will face Blackburn, Man City, Tottenham, Sunderland and Stoke.
United To Win Match And League Title: 3.75 (11/4)
No Wazza Means No Trophies For Fergie. Discuss
No Wayne Rooney, potentially for the rest of the season, removes United's greatest attacking threat. Without him they are forced to rely on Dimitar Berbatov, who drifts in and out of games, and youngster Federico Macheda, who has struggled himself with injuries this season. It's a huge ask coming on the back of an unconvincing display against Bayern Munich.
Didier Drogba has never scored against Saturday's opponents in the league, while Frank Lampard has a paltry two league goals and one of those came in his West Ham days. Joe Cole is a good outside bet having notched up two strikes, including a beauty that sealed the title for the Blues in 2006. But if you want some real value, look no further than Nicolas Anelka, who has five goals against United, three from his Arsenal days, one in Man City's 3-1 win in 2002 and a winner for Bolton in 2007. A good omen is that Anelka has never lost against United when he has scored, winning four times and drawing once.
First Goalscorer Odds: Drogba 5.5 (9/2), Lampard 8.5 (15/2), Joe Cole 13 (12/1), Anelka 8 (7/1), Terry 29 (28/1)
Where Will The Goals Come From For United?
Without Rooney, the onus is on Berbatov to supply the goals and he has form against Chelsea, scoring twice in six games. Paul Scholes has notched up six in this fixture including a double in United's 4-1 demolition job at the Bridge in 1995, while Nemanja Vidic was on the mark in last year's 3-0 win. Darren Fletcher, who scored the only goal in United's 1-0 November 2005 win, is a tasty outside bet to open the scoring.
First Goalscorer Odds: Berbatov 6.5 (11/2), Scholes 17 (16/1), Vidic 29 (28/1), Fletcher 17 (16/1), Macheda 9 (8/1)
A score draw is a likely outcome, leaving the title race delicately poised and meaning we are back to square one by the time it's all over.
Match outcome: Man Utd Win 2.50 (6/4), Draw 3.10 (21/10), Chelsea Win 2.80 (9/5)
Titanbet are offering all new customers a whopping 100% bonus up to €/£250 on their first deposit. Whatever you put in Titanbet will match. It's easy!
Is the title destined for Fergie once again or will the Blues recapture it? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think
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England's bizarre Premier League title race continues to frustrate and entertain in equal measure. The so-called big four have already lost a whopping 27 games (hang your heads in shame Liverpool with 10 defeats) with neither Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal being able to stretch their legs at the head of the table.
Saturday's lunchtime encounter at Old Trafford pits triple champions United against Chelsea, who are one point behind in the table with the Gunners snapping at their heels a mere four points off the pace. Between them the Red Devils and Chelsea have won the last five titles and the smart money is on the prize remaining in Manchester or returning to the trophy cabinet at Stamford Bridge.
No European football in midweek means Carlo Ancelotti's side are fresher and still on a high after the 7-1 hiding of Aston Villa last weekend. Frank Lampard is scoring goals for fun and there is a huge desire to depose United from their throne and claim the Blues' first title in four years. A single John Terry goal won the return fixture last November. Chelsea will face Bolton, Tottenham, Stoke, Liverpool and Wigan in their title run-in.
Chelsea To Win Match And League Title: 4.50 (7/2)
These Chelsea Pensioners Are Past It And Will Win Nothing. Discuss
The Blues being totally outplayed by Inter won't have gone unnoticed by Sir Alex Ferguson. Under pressure and needing to respond at crucial moments in games isn't an Ancelotti speciality, and matches don't come more high profile than this. Chelsea are not the force of old and whisper it, or in Marcel Desailly's case shout it; they are in decline and need some fresh blood.
Four titles in a row and usurping Liverpool in the history books is motivation enough. United have won their last four league matches and destroyed Chelsea 3-0 in the corresponding fixture last season. This is the Red Devils' biggest test of their title run-in in which they will face Blackburn, Man City, Tottenham, Sunderland and Stoke.
United To Win Match And League Title: 3.75 (11/4)
No Wazza Means No Trophies For Fergie. Discuss
No Wayne Rooney, potentially for the rest of the season, removes United's greatest attacking threat. Without him they are forced to rely on Dimitar Berbatov, who drifts in and out of games, and youngster Federico Macheda, who has struggled himself with injuries this season. It's a huge ask coming on the back of an unconvincing display against Bayern Munich.
Didier Drogba has never scored against Saturday's opponents in the league, while Frank Lampard has a paltry two league goals and one of those came in his West Ham days. Joe Cole is a good outside bet having notched up two strikes, including a beauty that sealed the title for the Blues in 2006. But if you want some real value, look no further than Nicolas Anelka, who has five goals against United, three from his Arsenal days, one in Man City's 3-1 win in 2002 and a winner for Bolton in 2007. A good omen is that Anelka has never lost against United when he has scored, winning four times and drawing once.
First Goalscorer Odds: Drogba 5.5 (9/2), Lampard 8.5 (15/2), Joe Cole 13 (12/1), Anelka 8 (7/1), Terry 29 (28/1)
Where Will The Goals Come From For United?
Without Rooney, the onus is on Berbatov to supply the goals and he has form against Chelsea, scoring twice in six games. Paul Scholes has notched up six in this fixture including a double in United's 4-1 demolition job at the Bridge in 1995, while Nemanja Vidic was on the mark in last year's 3-0 win. Darren Fletcher, who scored the only goal in United's 1-0 November 2005 win, is a tasty outside bet to open the scoring.
First Goalscorer Odds: Berbatov 6.5 (11/2), Scholes 17 (16/1), Vidic 29 (28/1), Fletcher 17 (16/1), Macheda 9 (8/1)
A score draw is a likely outcome, leaving the title race delicately poised and meaning we are back to square one by the time it's all over.
Match outcome: Man Utd Win 2.50 (6/4), Draw 3.10 (21/10), Chelsea Win 2.80 (9/5)
Titanbet are offering all new customers a whopping 100% bonus up to €/£250 on their first deposit. Whatever you put in Titanbet will match. It's easy!
Is the title destined for Fergie once again or will the Blues recapture it? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think
Become a fan of Goal.com International on Facebook! Just click onto Facebook.com/Goal to join the beautiful game's leading fan community...
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