After an emphatic victory in his first match in charge of Manchester United, interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy assumes the lead of his first Premier League game as the Red Devils host top four contenders Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Man United hammered Leicester City 5-2 in the Carabao Cup in his debut as temporary boss, with new boss Ruben Amorim set to join after the November international break.
The competition gets much tougher now as van Nistelrooy has just days to prepare for a Chelsea side sitting fifth in the Premier League table with 19 goals scored through nine games.
The Blues are flying in league play under Enzo Maresca, but will be licking their wounds this weekend from Wednesday’s disappointing defeat to Newcastle to be bounced from the Carabao Cup.
MORE: How to watch Man United vs. Chelsea in Premier League
Man United vs. Chelsea prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Chelsea (+150)
- Score prediction:Â Man United 1-3 Chelsea
Manchester United had an outburst against defensively-challenged Leicester City, but in truth, there’s probably a lot of fools’ gold in that. What was more likely to be indicative of their long-term profile are the defensive struggles.
The Red Devils may have scored five goals on 23 shots worth 2.95 xG, but they also coughed up 16 shots, including seven on target, to a newly promoted side.
Chelsea, meanwhile, were unlucky not to get a goal against Newcastle and have been one of the best attacking sides in the Premier League this year. It’s hard to see the Blues failing to punish Man United for their defensive mistakes, even if Chelsea themselves are pegged back too at some point.
| Â | BetMGM (USA) |
| Man United win | +150 |
| Draw | +280 |
| Chelsea win | +150 |
| Both teams to score |
Y: -250 N: +165 |
| Over / Under 3.5 goals |
O: +110 U: -150 |
| Chelsea -0.5 goals |
+138 |
| Man United +0.5 goals |
-200 |
Man United vs. Chelsea match facts
- Date:Â Sunday, November 3, 2024
- Kickoff Time:Â 4:30Â p.m. local (11:30Â a.m. ET / 8:30Â a.m. PT)
- Location:Â Old Trafford (Manchester, England)
- Referee:Â Robert Jones, VAR: Michael Salisbury.
- Last meeting:Â Chelsea 4-3 Man United (Apr. 4, 2024 | Premier League)
Â
MORE: A complete guide to betting on soccer in the United States
Man United vs. Chelsea best bet
- Pick:Â Over 3.5 total goals
- Odds:Â +110 (BetMGM)
Manchester United look energized offensively under Ruud van Nistelrooy, but they remain defensively inept. Chelsea, meanwhile, are one of the Premier League’s best attacking sides, only let down against Newcastle in their Carabao Cup defeat midweek thanks to poor finishing, coming up empty on 17 shots worth 1.97 xG.
Both these teams have displayed repeated defensive frailties in the last month, and that should lead to an exciting scoreline across 90 wacky minutes.
Man United vs. Chelsea prop bet
- Pick:Â 12+ total shots on target
- Odds:Â +110Â (FanDuel)
While these two teams have both been somewhat improved defensively this season on the whole, there are signs that something is masking underlying problems. Defensive miscues can pile on top of one another, which was evident for both teams during the Carabao Cup matches. Both teams deployed largely first-choice EFL Cup squads, and thus can be trusted.
These two sides average a combined nine shots on target conceded during the season, and against fellow attacking opponents, overreaching on those numbers slightly would be a reasonable expectation. The last six meetings between these teams have produced a combined 21 goals and 66 shots on frame. Andre Onana and Robert Sanchez should have plenty of work to do throughout this match.