Chelsea’s recent form means that they will enter their upcoming game against Manchester United as underdogs in their own backyard. The Blues are coming off a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Man City at the weekend. Overall, they have won just one of their last seven Premier League outings.
They have also lost their last three Premier League games without scoring a goal. And they have tasted defeat in all five of their previous matches against top division opposition. No wonder the majority of the fanbase has given up on Liam Rosenior already. And if results don’t improve, BlueCo might have no other chance, although the public stance right now is that the Englishman has their backing and is expected to be the manager come next season.
On the other hand, Manchester United are coming off a defeat against Leeds United themselves. But overall, they have been much better than Chelsea, at least since Michael Carrick became their manager. Also, one cannot overlook the recent head-to-head record between the two clubs. The Blues have rarely come out on top.
Man Utd have been handed a blow going into the game though. One of their regular starters is going to miss the game against Chelsea through suspension.
Manchester United player handed suspension and will miss game vs Chelsea
Harry Maguire is going to miss the game against Chelsea. The Manchester United centre-back has been handed an additional one-game ban.
Maguire has been a regular starter for Manchester United under Carrick. So, his absence will be a blow to the team. And it is a boost for a Chelsea team that has struggled for goals in recent times.
They have gone scoreless in their last four matches when facing top division opponents. The seven goals against Port Vale did not do much for their confidence, as evidenced by their display against Man City.
Chelsea and Liam Rosenior cannot afford to lose again
Chelsea are now closer to the bottom half of the table than they are to the Champions League qualification spots. Coming into the season, finishing in the top five would have been the minimum expectation. Now, it feels like a distant dream that is slipping away with every performance.
If Chelsea are to have any hope of making it, they need to beat Man Utd this weekend. Not only would it mean three points but they would come against direct competition for those top five spots.
Of course, plenty of reliable sources have confirmed that Chelsea will continue with Rosenior as manager, even if they miss the Champions League. That being said, considering the financial situation of the club, having posted record losses recently, one would hope it does not come to that.
