Manchester United and Chelsea will temporarily take their focus off a fascinating top-four race on Sunday when the two sides meet in the FA Cup semi-f
Manchester United and Chelsea will temporarily take their focus off a fascinating top-four race on Sunday when the two sides meet in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Just one point separates them in the Premier League table, and both teams go into this repeat of the 2018 final off the back of crucial victories at the weekend.
It is hard to take one’s eyes off a thrilling top-four race in the Premier League table at the moment, with Chelsea in third and Manchester United in fifth separated by just one point, but that is what both clubs must do this weekend with Wembley awaiting.
United and Chelsea have lifted the FA Cup 20 times between them, with United looking to do so for a record-equalling 13th time this season and also bidding for a record 21st appearance in the final.
United’s unbeaten run now stretches to 19 games across all competitions, which is their longest such streak in almost a decade – last doing so in November 2010 when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side went 29 games without tasting defeat.
It is the manner in which they have picked up those results which will please Solskjaer the most, though; after years of accusations of being stale and slow, the partnerships between Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Paul Pogba have provided a welcome and exciting breath of fresh air to the United attack.
The Blues made a vital return to winning ways over relegated Norwich on Tuesday night as Olivier Giroud fired them to a 1-0 victory, bouncing back from a hugely disappointing 3-0 defeat at Sheffield United last weekend.
So far this season Chelsea have overcome Nottingham Forest, Hull City, Liverpool and Leicester to reach the semi-finals, conceding only one goal along the way.
This will be the fourth meeting between these two sides this season, and Manchester United have won all of the previous three – home and away in the Premier League by a 6-0 aggregate scoreline and a 2-1 triumph to knock the Blues out of the EFL Cup.
Indeed, United are now unbeaten in their last six games against Chelsea across all competitions, stretching back to the FA Cup final between the two sides in 2018.
Chelsea have won four of the last five FA Cup ties between these two clubs, but the overall record in this competition stands at nine wins for United compared to five for Chelsea.
Both managers know all about success in the FA Cup too, with Frank Lampard winning it four times as a player and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer twice; both are now looking for their first major trophy as a manager.
Betwizad is however tipping Chelsea to either win or draw the match (X2) at odds of 1.50. The FA cup semifinals had already seen a shocker yesterday, but it won’t be that shocking if Lampard’s side make it past United to set up a London derby at Wembley.
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