MARTIN KEOWN’S BIG MATCH ANALYSIS
UNITED MUST ISOLATE LUIZ
TO have success against Chelsea, you need to upset their back three. Andre Gray ran into channels and stretched the three defenders when Burnley held them to a draw, while Chelsea could not handle Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha running at them when Crystal Palace won at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago. It is difficult to isolate the three as Chelsea either become a five with their wing-backs or else N’Golo Kante comes back. What United need to do is try to pull David Luiz out of position and ask as many questions of him as possible. Marcus Rashford could cause Luiz problems. As the 19-year-old demonstrated when he burst through on goal in United’s FA Cup defeat at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea will struggle to live with his pace.
FATIGUE COULD BE KEY
MANCHESTER UNITED have a talented squad who are capable of doing something special against Chelsea. I just feel the fact they have played 52 games this season could catch up with them. While United were travelling to Belgium to face Anderlecht on Thursday, the Chelsea players will have had no distractions in preparation for this huge clash. Chelsea, who have played 14 fewer games than Jose Mourinho’s side, will be fresh and raring to go. If you are a Chelsea player the message is, ‘If we get something here, we are champions’.
SPARKS WILL FLY!
IT promises to be an explosive battle between Diego Costa and Marcos Rojo. The United defender did not take any nonsense from Costa when the sides met in the FA Cup and there could be lots of fireworks tomorrow. Costa will be scratching his head as to why he has not been shortlisted for the PFA Player of the Year award. Rojo and Eric Bailly will need to have the games of their lives to stop him.
WHO’LL PICK UP HAZARD?
I EXPECT this to be a tactical battle between managers Antonio Conte and Mourinho. Even when United went down to 10 men against Chelsea in the FA Cup, Mourinho’s side retained their shape and kept trying to win the match. That night Phil Jones sat deep to pick up Eden Hazard. The Belgian is almost impossible to man mark but, with Jones injured, it will be interesting to see if Mourinho designates a player to look after Hazard tomorrow.