Premiership
Old Trafford
Sunday, 23th September 2007; KO: 16:00 BST

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You won't decide the title in September, but both United and Chelsea would take victory on Sunday at Old Trafford as a major boost to their hopes of clinching the championship.

Neither side has come sprinting out of the blocks this term, but both sides need to pick up points to stay in touch with the leading pack.
Recent history suggests it will be tight affair - there have been just five goals in the last four meetings between the two sides.

Form guide:



(DDLWWW)

made a sluggish start to the 2007/08 campaign with draws against Reading and Portsmouth and defeat to Manchester City.
However, three 1-0 wins against Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Everton have hauled United back up the table.

On the other hand,

(WWDWLD)

are in shock after Jose Mourinho's shock departure from the club.
In such situations the form book perhaps goes out of the window.
How Chelsea's players respond will have a telling influence on the game's outcome.



Ins and outs:



Didier Drogba (knee) and Frank Lampard (toe) are both doubts, as is Ricardo Carvalho (ankle).
But Chelsea still have the strength in depth to cause United problems




Sir Alex has Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha, who scored 59 goals between them last term,
all fit and firing for the first time in the league this season.
For Gary Neville (thigh) this match may come too soon, while Darren Fletcher, John O'Shea and Mikael Silvestre (all knee) all miss out.



Star men:


have a team full of players that can turn a game,
Ronaldo and Rooney being the two most notable.
But Louis Saha has the pace, movement and strength to really trouble Chelsea's defence, as he did when he scored against the Blues at Old Trafford last season.




John Terry is a warrior and could be key in keeping United out, especially if Lampard and Drogba don't make it, blunting Chelsea's attack.


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BIG-MATCH FACTS

The second of this season's clashes between the so-called "Big Four" clubs; Manchester United's first and Chelsea's second, after drawing 1-1 away to Liverpool on 19 August.

United are pursuing a fifth straight win in all competitions and fourth on the spin in the Premier League,
however they've not scored more than a single goal in any game this season.

Chelsea begin the post-Mourinho era, in search of their second win in six league and cup outings, and first goal in three Premier League matches.

Victory in Avram Grant's first match in charge, would also be Chelsea's 1,500th league win in their history.

Sir Alex Ferguson had only registered one win in six Premier League meetings with Jose Mourinho;
the 1-0 victory at Old Trafford on 6 November 2005 in which Darren Fletcher scored, famously ending Chelsea's 40-match unbeaten League run.

CLUB FORM:

1. Won the last four in all competitions, all by 1-0 margins,
home to Spurs and Sunderland and away to Everton in the Premier League, and away to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.

2. Not won four consecutive league games in 13 outings, since registering seven in a row on 31 March.

3. Only Reading have scored fewer Premier League goals (three).

4. Their league matches have yielded just a goal a game on average - the lowest such ratio by any club in the Premier League;
six games, six goals - four for, two against.

5. On the longest current run in the Premier League of nine matches since scoring more than one goal in a game;
the most recent being the 2-4 victory, away to Everton on 28 April.

6. Netted more than a single goal in only one of the last 11 league fixtures.

7. Let in more than a single goal in only one of the last 12 league fixtures.

8. On the longest current run in the Premier League of 46 matches since losing by more than a single goal; the 3-0 reverse by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 29 April 2006.

9. Conceded just three goals in nine league games and none in the last three or 329 minutes (five hours 29 minutes) of Premier League football,
since Geovanni's winner for Manchester City in the derby clash at Eastlands on 19 August.

1. Drawn the last two; 0-0, home to Blackburn in the Premier League, and 1-1, home to Rosenborg in the Champions League.

2. Won one of the last four Premier League matches;
1-0 home to Portsmouth.

3. Fallen behind in four of their six Premier League matches.

4. Gained an unparalleled seven points from matches in which they were losing (won two, drawn one).

5. Not scored in two Premier League games, or 239 minutes (three hours 59 minutes) since Frank Lampard's winner, home to Portsmouth on 25 August.

6. They only lost 10 of 120 Premier League matches under Jose Mourinho.

7. Lost one of 10 away league games; 2-0 at Aston Villa in their most recent league game on the road on 2 September.

8. The next Premier League fixture will be the local derby, home to Fulham, next Saturday.

KEY PLAYER NOTES

Paul SCHOLES, Louis SAHA, NANI and Nemanja VIDIC are the only players to have scored for Manchester United in this Premier League season - one goal each.

RONALDO and Ryan GIGGS are their only other scorers - just one each also.

GIGGS is a double short of 100 career League goals.

If he plays:-

Wayne ROONEY will be making his 150th appearance in a Manchester United shirt.

Louis SAHA will be making his 200th English league appearance (Newcastle, Fulham and Manchester United).

If on the field from the outset:-

John O'SHEA will be making his 200th start for Manchester United.

Chris EAGLES will be making his 50th English league start (Manchester United, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday).

Gary NEVILLE will be making his 350th Premier League start - all for the Red Devils.

Frank LAMPARD is Chelsea's leading scorer with three goals - all in the Premier League.

If he plays:-

ASHLEY COLE will be making his 200th career league appearance (Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Chelsea).

John Mikel OBI will be making his 50th appearance in a Chelsea shirt.

Michael BALLACK will be playing three days before his 31st birthday.

HEAD TO HEAD:

Manchester United and Chelsea met 10 times in all competitions when Jose Mourinho was in charge at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea won five;
Manchester United won one in normal time, and also won this season's Community Shield on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Wembley.

Chelsea's only win in five Premier League matches at the Theatre of Dreams was 1-3 on 10 May 2005 when Tiago, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Joe Cole got on the score sheet.

Home and away

League (inc PL): Man United 54 wins, Chelsea 36, Draws 40
Prem: Man United 8 wins, Chelsea 9, Draws 13

at Man United only
League (inc PL): Man United 25 wins, Chelsea 17, Draws 23
Prem: Man United 4 wins, Chelsea 4, Draws 7




[ 本帖最后由 吉格斯 于 2007-9-24 01:12 编辑 ]

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