Manchester United vs Chelsea LIVE: Red Devils need just a point to secure Champions League football next season… as Blues look to spoil the party
Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Chelsea.
Host commentator
Lampard told Sky Sports: ‘He [Sterling] had a small feeling in his hamstring at Manchester City at half time but carried on so it’s not a major issue but he hasn’t trained since that game so he is out and we are hoping he is involved at the weekend.
‘Thiago has played a lot of games. There is no doubt he could play two games in three days and finish the season but at the same time I think it’s good for him to sit out and be ready for the weekend.
‘My role here, when I came in with the league position and the targets not being what Chelsea were used to…it’s a position for me to give players an opportunity to see what they can offer and test them to see what they have.
‘That starts on the training pitch to show they deserve to play but also in this position to give some of them some game time so I’ll be interested to see their individual performances.
‘If they don’t feel like they are going to be part of getting Chelsea back…you have to have a pride to play for Chelsea no matter what is on the game. This moment is difficult but you have to have pride to play against a really good team in a great arena to play football. Some days I wish I could still do that so it is a blessing for players and I want to see that as a collective.’
Speaking ahead of the game, Ten Hag said: ‘Not always the case this season [being strong], a lot of injuries, we couldn’t always change but we did often but now have a really good bench.
‘We have Rashford, Garnacho, Fred, Mctominay. They are all good options that a club like Man United needs if we want to battle for the highest.’
Speaking ahead of the game, Redknapp said: ‘Manchester United still have important games to tick off and then an FA Cup final which is what you dream of as a kid.
‘It’s been a really successful season in so many aspects, some big shocks but a lot of positivity. You can feel it with the fans for a the first time in a long time they are behind the manager and have something to look forward to.’
Let's go, keepers 🧤#MUFC || #MUNCHE
Lampard said: ‘I think it is a difficult situation. From working with Mason and others here before they have gone on to be important players for the club, they feel a connection with the club.
‘Some have moved on and done well, but with Mason particularly as an individual I don’t know what solution will be. In terms of Mason and the club, I don’t know where Mason is.
‘I know he is held in high regard. The are club are trying to make him stay. Also with Mason I would never want to stand here and say what a player should do, they see what is going on with their own eyes.
‘In the modern day, players move on. It’s a shame we are in a situation where it looks like it may be happening now.’
He said: ‘I think the squad size is something club will address. The new manager will understand what I am saying there. For some players, it might be time to leave. They might want to leave.
‘After that the manager will come in with his tactical ideas and idea of how he wants to play. Having been here a long time during a period of success there are a lot of basics, standards and day to day ethics that have dropped down a level.
‘One of the first things I have seen visibly drop is those basics. I am not here telling new manager what to do, in my short period that basic level before tactics needs to step up again.’
With Manchester United looking to qualify for the Champions League tonight, the Red Devils will be desperate to get the job done.
The club will certainly be boosted by the potential return of Rashford (even if he’s starting on the bench). Should he be given the nod, the forward has the ability to cause Chelsea a lot of problems.
For Chelsea, the side will be looking to get as many points as they can in their last two games.
The issue has been scoring goals. Lampard’s men showed glimpses of picking up good results in their last few games. Havertz will be looking to find some luck against Ten Hag’s side.
‘It is a similar situation to approaching playing Manchester City, albeit they had won the league the night before,’ Lampard said at his pre-match press conference.
‘They [Man United] are a high-level team so it is the same point from where I approached going into the City game, and how the players approach it more importantly.
‘People think we have not got much on the game and the players have to show them there is, in terms of their personal and collective approach to it. We will have to go there with a good mentality as they are fighting for something we have fought for for many years, and now we are not in that position, so players need to show.’
‘Well, I think we are in a good direction, but also I think we also can learn from the season and we have to evaluate it after the season and make the right conclusions for the future,’ Ten Hag said at his pre-match press conference.
‘And that’s what we will definitely do after the season.’
We’ve arrived at Old Trafford. 📌
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Meanwhile, Chelsea have made three changes to the side that lost to Manchester City in the Premier League last Sunday. Thiago Silva, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Raheem Sterling have all been dropped from the starting XI, while Carney Chukwuemeka, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Noni Madueke come in.
Marcus Rashford returns to the Manchester United squad this evening. However, he will start the game on the bench after recovering from his injury. Rashford’s return to the squad will threaten Sancho and Martial ahead of the FA Cup final. They will be looking to prove their worth this evening.
Chelsea starting XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Chalobah, W Fofana, Hall; Enzo, Gallagher, Chukwuemeka; Madueke, Havertz, Mudryk.
Substitutes: Mendy, Gilchrist, Koulibaly, Silva, Loftus-Chee, Joao Felix, Pulisic, Ziyech, D. Fofana.
The Blues. 🔵@ParimatchGlobal | #MunChe pic.twitter.com/VdBnBKyBe3
Manchester United’s starting XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Lindelof, Shaw, Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony, Fernandes, Sancho, Martial.
Substitutes: Butland, Dalot, Maguire, Malacia, Fred, Rashford, Garnacho, McTominay, Weghorst.
🚨 TEAM NEWS 🚨
The Reds name an unchanged XI for #MUNCHE 👊#MUFC || #PL
Luke Shaw has revealed that he expects Manchester United to make ‘big signings’ during the upcoming summer transfer window.
Premier League clubs will be able to bring in new reinforcements and sell-on players deemed surplus to requirements when the transfer window opens on Wednesday, June 14.
United have previously been criticised by their own supporters for being slow negotiators, with their pursuit of Frenkie de Jong last summer dragging on before failing to materialise.
READ MORE BELOW…
Erik ten Hag’s programme notes read: ‘I hope you are all prepared and ready to use your voices this evening because, as we welcome Frank Lampard and Chelsea to Old Trafford, we must all be fired-up for what is another crucial game.’
West Ham’s hope of sparking a bidding war for captain Declan Rice is becoming a reality after Manchester United joined the race to land the England international.
Hammers skipper Rice is set to leave this summer with the London Stadium club open to listening to offers for the midfielder.
It is thought a fee of around £100million would be enough to tempt West Ham into selling.
READ MORE BELOW…
Champions League qualification was Ten Hag’s primary aim when he took over last summer, and the Dutchman is in no doubt about the importance of getting over the line.
‘It’s clear,’ he added. ‘First, we have to win the game tomorrow and get the job done. We want to compete with the best and be in the Champions League. In the Premier League, you have to be one of the first four, that’s not easy.
‘Many are competing for it, many think they should be in and we are one of them.
‘Then it’s about judgement from others if it’s a good, bad or normal performance. We are in a project, we want to go back and win trophies.
‘We’ve won one trophy but we want more trophies and to compete with the best. We are still in a journey but we think we are in the right direction but it can always be better. Because good is not good enough.’
Marcus Rashford is expected to return to the Manchester United squad for this evening’s clash with Chelsea as Erik ten Hag’s side look to seal Champions League qualification.
Rashford has missed the last two games against Aston Villa and Bournemouth through injury and illness, but Ten Hag hopes his 29-goal top scorer will be available again after resuming training.
Asked if Rashford will be fit for the Old Trafford clash, the United boss said: ‘It looks like it. Yesterday, he returned to training.
‘Rashford looks quite fit but we have to see today what is the outcome of the training, how did we recover and then we will make our choices.’
United need one point from their remaining games at home to Chelsea and Fulham on Sunday to be sure of clinching fourth place ahead of Liverpool.
Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s live blog for the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Chelsea. We are in for a good one this evening! Marcus Rashford is set to return to the United squad as Red Devils look to secure Champions League qualification. While Chelsea are eager to get points on the board!
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