New manager Graham Potter is unbeaten in seven matches in charge of Chelsea, as his side looks very solid defensively right now. The Blues also have a ton of options in both the attack and the midfield, so when Potter shapes his team, it will have no shortage of selection decisions to make.
As for their opponents coming to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Manchester United, their midweek win over Tottenham Hotspur might have been the best overall performance that we have seen under Erik ten Hag thus far.
Manchester United at Chelsea FC FYIs
Kick: Sat Oct. 22, 5:30, Stamford Bridge
Starting XI Predictions: Chelsea FC Manchester United
Team News: Chelsea FC Manchester United
After Extra Time Pod: Spotify Apple Podcasts
Google Result Probability: Chelsea FC win 46% Draw 26% Manchester United 28%
PL Standing, Form Guide: Chelsea FC 4th, 20 pts, DWWWW Manchester United 5th, 19 pts, WDWLW
And they now sit just one place and one point behind fourth-place Chelsea heading into this game.
Chelsea FC Starting XI Prediction vs Manchester United
Kepa; Azpilicueta, Silva, Chalobah; Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Kovacic, Chilwell; Sterling, Mount; Aubameyang
Prediction: United 2, Chelsea FC 1
I really believe in the Red Devils right now- I think Ten Hag is making progress on this rebuild, and they have found some form now. Chelsea are looking really good now too, but I think the edge goes to red over blue right here.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him and the website on Twitter and Instagram.