Chelsea face two frosty away fixtures over five days in the North-West, beginning with Manchester United at Old Trafford. Everton follow on Sunday.

Every match in this round will be broadcast by Amazon Prime Video, a gallery of live games that will be repeated at the end of the month.

This is the Blues’ first midweek league fixture since a disappointing 4-1 loss at the same venue in May – the last time Marcus Rashford scored in the league there. United finished their most recent game late on Saturday evening at Newcastle but have still had more recovery time than Chelsea, who entertained Brighton on Sunday afternoon.

Both will be desperate for a win. Between 2004 and 2011 these two hugely successful clubs passed the Premier League crown between them. A difficult current season, though, has often had each set of supporters grateful for the other copping a share of the flak.

There was a divergence last weekend. Chelsea enjoyed a confidence-building, ten-man win against the aggressive Seagulls, while the Red Devils lacked fire at St James’ Park.

Not since 1973/74 – a relegation season – have the hosts suffered ten defeats in all competitions so early in the year. Meanwhile Chelsea arrive determined to improve on a record of no wins in 11 league meetings with United since November 2017. Victory would leave the Blues two points behind United with a superior goal difference.

Team news

Mauricio Pochettino still has nine players in recovery and while Reece James and Marc Cucurella return from suspension tonight, Conor Gallagher serves a one-game ban. Several Academy talents will again be on the bench.

Although both returning full-backs were starters before their absence, Poch’s back four of tall centre-backs performed well against Brighton. Two of our three goals came from their big contributions, and only three sides have now scored more from set-plays.

Tonight’s hosts are one of the lesser pressing sides in the division, so the bait-and-switch that opened Brighton up early on won’t work so well. That said, recognised full-backs might more readily exploit the gaps on the flank left by the Red Devils’ forwards. We saw Robert Sanchez catching the ball and initiating counter-attacks against Brighton, and the hosts’ organisation can be disrupted by quick breaks on the Old Trafford turf.

United studiously play the ball out from the back and only two teams have made more tackles in the attacking third than the Blues with their triggered harassment. Among the chief pressers, Raheem Sterling has scored or set up a goal in each of his past three away performances and, after 42 attempts without success, Enzo has found his goalscoring range in the Premier League.

No team has been awarded more penalties this season than Chelsea’s five, though our last spot-kick goal in the league at United’s ground was by Dennis Wise, way back in November 1990.

Goal contributions all competitions 2023/24

Opposition scout – Man United

Erik ten Hag will prepare for this floodlit fixture without a host of potential starters, including Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Jadon Sancho. Mason Mount may be fit to face his former club.

Although they lost a one-sided affair at St James’ Park at the weekend, Manchester United have often managed to pocket the points despite not been playing well.

That’s because players such as Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho or Scott McTominay have popped up and swung the game in an instant. The 3-0 defeat of Everton is the only league win by more than one goal all season.

Ten Hag has been criticised by fans for using players out of their familiar position, and at Newcastle left-back Luke Shaw was preferred to Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof at centre-back.

The former Ajax coach asked skipper Fernandes, who is generally waving the wand when the Red Devils have their best attacking moments, to adopt a deeper playmaking role next to Kobbie Mainoo, pushing McTominay further forward.

They could not compete with the intensity of the Magpies’ midfield, though (making Conor Gallagher’s suspension this evening all the more galling). The lively Garnacho was United’s most advanced player on Saturday, with out-of-sorts Rashford in a wide right role.

If there has been success story in any area it is defence, with Harry Maguire rehabilitated and Andre Onana avoiding the errors domestically that have marred their European campaign.

The Cameroonian has made the third-most saves in the top flight and faced the sixth-most shots on target. That has not prevented United from losing three of their last five top-flight fixtures at the Theatre of Dreams – including a 3-1 to Brighton.

Chelsea vs Man United – the history

A decade has slipped by since Chelsea last claimed all three points at Old Trafford. Juan Mata, who would join the hosts’ squad the following January, drove in a late winner that was final reward for the visitors’ control of the game in May 2013. That was also the last game Sir Alex Ferguson crossed swords with the Blues, who at that time had won more times (six) at United’s home than any Premier League rival.

This classic north-south headline grabber has been noteworthy since the Blues’ maiden season in 1905/06. A Good Friday 1-1 draw between the two promotion hopefuls attracted a record Division Two crowd of 67,000 to Stamford Bridge.

Our record win at United’s home remains a 4-0 success in August 1968 featuring two classic teams – George Best, Bobby Charlton and Brian Kidd on one side, Peter Osgood, Bobby Tambling and Tommy Baldwin the other.

It was ‘Sponge’ Baldwin’s day, the Geordie opening the scoring virtually from kick-off and back-heeling in to complete his brace after Tambling had poached a second. Birch capitalised on a Tony Dunne error to complete the emphatic result.

Defining December

Chelsea’s busy 12th month continues with Lancashire hosts Manchester United and Everton four days later, two traditionally difficult trips as we enter the middle third of the season.

United are the last of the traditional top-six sides we will face in the league until Liverpool at the end of January, and we are undefeated in the four of these fixtures so far.

‘Top six’ mini-league 2023/24

The great entertainers

If it’s goals you like, look no further than Chelsea. The Blues have scored 12 goals and conceded 11 in the past four league matches, an overall average of 5.75 per game. Ten Hag would not bat an eyelid at that: he was in charge of Ajax for the heart-stopping Champions League group stage game in November 2019 at the Bridge that finished 4-4. United goalie Onana, of course, was in nets for Ajax.

While our attackers may be happier about the current goals glut than those whose duty it is to keep the ball out, the run makes Chelsea the fifth most in-form team in the top flight. Man United, another team that has its critics at the moment, have belied their performances by gaining the most points from the last four league games.

Ten best over last four matches

Quicker breakthroughs

Enzo’s opener against Brighton was only the fourth occasion we have struck the first blow in a Premier League match, but the third eventual victory. As the other, Arsenal, was drawn, we remain unbeaten when drawing first blood.

The timing of the Blues’ first goal has also incrementally crept earlier over recent games: Tottenham 35 minutes (Palmer), Man City 29 (Silva), Newcastle 23 (Sterling) and Brighton 17 (Enzo).

FA Cup opponents

The draw for round three of this season’s FA Cup paired Chelsea with Preston North End at Stamford Bridge. The last two occasions we met in this competition, 2001/02 and 2009/10, the Blues went on to reach the final, the latter completing the league and cup Double under Carlo Ancelotti.

The first FA Cup clash with the Lilywhites, in round four on 25 January 1969, ended 0-0, requiring a replay. Bizarrely, the original rematch of four nights later had to be abandoned on 72 minutes after an electrical failure suddenly plunged the Bridge into darkness, floodlights included.

Chelsea led 2-0 at the time, and eventually secured a 2-1 victory on 3 February thanks to Charlie Cooke and Dave Webb.

Cautionary tales

Any player taking five bookings from the first 19 Premier League matches must serve a one-match ban and Nico Jackson and Marc Cucurella have already suffered that fate.

Enzo Fernandez and Raheem Sterling are both on four (along with United’s Bruno Fernandes) and will have to avoid a fifth caution up to and including Crystal Palace on 27 December if they are to avoid a similar suspension.