Chelsea must attack United or risk an ‘upset’

Chelsea must attack United or risk an upset!

At Stamford Bridge on Sunday night, the impetus will unquestionably be on the home side to take the game to their opponents. This may not be the strongest Chelsea team under Jose Mourinho but none among Manchester United’s travelling fans will recall making the trip to west London over the last decade with their chances of victory so bleak.

United are well and truly on the ropes now and can ill afford another blow which may ultimately cost them a place in next season’s Champions League. Their 2-0 win over Swansea City last weekend ended a run of three straight defeats. Chelsea smell blood but whether or not they taste it will largely depend on Mourinho’s willingness to go for the kill.

To label the Portuguese tactician a pragmatic would be an understatement. He doesn’t advocate ‘boring football’ but at the same time he’s known to pride himself on results and a packed trophy cabinet rather than the plaudits of others. He’s certainly not one to obsess over producing a style that’s easy on the eye but is instead a stickler for hard work and efficiency.

When Chelsea travelled to Old Trafford in the second round of fixtures this season, Mourinho made no attempt to disguise his intentions. He fielded a team without a striker as Andre Schurrle was the furthest man forward. The Blues showed little ambition while United lacked the craft to break them down and the game ended in a drab 0-0 draw.

He kept faith with that ploy when he led his side to an away draw against Arsenal as well. Although Mourinho did deploy Fernando Torres on that occasion, his team were equally compact and unadventurous while his decision to introduce David Luiz in place of the Spanish striker in the closing stages summed up his contentment with a goalless draw.

This time around though, Chelsea shouldn’t hold back, not only because a draw would most likely see them fall behind Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race but also because United are there for the taking. The vulnerabilities displayed by David Moyes’ side are aplenty and have been exploited by lesser teams than Chelsea this season.

United desperately need reinforcements in wide areas, at left-back and most notably in central midfield. But with the January transfer window passing them by, they’ve failed to strengthen in any of those departments. Instead, they continue to rely on the prodigal talent of 18 year-old Adnan Januzaj for inspiration while Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are out.

'We are not playing against a team that is 11 points behind the leader, we are playing against the champions.' - Jose Mourinho

Meanwhile, Chelsea have given their midfield a timely boost as they prepare for the final stretch of the title race. Despite their embarrassment of riches in the attacking midfield department, they have been lacking in central midfield with only Ramires warranting a regular starting berth. The re-signing of Nemanja Matic however, has served to plug that gap and further strengthen the side ahead of the clash with the Premier League champions.

If Chelsea’s personnel advantage and United’s insipid displays aren’t enough to entice Mourinho onto the front foot, he only needs to look at his head-to-head record with Moyes. The new United manager has never beaten the Portuguese while he is yet to taste victory in a league game at Stamford Bridge.

Furthermore, Mourinho will be looking for his 100th win in the league on Sunday night while Moyes will only be concerned with repairing United’s campaign having overseen their worst ever points tally in the Premier League at this stage of the season.

It’s not all doom and gloom for the Mancunians though. Their away form has been formidable and in stark contrast to their results at home having won their last three on the road. In fact, they have taken 17 points from a possible 21 in their last seven away games.

If this United side still retain an ounce of the fight and attitude they displayed last season or that Moyes’ Everton teams have shown in the past, they will look at this fixture as a fantastic chance to prove a point and deliver a message to the teams around them, for in the greatest challenges come the best opportunities.

Victory over the Blue’s wouldn’t just mean three points, it would be a massive boost of incomprehensible proportions. Being the first team to beat Mourinho’s Chelsea in the league on home soil is just the sort of win that could reignite their season and with key players expected back, the levels of confidence is bound to surge in the wake of such a triumph.

That’s precisely why the hosts must seek to be ruthless and offer their guests no encouragement whatsoever. The odds are heavily stacked against United and all the smart money will undoubtedly be on the team in blue. But then again, since when has this Premier League season paid heed to fact, circumstance or rationale?

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