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United have verve, but smart money’s on Chelsea

Every Thursday night at five-a-side football, I spend the last 10 minutes looking and feeling completely zonked out. As an oldie among youngsters, I am usually ready to drop.

Every Thursday night at five-a-side football, I spend the last 10 minutes looking and feeling completely zonked out. As an oldie among youngsters, I am usually ready to drop.

Is it just me, or have Chelsea appeared that way ever since they took Swansea apart 5-0, on Jan 17? In the past three months their energy, their sparkle, just hasn’t been the same.

Chelsea being Chelsea, especially under Jose Mourinho, they have still managed to pull together as a team. Calling on all their resolve and experience to grind out a sequence of results, the leaders have accrued enough points to ensure Arsenal and Manchester United are chasing from a safe distance behind them.

Tellingly, seven of their eight wins since that fruitful trip to Wales have been achieved via one-goal margins. For all their perceived fatigue, the Blues are still doing enough to stay on top — and providing they avoid defeat in tomorrow morning’s big game, the title race should be done and dusted.

However, Louis van Gaal’s rejuvenated team has very little to lose at Stamford Bridge, and this makes them dangerous opponents.

Entrenched in the top four and still on a monumental high from that wonderful derby day success against Manchester City last weekend, the Red Devils can attack this fixture with the relish of a squad that knows progress has been made.

In Juan Mata they also have an on-song superstar with a point to prove. Since being handed a recall for their trip to Anfield last month, the Spaniard has played with a spring in his step. And possibly for the first time since being sold by Chelsea 15 months ago, he has looked a £37 million (S$75 million) player.

It isn’t in the quiet but crafty midfielder’s nature to make a fuss, but given how his relationship with the Chelsea boss broke down, it would be poetic justice for him to score a vital goal this evening (Sunday morning, Singapore time). With a handy knack of delivering on the big occasion, you certainly wouldn’t put it past him to be the headline maker.

If United fans want further reasons to feel optimistic ahead of kick-off, Chelsea are without the injured Diego Costa, just as they were at Old Trafford earlier this term.

Didier Drogba was lethargic at Loftus Road last weekend, so Loic Remy will spearhead their attack instead, providing he passes a late fitness test. The French striker scored against Manchester City, and has a goal every 127 minutes this season. But despite those impressive stats, Chelsea will miss Costa’s muscular presence up front.

Their chief architects will be Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard. Between them, the pair have directly contributed to 39 league goals in 2014/15, and no two players in the division have passed to each other more than they have. In fact, Hazard has received an incredible 428 passes from the Spaniard this term. Putting that into context, the next closest team-mate is Nemanja Matic, on 185.

United are a bogey side for the Belgian, though. In four outings, he has yet to score or create a goal against them. On paper, he should destroy makeshift right back Antonio Valencia, but if Manchester United keep the ball for long periods, hassle Fabregas in possession, and squeeze the space he has to weave his magic in, Hazard may not have it all his own way.

The 24-year-old is tipped to dominate the end-of-season awards, and I, for one, believe he deserves the top gong. A big performance in this encounter would surely seal it for him.

Current form tells us that United will possess much greater verve, and boss more of the ball than the hosts. And with Rooney, Fellaini, Mata and Herrera all on fire, they pose a genuine threat to Jose Mourinho’s unbeaten record against them, which stands at 13 without loss.

Yet Chelsea are the clear champions-elect. The Blues have conceded just seven goals on home turf all season. They always seem to get results when they need to.

For my money, the Blues could be out on their feet, completely exhausted, and I’d still find it hard to bet against them. An upset is still a long shot.

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