Who: Chelsea vs Manchester United
Content: English Premier League (EPL)
Location: Stamford Bridge, London, UK
Date and time: Saturday, April 18th, 8pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: Get everything ready on Al Jazeera Sports from 16:00 GMT ahead of the live text commentary stream.
Chelsea can further intensify the Premier League battle for a spot in the UEFA Champions League when they host third-placed Manchester United on Saturday, but they will need to reverse a frightening trend to do so.
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The Blues have won just one of their last five Premier League games and the pressure is mounting on Liam Rosenior, who is in his first season in charge of the football club.
United will be vulnerable for the first time under interim head coach Michael Carrick, having suffered a shock home defeat to Leeds United last week and arrived with injuries and suspensions.
Al Jazeera Sports looks at the matches that could ignite a late-season scrap in the top five that could provide a path to Europe’s top table next season.
What will happen to the competition between the Premier League and Champions League?
Third-placed United arrive at Stamford Bridge with a seven-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea.
Fifth-placed Liverpool are four points behind the Blues, while fourth-placed Aston Villa are level on points with United, but are seven points behind the Red Devils on goal difference.
With Villa and Liverpool not playing until Sunday, Sunderland at home and Everton away, a win for Chelsea would mean at least four points on Saturday, closing the gap between third and sixth place.
Four clubs, including Sunderland and Everton, are level with Chelsea on two points. A series of consistent results throughout the weekend means that just six points could separate third and tenth place by the end of this round of matches.
If fans who like close games are particularly greedy, wins for Bournemouth and Fulham, who are in 11th and 12th place respectively, this weekend could mean the difference between third and 12th place is just eight points with five games remaining.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once said: “It’s a squeaky-busty time.”
Chelsea manager admits it is taking time to qualify for the Champions League
Rosenior has warned Chelsea that their Champions League qualification is in jeopardy.
The Blues have lost just one of their last seven Premier League games, putting their hopes of progressing into Europe’s elite club competition in jeopardy.
It has been more than six weeks since Chelsea last scored in the league, but Rosenior knows there is no time for regrets after last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester City.
“As the season progresses, the fewer games left, the more important the games become,” Rosenior told reporters before the game.
“We have to take advantage of this moment. We’re running out of time. We’re running out of time.”
“We need to show that initiative on Saturday and play from the front and get points back, which is definitely still possible.
“If you look at each game, I think it boils down to a loss of concentration in one moment, and that snowballed into the rest of the performance.
“What we have to do is manage the margins of the game a little bit better.”
Chelsea brace for fan protests ahead of Manchester United visit
Protests by Chelsea supporters are planned ahead of the match against United, reflecting growing discontent since owner Bruco took over from Roman Abramovich almost four years ago.
Unless results improve dramatically in the coming weeks, this season will be the first under the club’s American owners to see the team drop in the league standings.
Mr Rosenior’s position is also likely to come under scrutiny following the disappointing start to his reign, which began in January when he replaced Enzo Maresca from Strasbourg.
Maresca left by mutual consent after suggesting he did not receive enough support from the owners.
As Strasbourg owns Bruco, some fans criticized Rosenior’s appointment, arguing that he would become a puppet of the board in contrast to the unstable Maresca.
“Every supporter has their own point of view,” Rosenior said. “Every supporter wants their club to perform well and win games. Our job, my job, is to produce those results in the long term.”
What happened the last time Chelsea played Manchester United?
The Red Devils won 2-1 at Old Trafford in a come-from-behind game at Old Trafford earlier this season.
After Chelsea keeper Roberto Sanchez was sent off in the fifth minute, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro gave the home team a two-goal advantage at half-time.
However, the latter was given a single red just before the end of the first half, but Trevor Chalobah’s 80th-minute shot was in vain as United held on for victory.
direct confrontation
This will be the 199th time the two clubs have faced each other, with United winning 81 times and Chelsea 56 times.
Statistics Attack – Manchester United
United playmaker Bruno Fernandes is three assists shy of the all-time Premier League record of 20 assists in a single season.
chelsea team news
Chelsea manager Rosenior says midfielder Enzo Fernandes has returned to full training and could be selected for the visit to Manchester United after being sent off for disciplinary reasons.
The 25-year-old Argentina international and World Cup winner was left out of the squad for the 7-0 win over League One side Port Vale in the FA Cup quarter-finals and last week’s Premier League defeat to second-placed Manchester City 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Fernandes, who wore the captain’s armband in the absence of injured Reece James, had previously said he would consider his future after the World Cup and expressed a desire to live in Madrid, a comment he later apologized for.
“Enzo has been in this group and has been training very well,” Rosenior told reporters on Thursday. “So it’s business as usual in terms of selection for the match.
“Enzo was great in terms of his training and the application of his training.”
Rosenior also provided an update on defender Trevaux Chalobah, who has not played since Chelsea’s Champions League second-leg defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, and James, who has also been sidelined since the defeat to Newcastle United in March.
“Trevor trained today, but it wasn’t enough. It was a modified training,” Rosenior said. “We’ll make a decision on him, but he’s very, very close. Reese is a little further away.”
Chelsea’s predicted starting lineup
Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Pigeon, Cucurella. Caicedo, Santos. Palmer, Fernandez, Neto. pedro
manchester united team news
United’s first-choice centre-backs Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire were suspended for the game.
Maguire was due to return from a one-match suspension, but his suspension was extended by a further match for inappropriate conduct following his red card against Bournemouth last month.
Fellow centre-back Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined with a back injury, while Koby Mainu remains a doubt after missing the loss to Leeds with a bruise.
Manchester United’s expected starting lineup
Rammen. Dalot, endowment, heaven, show. Casemiro, Mainu. Diallo, Fernandes, Cunha. Mbeumo
