Followers of the English Premier League have an action-packed midweek ahead with six games played on Wednesday evening, kick-off times staggered between 19:30 and 20:15 GMT. The biggest and best games will be broadcast live on television and the leading live-streaming apps, meaning it’s great news for armchair fans. You can tell it’s December in England due to the hectic winter Premier League schedule that’s punishing for players but great fun for fans.
Our team of football writers previews the week’s most eye-catching games, including the action from Old Trafford. This page focuses on the Premier League game from the Theatre of Dreams, where Manchester United enjoy a home advantage over Chelsea from 20:15 in the main attraction. Both teams have struggled for form this season and are underperforming, meaning the three points available are precious.
Which side will get the desired result, the Red Devils or the visiting Blues? Keep reading for our preview and big-match predictions.
United suffer shock loss
Few Manchester United fans believed their team could challenge for the English Premier League title this season, and that is already proving to be a wise prediction. The Red Devils continue to struggle, and it’s difficult to remember a time when the club was reliable and good fun to follow. Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired from Old Trafford, United have stumbled from one disappointing manager to the next. They are unlikely to challenge rivals Man City for the title this term with a top-four finish, the best they could hope for in the second half of the campaign.
The hosts did enjoy a good run of form recently when winning three games on the bounce to pull themselves up the table, but they were beaten at the weekend by Newcastle United on Saturday evening at St James Park. The Magpies won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon, who scored early in the second half. It was a match United were the pre-game favourites to win, but the players let themselves, the fans, and their coach down once again. Will we see a response against Chelsea?
Chelsea lacks consistency
It has been a strange season for Chelsea fans as they watch their team continue to mix it in midtable. The Londoners have a squad that’s good enough to challenge for the title, and the array of stars in the lineup makes Chelsea the envy of many of the top teams across Europe, but that hasn’t transferred into a strong season and winning run. A lack of consistency has the Blues stuck in the middle of the pile, and they’re as close to bottom club Sheffield United as they are leaders Arsenal.
Bet hereChelsea started the week in tenth, with their stats for the campaign showing five wins, four draws, and five defeats, with 25 goals scored and 22 conceded. Their most recent form shows two wins, two defeats, and a draw, but they did collect three valuable points over the weekend. Chelsea arrives at Old Trafford on the back of a great 3-2 win over Brighton at Stamford Bridge, edging the Seagulls in a five-goal thriller.
Man Utd v Chelsea prediction
Man Utd holds the home advantage and is higher in the Premier League table than their opponents. Will that translate into a home in for the Red Devils and three points that will drive them back into contention for the major places? That remains to be seen, but their performance at the weekend in Newcastle suggests many of the team’s best players are out of form or have simply downed tools.
Chelsea continues to blow hot and cold this season, and it’ll be interesting to see how they perform against Man Utd. They dug deep to beat Brighton at the weekend but conceded two goals, and that kind of sloppy defending could cost them dear against Man Utd. If the home team is anywhere near their best, they should punish a fragile Chelsea defence. Does United have the desire to pull together and get back to winning ways?
Premier League odds
The pre-match betting odds on this game are available to all 22Bet members, and you can make your predictions now. Do you fancy a home win or the visitors to take all three points back to the UK capital? Back Man Utd for victory at odds of 2.825 with 22Bet, or try your luck on Chelsea at 2.355. The draw will net backers 3.64.
You can avoid predicting the match winner by playing one of the many eye-catching specials available at 22Bet. Have your say in the first goalscorer, both teams to score, handicap, the total goals scored in the contest, half-time/full-time, and more. There’s a market to suit all bettors and budgets.
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