I played for Chelsea in those days, and the focus of the EPL was undoubtedly this classic match. However, the years have passed, the dominance of Chelsea and Manchester United is no longer, and that glorious era seems to be fading away.
Today, the current state of both teams maps out the clubs' operational woes. Though United seems to be actively seeking changes in the near future to usher in the light outside the game.
On top of the field, Manchester United are fighting for a higher league position, but their recent league performance has been disappointing. Against an opponent who should have won, they failed to do so, which is undoubtedly a disaster.
Chelsea and Manchester United's battle for the title is equally compelling. The performances of key players from both sides have been one of the highlights of the season.
Where would Chelsea be without Golpenma? Despite the team's lackluster performances, he showed amazing strength on his debut after joining the club. 17 goals, 11 assists, and the England national team extended an olive branch to him.
The rest of Chelsea's players have been dismal, as if they are all dependent on Golpenma alone. The team has conceded a total of 10 goals despite going undefeated for five consecutive games. Expect Thiago Silva to return in this game to inject experience and fill the holes in Chelsea's defense. The absence of key players like Les James, Ben Chilwell and Wesley Cofina has left the defense stretched. Only Matuidi had a commendable performance.
For United, I pointed out a few weeks ago that young players are at the root of the team's continued struggles. Maneo's performance at Old Trafford proved that he has a lot to offer. I was there to witness the matchup in person at the Friends of England game, and he was impressive.
Unfortunately, apart from Maneo, the rest of his teammates have not kept up with him. In the last five games, United have been shockingly poor and have even fallen to one of the worst teams among the top 13 teams in the Premier League. It has certainly been a nightmare for Tannhäuser and his team.
Similar to Chelsea, Manchester United boasts a group of players who have shown their mettle in England, other national leagues and even the world championship scene. However, it is an 18 year old youth trainee and a 21 year old recruit making their Premier League debut that are currently leading the team forward.
To me, both sides seem to lack enough strength and determination to win this game, so I predict a 2:2 draw.
