Chelsea vs Man United: Tips, Odds, and Match Preview

In any other season, a matchup between Chelsea and Manchester United, two of the most successful teams in the Premier League over the last 15 years, would have been a marquee matchup with tons of late-season implications. However, things couldn't be any different ahead of this contest.

The Blues are alive in the race for a UEFA Champions League berth for the 2025-26 season with two games left, and they need to get a positive result to not let their chance slip away. Meanwhile, Manchester United are sitting near the bottom of the standings and have nothing to play for, but this game won't matter much to them. Their goal is to win the 2024-25 Europa League final against Tottenham on May 21.

Blues Are Aiming High

Chelsea have had a successful season in 2024-25 even if manager Enzo Maresca has been criticized. The Italian manager has the Blues in position to reach the UEFA Champions League and also sit in the UEFA Conference League, where they'll face Real Betis. The Blues, however, need to bounce back after losing their most recent match to Newcastle by a 2-0 score.

However, they were on a four-game winning run across all competitions before that loss, so there should be enough body of work to believe the Blues could recover here. Chelsea have been very good at home of late with three straight EPL wins at Stamford Bridge while keeping two clean sheets.

Chelsea Injury & Suspension News

Nicolas Jackson is out due to a suspension. Wesley Fofana (hamstring), Jadon Sancho (loan locked) and Christopher Nkunku (knock) are also out.

Highly Likely to Rotate

While it would be disrespectful to say that Manchester United won't take this match seriously, the Red Devils don't have any incentives to take too many risks here. They don't have anything to play for in the final two weeks of the regular season while also having their biggest match of the campaign just right around the corner.

As such, the Red Devils are highly likely to rotate their squad for this contest, and that has been their trend of late since manager Ruben Amorim has given minutes to several young players. As expected, the results haven't been positive, and Manchester United are on a seven-game winless skid in the EPL (D2, L5). With the UEFA Europa League final giving a berth in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League, it makes sense for the Red Devils to focus their energy in that final and not in this league contest.

Manchester United Injury & Suspension News

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is widely expected to rotate the side here just like he's done it in previous Premier League matches. Expect most of the key players to be rested or not included in the starting XI. Plus, Matthijs De Ligt (knee), Lisandro Martinez (knee) and Joshua Zirkzee (hamstring) are out for the rest of the season.

Chelsea vs Manchester United Prediction

Even though Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is not happy with the team’s recent performances in the Premier League, it’s clear he’s focusing on the UEFA Europa League final and not on the final rounds of the Premier League. Chelsea are the opposite, as they still have the UEFA Champions League within reach by their league positioning. Expect the Blues to bounce back from their loss to Newcastle United with a win here.

CryptoGamba tip: Chelsea to win – 1.39 @Stake