Chelsea v Manchester United: Carrick’s side face another test as crisis deepens

Stamford Bridge hosts an early Premier League meeting on Saturday between a Chelsea side short of confidence and a Manchester United team in severe difficulty. Chelsea are priced at 1.74 to win, while the other suggested bets are both teams to score and more than 2.5 goals at 1.70, and Cole Palmer to be decisive at 1.85.

Xabi Alonso and Michael Carrick could both suffer a third successive defeat in all competitions, although few expected Carrick still to be Manchester United manager after last weekend’s defeat by Bournemouth.

Carrick retains significant support among sections of the Old Trafford crowd, but that backing is not shared by the players, INEOS or the Glazer family. He was widely expected to leave after Bournemouth won 3-0 at Old Trafford, their third victory there in four seasons, but has been given more time to try to reverse United’s decline.

Manchester United are eight matches without a win in all competitions and six without a league victory. They sit 16th in the Premier League, only one point above the relegation zone, and are still seeking their first away win of the season at the seventh attempt.

Their seven points from eight league matches represent the club’s worst start since 1986-87. Supporters and rivals believe the problems cannot be solved by Carrick, or by any possible replacement, without major improvement from a leadership structure that has struggled for years, regardless of the manager in charge.

Chelsea are 11 places and six points above United, but their own confidence has suffered after consecutive defeats by Tottenham and Liverpool. Without Joao Pedro, they failed to impose their usual control in a surprise 2-0 home loss to Tottenham before exiting the League Cup in the fourth round on penalties against Liverpool at Anfield.

A seven-goal return against Bournemouth and Everton after the international break proved only a temporary improvement. Chelsea have since dropped out of the top four and remain the weakest defensive side in the top 10. Only Crystal Palace, with 19 goals conceded, and Ipswich Town, with 16, have allowed more than Chelsea’s 15 in the 2026-27 Premier League season. Alonso’s side have conceded an average of two goals per home match.

Manchester United won both league meetings last season, although Chelsea have won only three of their past 19 matches against them in all competitions.

Bruno Fernandes is expected to return after being left out against Bournemouth for “purely footballing reasons”. Carrick said the captain had appeared to criticise his tactics in Como, but the pair have since spoken and Fernandes remains “fully committed” to the club. Kobbie Mainoo is back in training, while Marcus Rashford is doubtful. Luke Shaw, Benjamin Sesko, Manuel Ugarte and Patrick Dorgu remain unavailable through injury.

Chelsea are likely to have Moises Caicedo and Malo Gusto fit after they were withdrawn at Anfield, but Maxence Lacroix is expected to miss out with a hamstring problem. Reece James, Pedro, Emiliano Martinez and Jamie Gittens are also injured, while Pep Chavarria could return. Palmer is available again after suspension.

Wesley Fofana is expected to replace Lacroix despite conceding a penalty and missing his own in the shootout against Liverpool. Palmer could operate as a false nine after Danny Welbeck’s unconvincing midweek display.

Chelsea’s probable XI: Penders; Acheampong, Fofana, Colwill, Hato; Henderson, Lavia, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Rogers.

Manchester United’s probable XI: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot; Santos, Baleba; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Mount; Cunha.

United should create chances against a depleted Chelsea defence, but their own defensive problems appear deeper. Chelsea are expected to respond to their recent defeats, with Manchester United’s difficult run likely to continue in London.