Manchester United vs Chelsea
Premier League 2019/20 season
Venue: Old Trafford
Date: Sunday, 11 August
Kick-off time: 4.30pm BST
Manchester United host Chelsea in the headline act of the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.
Frank Lampard makes his competitive managerial debut for the Blues against another Premier League icon in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who continues his mission to lift United from a malaise that has dogged them since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure six years ago.
£140m worth of new signings have been brought int o help him achieve that, with Harry Maguire, now the world’s most expensive defender, in line to make his debut against the Blues.
Lampard has been hamstrung by a transfer ban during his first summer at the club but hopes to utilise Chelsea’s wealth of young talent in his first season back at Stamford Bridge, with Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham among those looking to seize opportunities.
Manchester United vs Chelsea team news
Paul Pogba is fit to start Manchester United's Premier League opener against Chelsea.
The midfielder missed the final pre-season game against AC Milan due to a back spasm, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed he is fit for Sunday.
Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James could make their debuts, while 17-year-old Mason Greenwood is set to be named in the squad. Eric Bailly and Tim Fosu-Mensah are both injured, while Alexis Sanchez may not be involved after picking up a hamstring issue towards the end of the Copa America.
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will make a late decision on N'Golo Kante before the game at Old Trafford.
France midfielder Kante hopes to return following a knee injury, while forward Willian and defender Antonio Rudiger (both knee) also face fitness tests but are unlikely to feature.
United States winger Christian Pulisic could make his Blues debut following his £58million move from Borussia Dortmund, but England duo Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi (both Achilles) will be unavailable.
Man Utd XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw, Matic, McTominay, Pogba, Mata, Martial, Rashford
Chelsea XI: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Christensen, Emerson, Kante, Jorginho, Pedro, Barkley, Pulisic, Abraham
Prediction: Manchester United 3-2 Chelsea
United and Chelsea have had similar pre-seasons in many ways, both rediscovering some attacking verve but with some familiar vulnerability at the back remaining.
Chelsea’s issues have been the more concerning, however, conceding eight times in their final four warm-up games.
United have also reinforced significantly with Maguire now among their ranks – although he is unlikely to solve their problems overnight.
Scoring goals hasn’t been a problem for these two leading into the new season – let’s have plenty on Sunday, please.
Tickets
Application for tickets for Sunday’s showpiece is already closed.
Betting tips via Betfair | UK users only | Subject to change
Match odds
- Man Utd to win: 6/5
- Chelsea to win: 5/2
- Draw: 23/10
First goal scorer
- Marcus Rashford: 5/1
- Anthony Martial: 11/2
- Tammy Abraham: 6/1
- Mason Greenwood: 13/2
- Paul Pogba: 13/2
- Olivier Giroud: 7/1
- Christian Pulisic: 10/1
TV channel and live stream information
The match will be televised live on Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Ultra HD, and is available via NOW TV with a 10-month season ticket on offer for £199.
Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app.
You can follow all the action and analysis on Standard Sport's LIVE blog with James Robson at Old Trafford.
