At best, tonight's match at Old Trafford is a meeting of clubs trying to qualify for the Champions League.
The turmoil at United has deepened and the build-up has been dominated by reports of a dressing-room revolt against manager Erik ten Hag. United took the step this week of banning four media outlets and, while Ten Hag insists he still has the backing of his players, pressure on the Dutchman is building.
A 3-2 win for Chelsea over Brighton on Sunday eased the scrutiny on Mauricio Pochettino, with fighting spirit and team cohesion suggesting some slow progress in his rebuild.
It means Chelsea are in a better place coming into the game, as the Blues target another statement away win after their 4-1 victory at Tottenham last month.
Unlike some of the accusations against United, Chelsea at least look like they have a plan. Their young team have defensive frailties, discipline issues, are naive at times and remain inconsistent, but they have a clear style of play under Pochettino.
This story is from the December 06, 2023 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the December 06, 2023 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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