Chelsea v Manchester United – The tactical battle between Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge with his Manchester United site desperate to avoid defeat. I expect a Liverpool-like performance and you should too.

When you employ Jose Mourinho you do it for one reason – Results. Football these days is big business and despite the detractors this week, Manchester United fans will accept that Jose Mourinho almost guarantees results (or at least had done before last season). Having spent three seasons since Sir Alex Ferguson looking for a new identity and finding themselves some way off the title race, United are looking to the man that has won titles wherever he has worked and a man that knows how to set a side up to avoid defeat.

Win your home games and take points away from home is the mantra that he follows, it’s demanded from his players and at the moment, each and every single one of them are buying into his methods. Make of their performance at Liverpool what you will but he took a valuable point, avoided defeat and frustrated the life out of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side.

We have to expect the same without question. Chelsea are a direct rival to Mourinho for a top four finish this season and picking up points in the games against those rivals is of paramount importance. But for maybe one or two changes, I would imagine that the same players playing in the same formation would take to the pitch for United to do a job.

As for Chelsea it would be interesting to see if Antonio Conte’s decides to stick with the same players that played so well against Leicester a week ago? John Terry is confirmed as fit and available so there has to be an obvious temptation for a recall based on the opposition.

As for Conte and Chelsea, this is the biggest game of our season so far because of what happened against Liverpool and Arsenal. It’s all well and good beating Hull and a Leicester City side who are nowhere near the same levels they reached last season but to step up and beat Manchester United would be a major shot in the arm for the manager and his players.

I cannot see this being an open affair by any stretch of the imagination. Jose will look to press high, remain compact and look to negate any space in front of his back four. If Chelsea can score early, then the game changes.

Chelsea is on the up, back scoring goals and looking much better at the back. Can we take our recent form and defensive stability into this one and come away with an important three points? Let’s hope so!