Who: Chelsea vs Manchester United What: English Premier League (EPL) Where: Stamford Bridge, London, United Kingdom When: Saturday, April 18 at 8pm ( ) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from in advance of our live text commentary stream. Chelsea can tighten up the Premier League battle for UEFA Champions League qualification when they host third-placed Manchester United on Saturday, but they will have to reverse a dreadful run of form to do so. The Blues have only won one of their last five Premier League matches, increasing the pressure on manager Liam Rosenior in his first season in charge of the football club.
United suffered a shock home defeat by Leeds United last week and arrive with injuries and suspensions that will leave them feeling vulnerable for the first time under interim head coach Michael Carrick. Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at a game that could ignite a late-season scrap for the top five finishing spots, which offer the route to Europe’s top table next season. Third-placed United will arrive at Stamford Bridge with sixth-placed Chelsea seven points behind them.
Fifth-placed Liverpool are four points in front of the Blues, while Aston Villa are fourth, level on points with United but seven down on the Red Devils on goal difference. With Villa and Liverpool not playing until Sunday – Sunderland at home and Everton away, respectively – a Chelsea win would close the gap between third and sixth to just four points for Saturday at least. Four clubs, including Sunderland and Everton, sit just two points behind Chelsea.
A certain run of results across the weekend means just six points could separate third from tenth by the close of this round of matches. If fans of a close race were to be particularly greedy, wins for Bournemouth and Fulham – 11th and 12th, respectively – as well this weekend could mean the gap from third to 12th would only be eight points with five games to play. As the former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once said: “It is squeaky bum time”.
Rosenior has warned Chelsea that their bid to qualify for the Champions League is hanging in the balance. The Blues are on a dismal run of one win from their last seven Premier League games, placing their hopes of reaching Europe’s elite club competition in jeopardy. It is more than six weeks since Chelsea last scored a goal in the league, but Rosenior knows there is no time left to feel sorry for themselves after last weekend’s 3-0 home defeat against Manchester City.
We’re running out of time. Unless results improve drastically in the next few weeks, this season will be the first under the club’s American owners that the team’s league position has dropped. Rosenior’s position is also likely to come under scrutiny after a disappointing start to his reign, which started in January when he arrived from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca.
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