Match Preview: Manchester United vs. Chelsea

In the Premier League, it simply doesn't get much bigger than this. Manchester United host Chelsea as first and second place do battle, with the winner taking a step closer to realising the dream of once again claiming English football's top honours.

It hasn't been a dream week so far for Sir Alex Ferguson, though. After Wayne Rooney gave United an early lead against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, they went on to lose the game courtesy of a late strike from Ivica Olic.

To make matters a lot worse, Rooney limped off with an ankle ligament injury, just days before the crucial meeting with the Blues on Saturday. The England striker now faces three weeks out and will miss the return leg with Bayern, as well as a handful of key fixtures in the title run-in, possibly including the Manchester derby.

It's not all doom and gloom for Ferguson: the Red Devils will still fancy their chances of progressing in Europe, are top of the league after a five-game unbeaten run and, as usual, are proving to be a formidable prospect at Old Trafford. If the reigning champions can get the better of Chelsea on Saturday, the title is theirs to lose.

How Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti must be wishing he faced the task of negotiating a quarter-final second leg in the Champions League. The Italian failed to realise club owner Roman Abramovich's European dream as his side were beaten by Inter in the round of 16, leaving Ancelotti under pressure to deliver the Premier League title - or at the very least the FA Cup - this season.

A groggy 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers followed the defeat at the hands of Jose Mourinho's men, but the Blues have been rampant since. Their last two games - away at Portsmouth and at home to Aston Villa - have resulted in 5-0 and 7-1 victories, respectively, with Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda firing on all cylinders.

Such results have given Chelsea the edge over United on goal difference, which could still prove vital come May, but a win at Old Trafford on Saturday is vital if Ancelotti's charges want their title fate to be in their own hands.

FORM GUIDE

Man United

Bayern Munich 2-1 Man United (Champions League)
Bolton 0-4 Man United (Premier League)
Man United 2-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Man United 3-0 Fulham (Premier League)
Man United 4-0 AC Milan (Champions League)

Chelsea

Chelsea 7-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)
Portsmouth 0-5 Chelsea (Premier League)
Blackburn 1-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
Chelsea 0-1 Inter (Champions League)
Chelsea 4-1 West Ham (Premier League)

TEAM NEWS

Man United

Wayne Rooney will not get the chance to fire his side into a lead at the top of the table after suffering minor ankle ligament damage against Bayern Munich on Tuesday; the striker faces around two to three weeks out.

Rooney is United’s only new injury concern, though Michael Owen, Wes Brown, Anderson and John O’Shea remain unavailable, with O'Shea set to return to full fitness imminently after recovering from a long-term thigh problem.

Another long-term absentee, midfielder Owen Hargreaves, is also set to return soon; indeed, Sir Alex Ferguson has even suggested that either Hargreaves or O'Shea could make the bench for the Chelsea clash.

Chelsea

There is better news on the striker front for Chelsea, as Didier Drogba has recovered from the knock that saw him miss the 7-1 thrashing of Aston Villa and is almost certain to start at Old Trafford after sitting out two training sessions.

Ancelotti has his regular list of long-term absentees hampering his team selection; Michael Essien, Ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Bosingwa are all still unavailable, while Branislav Ivanovic is sidelined with a knee problem.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Man United

It has been well documented that, in the absence of Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov may find himself leading the line alone on Saturday and must take centre stage. The Bulgarian, whose languid style is in contrast to the England international's more energetic approach, is yet to capture the imaginations of the United faithful in the same way he did at previous club Tottenham Hotspur, but a match-winning performance against Chelsea would certainly go some way to launching the striker into iconic status.

Chelsea

The availability of Didier Drogba is obviously a massive plus for Chelsea and he will surely play a significant part in Saturday's early kick-off, but the continued exceptional form of Florent Malouda makes the midfielder a potent threat to United's back four. The Frenchman has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season - 11 of them in the Premier League - and, whether battling Rafael or Gary Neville, Malouda will be confident of making an impact on proceedings.

Sir Alex Ferguson Praises Carlo Ancelotti's Progress At Chelsea

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has defended the job Carlo Ancelotti has done at Chelsea this season.

The two sides meet in a potential Premier League title decider at Old Trafford on Saturday, with United holding a slender one point advantage in the table.

There had been suggestions in some quarters that Ancelotti would lose his job if Chelsea fail to win the title, especially after the Blues were knocked out of the Champions League by Inter last month, but Ferguson believes such speculation is unfair.

"There has been no failure on Carlo Ancelotti's part at all," Ferguson said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

"He has done the job well.

"He is a man of great experience. He has won two European Cups as a coach and was a great player.

"You are talking about a pretty high competition level; in Europe and everything, and at this moment in time Chelsea are only a point behind us and they are in the semi-final of the FA Cup.

"The disappointment would be being knocked out in Europe. But it was a really strong performance from Inter Milan to knock them out.

"Overall, I think he has done a good job."

Lampard The Key For Carlo

Carlo Ancelotti believes midfielder Frank Lampard could play a key role when Chelsea tackle title rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Lampard found the net four times in last weekend's 7-1 drubbing of Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge and has now scored at least 20 goals in each of his last six seasons.

The Blues travel to the home of their title rivals one point adrift with each club having five more games to play after they go head-to-head this weekend.

Ancelotti, who took charge of Chelsea in the summer, revealed he did not fully appreciate the England international's talents until his arrival in West London.

"Lampard is a very dangerous midfielder," said Ancelotti. "It is difficult to block him because he is a very dynamic player and he gets into the box at the right moment.

"He is a midfielder who scores 20 goals every season and he is unique in that respect. I was surprised by him. I knew him but not with the timing into the box and that is his most important quality.

"We can use this quality to beat United but it is not enough to use just Lampard. We have other qualities and want to use them all."

Chelsea have bagged an impressive 12 goals in their last two games as they preceded their romp against Villa with a five-goal showing against Portsmouth to claim a narrow advantage over the Red Devils in the goal difference and goals scored stakes.

Despite having watched his side rack up 82 goals in their 32 Premier League outings this season, the Italian tactician insists he always attempts to remain true to the principles of his homeland.

"I don't consider myself an attacking coach," he added. "I am Italian and the fortune of Italian football is defensively. I like balance. I am a balanced coach.

"This is our aim, to attack and play football, but the first thing is to maintain balance because I don't like to concede a goal.

"The easy way to score is a counter-attack. In Italy the team that won Serie A was not the team that scored more goals, it was the team that conceded the least."

Mikel Out For Revenge At Old Trafford

Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi insists the Blues must take revenge on Manchester United for two recent heavy defeats at Old Trafford.

Chelsea are just one point behind United at the top of the Premier League but they have suffered some embarrassingly one-sided defeats at Old Trafford in the past two seasons - beaten 3-0 and 2-0 on their last two league visits to the champions.

But Chelsea, who have smashed 12 goals in their last two games against Portsmouth and Aston Villa, go into the top-of-the-table clash full of confidence.

Their confidence is in stark contrast to United, who lost the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night and who will be without top scorer Wayne Rooney for up to a month because of minor ankle ligament damage.
Mikel is adamant Chelsea can secure their first win at Manchester United since 2005 and heap more misery on United's bid for a league and European double.

"It's about time we went up there and won again because we can do it." said Mikel. "We can go there, play good football and win the game.

"It depends on how we come out to play and fight because it's going to be really difficult but we're ready for it. Hopefully this time it will go our way.

"We have made it clear that we need to win every match and every game we play is a big one but because of where we are in the league, it looks like we're going to have to win it.

"We have got a very difficult schedule for the rest of the season and it has come to the stage where every point is very important but we have to think about Saturday for now."

Meanwhile, Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti admits that Rooney's absence could allow his side to seize the title initiative from United.

The United striker has scored 35 goals in all competitions, 26 of them in the Premier League, and his absence at Old Trafford has already given Chelsea a massive incentive.

"Everyone knows how Wayne Rooney is important for this team, he is a fantastic player," said Ancelotti. "He has had a fantastic season but his injury could be an advantage for us.

"He is one of the best in the world right now. He is very professional and his image is very good for football. I like this kind of player. I was sorry for him. But I think without Rooney, for us, it is better.

"We want to play our football and we want to keep control of the game but it will be difficult. Man Utd want to do the same, they play at home and they will want to keep control of the game. This is the fight.

"Maybe sometimes a team can give more 100 per cent when an important player is out. We have to pay attention to this.

"Saturday is a very important game because we play a fantastic team who are top of the league now but I have always said the title will be decided at the end of the season.

"We want to do our best. The destiny after the game will be with the winners, but nothing will be decided.

"If we are able to win, it is better for us. A draw is not a bad result because there are a lot of games and everyone of them is very important.

"But it is very difficult to win at Old Trafford. It is a fantastic stadium for me also, not only for Sir Alex. I won the Champions League there in 2003 and that is the best memory for me in my career."

Drogba May Need Surgery At End Of Season: Ancelotti

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba could need surgery before the World Cup to cure a long-term groin problem.

Drogba was rested for last weekend's 7-1 win over Aston Villa because he has been suffering from the injury for some time and Ancelotti admits he could need a minor operation before playing for his country in South Africa.

Despite playing through the pain barrier at times, Drogba has still scored 30 goals this season and the 32-year-old will led Chelsea's attack in their crucial clash at Premier League leaders Manchester United on Saturday.

The Blues can go two points clear of United with a win at Old Trafford.

"Drogba has been living with this problem for three or four months but it is not a big problem," Ancelotti said.

"Sometimes he has problems after the game but during the week he doesn't have any difficulty.

"He will not need surgery now and if he needs to have an operation at the end of the season he will be ready in seven days because it will be a very little surgery - but I don't know if he will need to have that surgery.

"He was a little bit tired before the last game against Aston Villa so I didn't want to take the risk to put him on the pitch but now he is fit and he has to play."

Ancelotti Hungry For Title

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted his hunger to land the Premier League title ahead of Saturday's crucial showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Blues travel to the home of the league leaders and defending champions trailing Sir Alex Ferguson's men by just one point with six games of the season remaining.

Saturday's encounter is certain to have a pivotal impact on the destination of the title, while Arsenal remain in contention just three points further back from Chelsea.

The Blues have recovered well from the disappointment of their Champions League exit at the hands of former boss Jose Mourinho and his Inter Milan side, scoring 12 goals in their last two games against Portsmouth and Aston Villa.

The Red Devils will also be missing their attacking talisman Wayne Rooney for the coming weeks after the England international suffered minor ligament damage in the midweek defeat to Bayern Munich.

Ancelotti, who will have his own star striker Didier Drogba available after a knee problem, is determined to wrestle top spot back from their opponents having headed the pack for long spells this season.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, the Italian said: "It will be an important game.

"I think that this game won't decide the winner, but the team that wins the game will have a good chance to win the title.

"I am working to bring the Premier League here to Stamford Bridge.

"We are hungry to win because Chelsea has been very close for three years and now is the time to win.

"I am not satisfied because we are in second place in the table. We were in first place for eight months and now we are in second. We have a chance in the next game to move back into first place."

Despite the weight of expectation placed on his shoulders to bring success to Stamford Bridge, which increased following their European exit, Ancelotti remains relatively relaxed with the Premier League and FA Cup still in his sights.

He added: "I think we deserve to win something. We had a bad performance in the Champions League, this was not good.

"But in the Premier League we have done a good job until now. Now we have to try to win.

"The pressure is normal, it is a good thing. Pressure is life. When you have adrenaline in your body you have to be happy because adrenaline is a good thing."

Deco: Balancing Act

Back in the team and back in form, Deco is hoping we can go back on top at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Portuguese midfielder has been a key figure in our last two matches, both enterprising displays against Portsmouth and Aston Villa, and is now aiming to damage Manchester United's title hopes with victory on their own patch.

'I think we need to play in the same way, try to keep the ball, to pass the ball and be a danger when we attack,' he said. 'They are a better team than Portsmouth or Aston Villa but we can win.

'It will also be important to defend well, to take up good positions and be balanced. Manchester United are strong in the counter-attack and have good players, but we just need to go there and don't think about what they do. We know what we need to do.'

Deco's return to the starting line-up has coincided with the side scoring 12 goals in two games, tearing both Pompey and Villa to shreds in the process, and the playmaker admitted he is 'feeling better and playing better', after a seven-week absence from first team duties.

Now with six Barclays Premier League games to go, he is hoping to influence where the title ends up, and appreciates the importance of Saturday’s game cannot be overemphasised.

'I don't know if we need to win the game,' he told the Official Chelsea Website. 'Of course if we do then it just depends on us winning our games and we win the Premier League, if we lose it is difficult but if we draw everything is still open.

'I believe we have a chance to win and we will go there to win, not to draw, but the bad result would be to lose. If you win or draw everything is to play for, you cannot say anything is finished because we have difficult games but we would be in a good position.'

Ashley Cole Back From Broken Ankle Before End Of Season

England defender Ashley Cole will be "ready for the World Cup", according to his boss at Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti.

"The England staff are in contact with our medical staff and in 15 days Ashley will be back with the squad," he said.

Cole's rehabilitation from surgery has progressed better than expected after he broke his ankle in Chelsea's 2-1 defeat by Everton on 10 February.

The left-back is expected to be available for Chelsea's last three Premier League games of the season.

He was expected to be ruled out for three months but he has beaten that target and should have had some first-team action under his belt by the time Fabio Capello picks his initial 35-man squad for South Africa on 12 May.

England kick off their World Cup campaign against the United States in Rustenburg on Saturday 12 June.

The announcement coincides with a similarly positive bulletin on key Manchester United and England player Wayne Rooney. The striker's club manager Sir Alex Ferguson said on Friday he expected to have Rooney back in his squad in "two to three weeks".

While the tremendous goal-scoring form of Rooney this season makes him a key component for England in June's World Cup, a fully-fit Cole is also expected to be a definite pick by Capello in South Africa.

Chelsea, whose resources in defence are stretched with Branislav Ivanovic and Jose Bosingwa also injured, will have to cope without Cole for the Premier League trips to Manchester United, Bolton and Tottenham, plus the FA Cup semi-final with Aston Villa.
But Cole could return on 25 April when Chelsea take on Stoke at Stamford Bridge, before finishing off their season against Liverpool and Wigan.