Football
Manchester United vs Chelsea Preview: Odds, Tips and Predictions
SportsBoom previews the hotly anticipated Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday, 3 November 2024. With excitement building and growing ahead of kickoff, Premier League betting fans are already diving into the odds and assessing both teams, hoping to find the best value. For a detailed, in-depth analysis of the match, be sure to check out our full preview.
Cole Palmer and Diogo Dalot//Getty Images
Following the defeat away at West Ham last weekend, Manchester United will welcome the return to Old Trafford on Sunday. But the Red Devils will need to raise their level of play as they host high-flying Chelsea who have won five of their last six away games.
This week United parted ways with Erik ten Hag following a poor start to the 2024/25 Premier League season. They are in the bottom half of the table going into gameweek 10. Meanwhile, Chelsea, in fifth place, are showing signs of being a serious threat under Enzo Maresca.
Pre-game Odds and Win Probability: Too Close to Call
HOME: 31/20 (2.55) – 39,2%
DRAW: 27/10 (3.70) – 27%
AWAY: 31/20 (2.55) – 39,2%
*Odds courtesy of Betway, subject to change
Head-to-Head Record
Last Five Meetings (Premier League)
04/04/24: Chelsea 4-3 Manchester United
06/12/23: Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea
25/05/23: Manchester United 4-1 Chelsea
22/10/22: Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United
28/04/22: Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea
Manchester United: Current Form – DLDWL
There was plenty to be positive about for United fans heading into the 2024/25 season. The Red Devils defied hefty odds to beat league champions Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Apart from silverware, the result saw them take Chelsea’s position in the Europa League and demoted the West Londoners to the Conference League instead. On top of that, Ten Hag was strongly backed in the transfer market with the high-profile signings of Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte and Leny Yoro.
But after nine games in the Premier League, the Red Devils are languishing in the bottom half of the table in 14th place. They’ve registered only three wins – against Fulham, Southampton and Brentford – and scored just eight goals. United have outscored only Crystal Palace (17th) and Southampton (20th) in the league. Ten Hag has been relieved of his duties this week, leaving Ruud van Nistelrooy in charge for the interim as the process of identifying a successor begins.
Last weekend saw United suffer their fourth defeat of the season against West Ham, as Jarrod Bowen’s last-gasp penalty sealed a 2-1 win for the Hammers. The Old Trafford club will be desperate to turn things around and get their season back on track. Victory over Chelsea on Sunday would certainly boost the team’s morale and restore some belief ahead of a decent set of fixtures coming up against Leicester City (H), Ipswich Town (A) and Everton (H).
Alejandro Garnacho//Getty Images
Key Players to Watch
Marcus Rashford: Though no United player has really shone this season, they are still stacked with quality and have players that can hurt any team on their day. With his devastating speed, trickery and goal threat, Rashford could cause Chelsea problems.
Bruno Fernandes: The Portugal midfielder has frustrated a lot of United supporters this season, but none ever question his capabilities. When at his best, Fernandes is undoubtedly one of the best players in the Premier League and Chelsea will need to stick to him closely.
Alejandro Garnacho: The young Argentina winger is the only United player to score more than once in the league this term. He scored a brace against the Blues at Stamford Bridge in their last meeting, and he’ll be hoping to repeat that feat at Old Trafford.
Manchester United Team News
Kobbie Mainoo was expected to be out for only a “few weeks” when he pulled his hamstring during United’s goalless draw with Aston Villa on October 6. The England international has missed the last two league games, but it is unknown whether he could return this weekend.
Harry Maguire and Mason Mount are also major doubts, while left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia will need to be assessed. Meanwhile, Antony and Yoro are likely to remain on the treatment table.
Chelsea: Current Form – WWDLW
Chelsea have made a strong start to the Premier League under Enzo Maresca, picking up 17 points and occupying fifth place after nine matches played. The Blues recorded their fifth win of the season last weekend with a 2-1 victory at home to Newcastle United. Prior to that, Chelsea had come off second-best against Liverpool, losing 2-1 at Anfield, so it was important to put that disappointment behind them and get back to winning ways.
Chelsea have been very impressive away from home, with the west Londoners winning five of their last six outings. No team has scored more goals than them on the road this season while they’ve conceded just four times – one less than Manchester City and Liverpool. The Blues haven’t won a league game at Old Trafford since 2013, but they did get the better of United in their last meeting in a 4-3 win at Stamford Bridge.
After watching both Liverpool and Tottenham register big wins at the Theatre of Dreams last month, the Blues will be confident they can end their Old Trafford hoodoo on Sunday. Maresca’s side seem to be getting better after every game and with Cole Palmer already playing at the peak of his powers, Chelsea are a force to be reckoned with.
Cole Palme//Getty Images
Key Players to Watch:
Cole Palmer: Despite this being only his second season as a first-choice player, the young England star already looks like one of the best players in the world. With seven goals and five assists in the league, no player has been involved in more goals.
Pedro Neto: The talented Portugal winger now looks like he’s settled in at Chelsea. Neto was one of Maresca’s standout performers against Liverpool and Newcastle with his ball-carrying and explosive pace. Expect him to be a constant threat, whether on the left or right side.
Moises Caicedo: The Ecuadorian is one of the first names selected by Maresca on the team sheet. Caicedo is happy to quietly go about his business unnoticed, but his tireless work rate, making countless tackles and interceptions every game, make him vital to the team.
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea have no injury concerns or player suspensions heading into Sunday’s clash, at the time of writing. Maresca’s side will be at full strength.
Predicted Line-Ups
Manchester United: 4-2-3-1
Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Eriksen, Casemiro; Rashford, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund.
Chelsea: 4-2-3-1
Sanchez; James, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueka, Palmer, Neto; Jackson.
Suggested Bets
If you love betting on the Premier League, here are some bets you can place at some of the top football sportsbooks.
Both Teams to Score: Going by the recent head-to-head record where neither side have managed to keep a clean sheet in each of the last six meetings, this looks a solid bet. (41/100 with Betway) (41/100 with Supabets) (41/100 with 1Win)
Over 2.5 Goals: With their last meeting ending in a seven-goal thriller and Liverpool and Tottenham both scoring three goals at Old Trafford this season, this bet holds strong appeal. (47/100 with Betway) (47/100 with Supabets) (12/25 with 1Win)
Chelsea to score first: In three of United's four home matches, the visitors have scored the first goal and given the fact that Chelsea have scored first in three of their four away games, this looks a promising choice. (89/100 with Betway) (23/25 with Supabets) (4/5 with 1Win)
Value Bets
Cole Palmer – Anytime Goalscorer: Chelsea’s talisman netted a hat-trick the last time these met and given his red-hot form and the fact that he takes free-kicks and penalties, he could be a worthwhile pick. (141/100 with Betway) (8/5 with 1Win)
Alejandro Garnacho – Anytime Goalscorer: Having got on the scoresheet in his last outing at Old Trafford, and with a brace against Chelsea last time out, the exciting Argentine winger appears to offer solid value. (5/2 with Betway) (21/10 with 1Win)
Nicolas Jackson – First Goalscorer: With four away goals this season, scoring in three of Chelsea’s four visits, the in-form Senegalese striker could be a valuable selection to get the first goal. (37/5 with Betway) (13/2 with 1Win)
Prediction: Chelsea to Win and Both Teams to Score
With Ten Hag dismissed, the United players have a fresh start and will be eager to impress the incoming manager. However, Chelsea will be expecting the Red Devils to raise their game and will be ready to respond. Given the confidence and ruthlessness Maresca’s side are displaying right now, we’re backing them to come out on top.
Chad Nagel is a passionate sports fanatic who has worked in the sports and betting industry for over a decade. He spent most of his career as an editor-in-chief for Soccer Betting News, South Africa’s leading soccer betting newspaper, owned by Hollywoodbets. His articles have also featured in some of the most respected sports media platforms in the world, such as SPORTbible, Sports Illustrated, Combat Sports UK, and many others.