📅 October 30, 2026
Chelsea v Man United Preview: The Underdogs, Team News and Our Predicted XI
Watch the video version of this story On @mavjonesdotcom, in about a minute. ▶ Play on TikTok
Manchester United go to Stamford Bridge on Saturday as the outsiders. The bookmakers have Chelsea as clear favourites, with United priced at around 3-1 everywhere RotoWire checked, and you can see why: United are 16th, one point above the relegation zone, and Chelsea are fifth.
But United won on this ground in April, and Chelsea come into it having lost at home to Spurs and with their own injury list. Michael Carrick goes in with his captain back, Kobbie Mainoo back in training, and one week of noise behind him.
▶ Follow @mavjonesdotcom on TikTok
Kick-off and the odds
Chelsea v Manchester United kicks off at 12.30pm UK time on Saturday 31 October, which is 8.30am Eastern in the US because the clocks there don’t change until Sunday.
Every book in RotoWire’s odds table has Chelsea as favourites and United at between +295 and +320, roughly 3-1. Racing Post quotes bet365 at 5-6 Chelsea, 14-5 the draw and 3-1 United. Nobody outside the club expects much.
Why United can’t be written off
The last time these two met at Stamford Bridge, in April, United won 1-0, as RotoWire’s preview notes. That was under Carrick, in the run that finished with United third.
Chelsea aren’t flying either. They lost 2-0 at home to Tottenham last weekend, which both Racing Post and RotoWire report, and Racing Post says they went out of the League Cup to Liverpool on penalties on Wednesday after a 1-1 draw. That was a midweek cup tie for them, while United have had a full week to prepare.
And their injury list is long. Joao Pedro is out for a few weeks with a thigh problem, Xabi Alonso said this week. Maxence Lacroix (hamstring), Reece James and Jamie Gittens are out too, and Emiliano Martinez is still missing in goal, according to both previews. Cole Palmer does return from suspension, though, and he’s the player United have to stop.
United team news
Out: Benjamin Sesko (shin, a “longer period of time”, Carrick said on Thursday), Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu and Manuel Ugarte.
Doubt: Marcus Rashford. He’s missed the last two games with his hip problem and missed training again this week. We’ve left him out of our XI.
Back: Bruno Fernandes, after Tuesday’s clear-the-air talks. Carrick said on Thursday that he’s still captain. Mainoo did “a little bit of training” on Wednesday after missing four games, so he looks more likely for the bench than to start.
Our predicted United XI (4-2-3-1)
Lammens; Yoro, Maguire, Martínez, Dalot; Baleba, Santos; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.
This is our prediction from who’s available, not a leaked team.
- Defence: with Shaw and Dorgu out, Dalot moves to left-back. Lisandro Martínez comes back in for Ayden Heaven, whose lunge gave away the free-kick for Bournemouth’s first goal. Leny Yoro keeps right-back.
- Midfield: Carlos Baleba and Andrey Santos give United legs against a Chelsea side that will want the ball. Mainoo comes off the bench if he’s ready.
- Attack: Fernandes goes straight back in behind the striker. Without Sesko and Rashford, Bryan Mbeumo leads the line, with Amad and Matheus Cunha either side.
The published predictions mostly agree on the shape. RotoWire and Racing Post both have the same back four as us, with Mbeumo up front and Fernandes at No. 10. RotoWire has Mainoo and Youri Tielemans in midfield, and Racing Post has Mainoo and Baleba. Premier League News Now goes another way, with Noussair Mazraoui at right-back, Mason Mount on the left and Cunha through the middle.
Chelsea’s likely side
RotoWire expects Alonso to go with three at the back: Penders; Acheampong, Fofana, Colwill; Neto, Caicedo, Henderson, Gusto; Palmer, Quenda; Rogers. Racing Post has a back four with Danny Welbeck up front. Either way, Mike Penders is in goal with Martinez out, and Moises Caicedo is fine after coming off early against Liverpool, Alonso said.
Our view
The underdog tag is fair on this season’s form, but it suits United. Fernandes is back, Chelsea played on Wednesday and lost at home last weekend, and United won on this ground six months ago.
A draw keeps the pressure off Carrick until Roma on Tuesday. A win changes the whole week. Losing badly, after everything since Sunday, and the conversation starts again. We think United get something.
▶ Follow @mavjonesdotcom on TikTok
Sources: Odds, kick-off time, both injury lists, the April result, Chelsea’s recent form and RotoWire’s predicted line-ups from RotoWire (odds via OddsJam), updated 30 October. The bet365 prices, the League Cup exit on penalties (Racing Post alone, so it’s attributed), Chelsea’s injuries and Racing Post’s line-ups from Racing Post’s preview, 30 October. Premier League News Now’s United XI from its 30 October preview. Joao Pedro’s injury from Xabi Alonso via Flashscore and Asharq Al-Awsat. Table from ESPN’s Premier League standings. Carrick’s quotes and United team news from our earlier coverage (Sky Sports, AFP, Hayters, BBC). Our XI is our own prediction. Left out: a US TV channel, because we couldn’t confirm the broadcaster for this game.