Sport
Premier League midweek preview: Chelsea can trouble nervy United side
With the final day of the Premier League season fast approaching there are just a couple of fixtures to play this week before all teams have one game remaining. Midweek’s ties could decide European places, but if results comply then a few doors could still be left wide open on the final day.
We preview the two fixtures below.
Brighton v Manchester City, Wednesday 20:00
With the league title wrapped up Manchester City really have nothing to play for, but with FA Cup and Champions League finals on the horizon Pep Guardiola will not want his side taking their foot of the gas just yet.
City continued their winning run in their last game against Chelsea with a 1-0 win at home to seal their fifth title in six seasons, grasping their last opportunity to lift the Premier League trophy in front of their own fans this season. The Cityzens could extend their winning run to 13 in the league with a win on Wednesday and at 4/5 they are favourites to do so.
Brighton have some fond memories of this exact fixture, casting their minds back to the penultimate game of the 2020/21 season where they faced Manchester City at the Amex and ran out 3-2 winners. Brighton are a much more formidable side than they were two seasons ago and as 29/10 underdogs, Roberto de Zerbi’s men will hope to secure their Europa League spot for next year with a win over the champions.
A draw is a favourable result at 16/5 with Brighton needing just one point to mathematically secure sixth spot and a place in Europe next season, for the first time in the club’s history. City also don’t necessarily need any more points, but Guardiola is success-obsessed and will want his side to perform as best they can to further prove their dominance in the league and continue to build momentum into their two upcoming finals.
These two sides play some of the most entertaining, high-quality football in the league and previous games have certainly provided goals with Over 3.5 goals at 6/5 looking an intriguing punt. Should the goals fly in on Wednesday, it is likely that the unstoppable Erling Haaland will be in on the act at 7/10 to score anytime. Brighton have a young star of their own up top with 19-year-old Evan Ferguson their favourite to find the back of the net at 5/2 to score anytime.
Manchester United v Chelsea, Thursday 20:00
Manchester United have all but secured a spot in next season’s Champions League but with Liverpool breathing down their necks there will always be nervy moments until that position is officially confirmed for Erik ten Hag’s side.
United have been in the top four almost all of the season but with a few errors and lacklustre performances creeping in at the back end they have not quite confirmed their top four spot yet. The Red Devils are 4/7 favourites to take all three points and secure Champions League football at Old Trafford, something that would certainly boost what is at times a fractious relationship between the fans and the club.
With a top half finish now impossible Chelsea have officially had their worst league season since 1993/94. It is a long time since Chelsea have been as big as 4/1 underdogs for this fixture, but their fans and players may relish the lack of importance and expectation in this game, and a win would certainly put a consolatory smile on the faces of Chelsea fans.
At 17/5 a draw seems to be the obvious value punt, with all of the last five league meetings between these two sides ending in a tie. The last three matches have ended 1-1 with a repeat of that scoreline priced at 7/1.
Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has been the standout player between these two sides, with Chelsea not bringing a lot to the table, and the England star is 10/11 to add to his tally of 16 goals in the league this season.
