Chelsea have won just one of their last nine meetings with Manchester United, albeit six of these have been draws, but the Blues are targeting back-to-back home league wins over the Red Devils for the first time since 2017.
Can Chelsea keep their Champions League aspirations in their own hands going into the final day?
Last Sunday, the Blues' top five hopes suffered a serious setback, beaten 2-0 by Newcastle at St James' Park, conceding in the second minute and the second minute of injury time, with Nicolas Jackson needlessly sent off for an aggressive flailing elbow in the first half.
This means, amazingly, Enzo Maresca's team have won only one of their last 10 Premier League away games, losing six.
Chelsea vs Manchester United preview
Despite this, Chelsea's strong home form, winning seven of their last eight at Stamford Bridge, means they start the night fifth, thereby occupying the final Champions League spot. However, the Blues are only above Aston Villa by goal difference, and just one point clear of Nottingham Forest, who they face at the City Ground on the final day; how crucial could that be?
Thus, in summary, the Blues know that two wins from their remaining two fixtures will guarantee Champions League qualification, but anything less will almost certainly see them miss out.
Well, a home win on Friday night does appear likely because, well, it's Manchester United who are in town. Last Sunday, as has become standard at this point, the Red Devils were beaten yet again, this time 2-0 by West Ham, their ninth league defeat at Old Trafford of the campaign, the most in a single season of the club's entire 147-year history.
Rúben Amorim's team are now winless in seven, beating only the three relegated clubs and Fulham across 20 league outings since 15 December.
However, despite not reaching 40 points yet, Man United could still salvage this season, taking on Tottenham in Wednesday's Europa League Final. A spot in the Champions League and silverware are on the line at San Mamés, making it a potentially era-defining encounter for both involved.
Back to this game, Man United have seemingly tanked the Premier League at this point, which is great news for Chelsea, hence why they're firm favourites for three previous points on Friday night.
Chelsea vs Manchester United head-to-head record
- Matches Played: 196.
- Chelsea Wins: 56. Draws: 57. Manchester United Wins: 83.
Chelsea team news
Nicolas Jackson commences his three-match domestic ban, which will carry over to next season, and his suspension is far from ideal, given that fellow strikers Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu are both injured. So, as he did earlier this season, Enzo Maresca is likely to deploy Pedro Neto as a false nine, with Jadon Sancho returning out-wide.
Maresca had named an unchanged lineup for three straight Premier League games, the first time Chelsea had done that since 2018, but Jackson's red card will break this sequence. Nevertheless, the rest of the team is settled, featuring Roméo Lavia at the base of midfield and Moisés Caicedo at right-back, the latter likely to be chosen over captain Reece James and Malo Gusto once again.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Manchester United: (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; Caicedo, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernández, Lavia, Sancho, Palmer, Madueke; Neto.
Chelsea player to watch vs Manchester United
Cole Palmer bagged a hat-trick the last time Man United visited Stamford Bridge, snatching an extraordinary 4-3 victory with strikes in the tenth and then 11th minutes of stoppage time. Well, more recently, Palmer has scored just one goal in his last 20 outings, so can he reignite that spark?
Manchester United team news
Rúben Amorim says he will not prioritise the Europa League Final, attempting to shatter Man United's losing culture, so we'll see if his team selection reflects this attitude. First and foremost, Lisandro Martínez, Matthijs de Ligt, Diogo Dalot, Ayden Heaven and Joshua Zirkzee all remain sidelined.
Meantime, Leny Yoro is a doubt, after suffering a foot injury against West Ham, so is unlikely to be risked. André Onana could return, after Altay Bayındır was handed a rare start on Sunday, while Chido Obi-Martin will be hoping to make just a second Premier League start, as he's not in the UEFA squad.
Lastly, having started for the first time since 7 February due to an ankle injury last weekend, Amad will be looking to get some more minutes into his legs, ahead of a possible start in Bilbao.
Manchester United predicted lineup vs Chelsea: (3-4-3): Onana; Lindelöf, Maguire, Shaw; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dorgu; Garnacho, Fernandes, Højlund.
Manchester United player to watch vs Chelsea
Mason Mount joined Chelsea as a six-year-old, before being sold for £55m almost two decades later. Having scored twice against Athletic Club last Thursday, doubling his goal tally for Man United, can he make an impact against his former employers?
Chelsea vs Manchester United prediction
We cannot see any way that Chelsea do not win this match. The Blues are very strong at home, while Man United aren't very good anywhere, well in the league that is: Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United.
Chelsea vs Manchester United FAQs
How to watch Chelsea vs Manchester United on TV
Chelsea vs Manchester United will be available on the following TV channels;
- UK: Sky Sports Main Event & Ultra HD.
- USA: fuboTV, NBC, Telemundo & Deportes En Vivo
- Canada: Fubo Sports Network Canada
How to watch Chelsea vs Manchester United on live stream
Chelsea vs Manchester United will be available on the following streaming services;
- UK: SkyGO & NOW TV.
- USA: fuboTV, nbcsports.com, USA Network, Telemundo & SiriusXM FC
- Canada: fuboTV Canada
What is the date and kick-off time for Chelsea vs Manchester United?
Chelsea vs Manchester United takes place on Friday 16 May 2025, with kick off at 20:15 (BST), 15:15 (EDT) & 12:15 (PDT).