The Premier League season returns to our screens and social media platforms, but one game is the most talked about ahead of kick-off later tonight?
The cracker for the gameweek 1, has been scheduled for Sunday’s evening when Manchester United and Chelsea come against each other at the Theatre of Dreams, Old Trafford.
This will be Frank Lampard’s first competitive game as Chelsea boss. He plays a Manchester United team who are jetting off a first full season under former player, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. And this will mark the 55th fixture between both sides in the Premier League.
With regards to opening-weekend fixtures, both Manchester United and Chelsea have won more than any other Premier League side. The Red Devils have 18 wins compared to Chelsea’s 17.
Ole’s team have only lost once at home in their last 26 games when kicking off a Premier League campaign, which was a 2-1 loss to Swansea City in the 2014/2015 season.
Chelsea have won at Old Trafford six times, with all six coming under different managers. The only manager who failed to win on his first visit to the stadium with Chelsea within that period was Claudio Ranieri.
This match threatens to be a very good one, as it serves as the first competitive meeting between the Red Devils and the Blues with former players now in charge as managers of both teams.
Referee Anthony Taylor will be in charge of officiating, with Stuart Attwell taking charge of the Video Assistant Referee.
When and Where?
Venue: Old Trafford
Date: Sunday, 11 August
Kick-off time: 8pm BST
Team News
For the hosts, world record arrival Harry Maguire is all set to make his debut. Paul Pogba is expected to be back from back injury, although Alexis Sanchez is not expected to feature following his arrival from Copa America.
For Chelsea, the trio of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Antonio Rudiger and Callum Hudson-Odoi remain out, as N’Golo Kante miss another match with knee injury which ended his preseason.
Probable XI
Manchester United: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Pogba, Matic, McTominay, James, Martial, Rashford.
Chelsea: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Christensen, Emerson, Kante, Jorginho, Pedro, Barkley, Pulisic, Giroud.
