N’Golo Kante- It seems the Frenchman has always had an upper hand over Jose Mourinho. He was clearly the main difference between Mourinho’s failed team last year and Conte’s winning team this time.
And not only that, but the midfielder has also managed to score on both the occasions that Chelsea have faced United this season. His vibrancy and movement in the midfield can simply not be traced by Mourinho, it seems. One of the most underrated players in the league, Kante has easily been the most effective player for the Blues.
United were caught off guard while man-marking Eden Hazard and Pedro during the FA Cup quarters when Kante found an opening and slotted the ball home that was the only goal of the game. Even during United’s 4-0 humiliation, Kante had a similar position and he perfected the drive past David De Gea for the fourth and final goal.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic- If there is one player from the United squad, who can single-handedly make a difference in the game, it is Zlatan. The towering striker had little to no deliveries during the league defeat earlier in the season and missed out the FA Cup clash owing to suspension.
He too will have a point to prove, like his manager Mourinho, when he faces Chelsea this week. His huge presence will definitely be enough to unsettle Chelsea’s David Luiz at the back, giving way for the wingers to draw first blood. Apart from that, Zlatan has the ability to get goals from the most impossible of angles.
He has already managed 17 goals in 27 league appearances. If he is looking at a move away from Old Trafford at the end of the season, he will definitely want to part ways with an unforgettable gift for the fans. And what better gift than crushing the strongest league contenders at home.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan- Yet another United’s star summer signing, who never really got the chance to prove his mettle against the most in-form team in the league. While Mkhitaryan had missed the last league game at Stamford Bridge, he could only stay for 30 minutes on the pitch in the FA Cup fixture.
Ander Herrera’s red card had forced Mourinho to take him off in the first quarter of the game. The Armenian international’s speed on the ball and blistering pace off it will definitely be new for Chelsea and like most opponents could be difficult to control. Despite starting late in the season, Mkhitaryan has scored four goals, which includes a sensational one against Tottenham Hotspur.
