Considering their respective starts to the season, many at Chelsea would have expected the pressure and the limelight to be firmly on their hosts this weekend.
Manchester United have got off to a historically bad start to the campaign which has left them slumped in mid-table. The Blues, meanwhile, have adapted to new manager Enzo Maresca well and sit just outside the top four.
However, for those associated with Chelsea, the trip to United provides a chance for Maresca to put down a marker. Their two defeats in the Premier League this season have come at the hands of the so-called ‘Big Six’ and while their Old Trafford opponents are faltering, they still represent part of that establishment.
A victory this weekend would go a long way to diminishing fears that Maresca will fall short in the big matches and up until Monday this week, he had the perfect guide to help mastermind a victory. Jadon Sancho may have spent the most part of last season either stuck in isolation or on loan but he still had a good understanding of what makes the Reds tick.
This season, he was integrated back into the first-team fold thus witnessing how Erik ten Hag was looking to set up this campaign. But with the Dutchman out, Ruud van Nistelrooy in temporary charge and Ruben Amorim watching on, Sancho’s knowledge of the Reds is pretty redundant.
Against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup, Van Nistelrooy managed to set up United to play without the shackles which had been inhibiting them all season under Ten Hag. It was certain that this team was indistinguishable from the team we have seen all campaign.
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Therefore, while Sancho could perhaps give advice on individual players’ weaknesses, it is up to Maresca to evaluate what United are likely to offer on Sunday from very limited information. This of course makes the trip to United more challenging than it already was but will leave Maresca with more credit in the bank should he pick up a victory.
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