United v Chelsea: The PL stats so far
Manchester United and Chelsea will meet for the 60th time in the Premier League when the west London club visit Old Trafford this Thursday night.
The rivalry has proved to be one of the most competitive in top-flight history since 1992 and is currently unique as the only one where the Reds have won fewer games than our opponents.
The Blues edge the head-to-head figures in the Premier League with 18 victories compared to United's 17, while there have been 24 draws.
It means Ralf Rangnick's men have the opportunity to level this score, and there's also the possibility of balancing up the home records – a triumph for the Reds would make it 12 wins, 12 draws and six defeats for the hosts at both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.
Highlights: Chelsea 1 United 1
See the goals from Sancho and Jorginho as the Reds battle to a draw at the Bridge...
United are unbeaten in the last eight Premier League matches against Chelsea at Old Trafford, drawing 0-0 last season and recording an emphatic 4-0 win over the Blues in 2019/20.
Chelsea have not won at the Theatre of Dreams since May 2013 when a goal from Juan Mata – who moved between the clubs eight months later – was enough to secure a narrow 1-0 victory for the visitors.
Thomas Tuchel’s team will be eager to record a seventh Premier League away victory in M16 for his club on Thursday evening, but Rangnick will be hoping his side can use the rivalry to fuel a reaction after the defeat at Arsenal on Saturday.
MANAGERS
Speaking of managers, many high-profile names have locked horns over the years, from Sir Alex Ferguson versus Jose Mourinho, to the latter – this time in the United dugout – versus Antonio Conte.
Mourinho, in fact, is the only boss to have led Chelsea into ten or more Premier League games against the Reds. Next on that particular list is Claudio Ranieri, his immediate predecessor, with eight home and away meetings.
Rangnick will be the seventh United manager to oversee a league game between the clubs since 1992, following Sir Alex (42 matches), Mourinho (5), Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (5), Louis van Gaal (4), David Moyes (2) and Michael Carrick, whose brief stint as caretaker boss included the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge last November.
The west London club haven't won any of their last eight Premier League games against United, home or away, since Alvaro Morata's goal gave them a narrow 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge in November 2017.
Chelsea have only had two longer runs without a victory – they were unable to beat Arsenal in 19 meetings between 1995 and 2005, and Blackburn Rovers in 12 from 1992 to 1998.
Highlights: United 4 Chelsea 0
It’s exactly a year since our superb opening-day victory over Chelsea, with debuts for Maguire, Wan-Bissaka and James...
This will be the first meeting between the clubs to fall on a Thursday, and United will therefore become the first opposition team that Chelsea have faced on all seven days. The Reds have already completed the Monday to Sunday set against Aston Villa, Liverpool and Newcastle United.
ALTERNATING OUTCOMES
United are due another home draw if the pattern of our current seven-game unbeaten league run at Old Trafford – win, draw, win, draw, win, draw, win – is to be extended.
With thanks to Opta for some of the above statistics.