Six must-see stats before United v Chelsea

Between them, the two clubs have shared 18 of the 31 titles awarded so far and only once – in 2015/16 – have both the Reds and Blues failed to rank among the division’s top-four sides at the end of the season.

All that history has resulted in some fascinating statistics for you to pore over ahead of tonight’s game, which will be a 63rd meeting in the Premier League…

MEETING MAURICIO

Mauricio Pochettino returned to English football with Chelsea over the summer and Wednesday’s encounter will mark United’s 15th tete-a-tete with a side coached by the Argentinian. We’ve won seven of the previous 14 battles, losing just once at home – a 3-0 reverse to Tottenham in August 2018, under Jose Mourinho. The last time we faced a team managed by Pochettino, Marcus Rashford scored a brilliant solo winner and David De Gea stood firm in goal as the Reds beat Spurs 1-0 at Wembley in January 2019.

Erik ten Hag and Pochettino famously went head-to-head in the 2019 Champions League semi-finals, with Lucas Moura's hat-trick capping a remarkable away-goals turnaround and helping Tottenham to a first-ever final in the competition, at Ajax's expense.

CHANGING FACES

Pochettino is the 20th different man to take charge of Chelsea in a Premier League fixture against United. Ian Porterfield was the first, for a 1-1 draw a week before Christmas in 1992, although it was Glenn Hoddle who masterminded the Blues’ maiden Premier League victory at Old Trafford the following season. Ruud Gullit, Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez were the other conquering coaches – all with Sir Alex Ferguson in the opposing dugout.

Since 'the Boss' retired, Mourinho, Guus Hiddink, Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri, Frank Lampard and Thomas Tuchel have all tried and failed to emerge victorious at the Theatre of Dreams.

DUE A DRAW?

A win or defeat against Chelsea would see the Reds overtake a club record which has stood for 130 years. The Newton Heath side of 1893/94 went 21 top-flight fixtures without drawing and that is a mark that has been matched by United’s current iteration. We’ve won 13 and lost eight Premier League games since a 2-2 draw with Tottenham on 27 April – 223 days ago.

STRUGGLE TO SEPARATE

Ironically, this fixture is the most drawn in Premier League history, finishing level on 26 of 62 occasions. Prior to our 4-1 dismantling of the Blues in May, on a night when Champions League qualification was secured, the sides could not be separated in five straight meetings. Chelsea have not left M16 with all three points for a decade but have only lost four of 10 league clashes in that time.

PLAYERS WITH PREVIOUS

After Everton, Chelsea are Anthony Martial’s favourite opponents, as the Frenchman has netted five times in the league against the Blues. Rashford (four), Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire (one each) also have goals in this fixture. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their rapid recent turnover of players, none of Chelsea’s players has ever scored for the Blues against United, although Felipe Caicedo and Marc Cucurella did register in Brighton’s 4-0 victory over us in May 2022.

AMAZING AMAZON RUN

The game is being shown live on Amazon Prime Video in the UK and United have a 100 per cent record when the broadcaster’s cameras roll up. Here is a list of our eight Premier League wins captured by the channel since it secured rights in 2019...

United 2 Spurs 1 (2019/20)
United 4 Newcastle 1 (2019/20)
Sheffield United 2 United 3 (2020/21)
United 1 Wolves 0 (2020/21)
United 3 Arsenal 2 (2021/22)
United 3 Burnley 1 (2021/22)
United 2 Spurs 0 (2022/23)
United 3 Nottingham Forest 0 (2022/23)

Let’s hope it’s ninth-time lucky this evening…