Sports Blog 13/03/2017: FA Cup Quarter-Final Preview – Chelsea vs Manchester United, Monday 13th March 2017

Safely ensconced at the top of the table, can Chelsea continue their push for the double with an FA Cup win over Manchester United at 7.45pm BBC One?

Given the performances of their ostensible rivals, and the 10 point gap that separates them and 2nd place Tottenham, it is safe to say that the Premier League title is now Chelsea’s to lose. It would take a severe drop in form for their cushion to disappear, and looking at their run-in that seems unlikely. Lack of European football also means that Antonio Conte can focus purely on domestic matters, a luxury his opposite at Manchester United doesn’t have.



For just 3 days after their FA Cup tie, Manchester United host Rostov in the 2nd leg of their Europa League last 16 match-up. And annoyingly for Jose Mourinho, United’s inability to seal the deal this season was in full effect in Russia, the 1st leg finishing 1-1 after a Henrikh Mkhitaryan opener was cancelled out in the second half. So while that means United do have an away goal, they can’t exactly field a second string side (especially not against a team who managed to beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League) on Thursday night.

To compound Mourinho’s frustrations, he is facing a very busy week – the FA Cup and Europa League fixtures followed by a trip to Middlesbrough on Sunday – without a single recognised striker available. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the club’s great escape artist, is suspended, Wayne Rooney is injured and Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are both ill. That likely leaves Mkhitaryan, at a Super Mega PGM spread of 8-11, as the club’s best option up front, with attacking support from Paul Pogba, at 9-13, and Juan Mata, at 7-10.

Conte, on the other hand, heads into Monday night with a full strength squad at his disposal. Diego Costa, who has 18 goals in total this season, sits at a Super Mega PGM of 25-30, while Pedro, who has scored 4 goals in Chelsea’ 3 FA Cup games so far, is at 16-20. And that’s not to mention Michy Matshuayi and Eden Hazard, at Super Mega PGMs of 25-30 and 24-29 respectively.

Considering the respective front lines of either side it is hard to see beyond a win for the Blues, with Spreadex offering a Chelsea/Manchester United Goal Supremacy spread of 0.65-0.85 alongside a Total Goals spread of 2.2-2.4.