Chelsea are determined to win, but a draw is likely.
For teams ahead of their key rivals, a direct draw to maintain the gap in the final stages of the season is considered a victory. That's the situation for Manchester United ahead of their match against Chelsea tonight (2 AM on April 19th) in the Premier League. Furthermore, MU is playing away, so they are even more focused on "safety first." MU's sole objective in the final six rounds is to secure a place in the top five, thus earning a return to the Champions League. A seven-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea is quite safe at this point.
Chelsea (left) must win against MU to secure a Champions League spot.
PHOTO: AFP
Chelsea must attack Liverpool's fifth-place position if they want to qualify for the Champions League. The gap is only one place, but it feels... very large. The gap between Chelsea and the 11th-placed team (3 points) is even smaller than the gap between Chelsea and the team just above them (4 points). With no room for error, Chelsea must win to secure all three points and maintain their hopes of climbing in the following rounds. The problem for Chelsea is that they have lost consecutively and failed to score in the last three matches. Choosing a win-oriented approach also increases the risk of further defeats. Losing four consecutive matches without scoring would be a terrible situation Chelsea has never experienced in this century.
In terms of squad strength, Chelsea have the advantage as their injured players are not irreplaceable. Excellent midfielder Enzo Fernandez will return after serving an internal suspension. Therefore, Chelsea's attack could be more effective than in recent matches. For Manchester United, the most significant absence is that all three key central defenders – Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, and Mathijs De Ligt – are out due to injury. Only Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven remain, and these central defenders are not particularly reliable. Defensive play has always been a weakness for Manchester United, who rarely keep a clean sheet. Although they lost to Leeds at home last weekend, Manchester United have a surprising statistic: they have never lost two consecutive matches this season. A draw is possible. Chelsea vs. Manchester United is the most drawn fixture in Premier League history.
OTTENHAM ARE IN THE RECREATION GROUP
Before kick-off at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, currently in sixth place, are likely to be overtaken by Brentford and Brighton. Brentford will host Fulham in the early match (6:30 PM on April 18th), while Brighton will visit Tottenham at 11:30 PM. Bournemouth could also move level on points with Chelsea if they beat Newcastle in their match at 9 PM. In short, teams from mid-table upwards still have hopes of qualifying for the Champions League or Europa League next season, so every match is crucial. The Tottenham - Brighton match is particularly noteworthy. Tottenham is one of the few teams that consistently stay in the Premier League, but now their relegation threat is very clear. The debut match of new manager Roberto De Zerbi was a disaster as Tottenham lost.
Sunderland lost 0-1 and dropped to 18th place, well below the relegation zone. Now they face a team determined to compete for a European spot.
Brighton have won 5 of their last 6 league matches, making them the team with the best form in the league. At the opposite extreme is Tottenham's slump: 7 losses and 1 draw in their last 8 matches. Since the beginning of 2026, Tottenham haven't won a single Premier League game, only managing 5 points out of a possible 42. The frequent absence of around a dozen key players due to injury is a major reason for Tottenham's predicament. Just last round, captain Cristian Romero suffered a serious injury that could potentially prevent him from participating in the World Cup. What kind of team is it when the list of injured players currently unavailable for Tottenham includes Romero, Guglielmo Vicario, Yves Bissouma, Ben Davies, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentacur, Wilson Odobert...
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tan-cong-vao-suat-du-cup-chau-au-185260417214152394.htm
Comment (0)