Man United VS Chelsea Football Match Score 26 May 2023
Chelsea’s worst season in three decades trudges along on Thursday when the Blues hit the road to face Manchester United. With two matches remaining in the season, the Blues sit in 12th place in the Premier League table. They have not finished that low in the standings since ending the 1993-94 season in 14th. Meanwhile, Manchester United can clinch a spot in next season’s Champions League with one point from their final two matches.
Kickoff is 3 p.m. ET at Old Trafford in Manchester. Caesars Sportsbook lists Manchester United as the -150 favorites in the latest Manchester United vs. Chelsea odds, with Chelsea the +380 underdogs. A draw is priced at +290, and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before locking in any Chelsea vs. Manchester United picks or EPL predictions, you need to see what proven soccer expert Martin Green has to say.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. On May 13 he correctly called Manchester United to beat Wolves and for the game to stay Under 3.5 goals. He’s also on a profitable run in multiple events since the 2022 World Cup, including Champions League (+5.13), EFL Cup (+3.64) and the FA Cup (+3.07)
Now, Green has broken down Manchester United vs. Chelsea from every angle and just revealed his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Green’s picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Chelsea vs. Manchester United:
All signs point to Marcus Rashford being available to play on Thursday. The 25-year-old forward has missed the last two matches because of injury and illness, but he has returned to training and manager Erik ten Hag said Wednesday that he expects Rashford to be available. His return would be immense for United as Rashford ranks sixth in the league in goals, with 16. Since league play resumed after the World Cup, he has scored 12 goals in 19 EPL matches.
In addition, United face a Chelsea side that figures to be shorthanded on Thursday. The Blues could be without 10 players. Centerback Benoit Badiashile (groin) is out, while N’Golo Kante, Reece James, Armando Broja and Marcus Bettelini also will likely miss the game. Four others — Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount — are doubtful.
The Blues have one of the best defenses in the league. Led by 38-year-old defender Thiago Silva, Chelsea have allowed just 42 goals this season. Only Manchester City (31), Newcastle (32) and Manchester United (41) have given up fewer. In addition, Chelsea have a proven goal scorer in Kai Havertz. The 23-year-old forward from Germany leads the team in goals with seven. He has 19 career goals in 89 career appearances with the Blues, and 55 career goals in his senior career.
Needing just the one point to guarantee Champions League football for the 2023-24 season, Manchester United’s final Premier League home game of the season takes place on Thursday, as Chelsea make the trek to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils are on the brink of sealing a top-four finish thanks to their 1-0 win over Bournemouth last weekend, while the mid-table Blues lost by the same scoreline to newly-crowned champions Manchester City. While one Brazilian in Roberto Firmino managed to keep Liverpool’s Champions League hopes alive in the Reds’ draw with Aston Villa, his compatriot Casemiro came up with a moment of individual brilliance to keep Man United in the driving seat for a top-four finish at the Vitality Stadium.
The midfielder’s stunning bicycle kick settled an otherwise low-key affair on the South Coast, during which David de Gea – for all the criticism he has received this season – posted a 17th league clean sheet of the season to collect the Golden Glove, and Erik ten Hag is on the verge of achieving his overriding goal in his debut season at Old Trafford.
Sitting three points clear of Liverpool with a game in hand, the fourth-placed Red Devils will assure themselves of a place in next season’s Champions League – where Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle United will also be present – should they avoid defeat on Thursday night, but they will get a second bite of the cherry against Fulham on Sunday if they fall short here.
Ten Hag will no doubt aim to wrap up a top-four finish on Thursday before attention turns to their FA Cup final date with bitter rivals Manchester City, and despite a few frailties on the road, Man United have been the toughest nut to crack at home in the current Premier League season.
Indeed, the Red Devils have conceded just eight times at the Theatre of Dreams in the 2022-23 top flight – winning each of their last four without shipping a goal and keeping clean sheets in each of their last six – which certainly does not make for pleasant reading for a goal-shy Chelsea crop. With Arsenal’s defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday confirming Man City’s status as champions, Pep Guardiola sent out a second-string team onto the field to meet Chelsea, but Frank Lampard’s injury-hit charges could not spoil the Citizens’ celebrations.
