5 reasons why Manchester United may destroy Chelsea

A decade ago, this was the matchup which decided title races. In the present, the clash is set to decide who is the best among the rest as Manchester City have literally run away with the Premier League title this season.

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Nevertheless, the current situation at both clubs offers great promise of a cracking contest.

The Old Trafford landlordsUnit recently lost to Newcastle United and drew 0-0 at Sevilla in the Champions League with Paul Pogba facing severe criticism for his performances.

Their manager; Jose Mourinho has preferred 21-year old Scott McTominay to the Frenchman as he tries to bring balance to the team.

On the other side, Chelsea's manager Antonio Conte is fighting a battle of his own with the board and his future has come in to question in recent weeks. Thus, both teams are not in their best moments and a win in this high-voltage clash will help either team's momentum massively.

There are several factors which point to a good win for United; here are 5 of the most crucial:

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#5 United and Mourinho need it more

Mourinho is under pressure due to recent performances

Simply put, the Red Devils need to put on a top performance to relieve themselves and their manager of the huge pressure they are under at the moment. January signing Alexis Sanchez has not lifted the squad like Mourinho would have envisaged and there remains a missing fluidity to the attack which continues to irk fans.

Paul Pogba's drop in form and subsequent benching looks to have not gone well with the player. However, even his absence has not led to an improvement in results or performances.

Defensively, the team has not been solid either with goalie David De Gea being called upon more than he should.

Finally, Romelu Lukaku continues to fail in leading the line, unlike Zlatan Ibrahimovic last season.

Thus, the entire team is under pressure to not only win but also do so in a dominant fashion. Big clubs tend to respond best to pressure and this is the perfect occasion for the Red Devils to put Chelsea to the sword.

#4 Old Trafford's atmosphere

Old Trafford can be quite intimidating for the opponents

It is a popular belief that home advantage plays a massive role in football. The home team suddenly becomes faster, more energetic and things start going their way once the crowd becomes the 12th man. Now, in terms of intimidating atmospheres, Old Trafford is as good as it gets.

The Theatre of Dreams, as it is fondly called, is the largest club football stadium in England with a capacity to hold around 75,000 fans. Top fanbases are the ones who understand the importance of backing their team especially when the latter is going through a rough patch.

United fans firmly belong to that category and they can dial up the volume at the stadium even before the match begins, boosting their team's morale while intimidating the Blues.

The red half of Manchester have orchestrated several memorable moments in their chequered history with a noisy Old Trafford playing its part.

Once the team gets going with the crowd behind them, it will become a difficult environment for a Blues side short of confidence and this could help the Red Devils achieve the desired result.

#3 Chelsea's shaky defence

Chelsea have not been as resolute in defence as last season

Talking about an atmosphere affecting the visiting team, Chelsea's already ailing defence could struggle even more at Old Trafford. The defending champions have put in a feeble fight to defend their title, although Manchester City's brilliance has something to do with that.

The biggest setback for Antonio Conte's side has been how unreliable the team's defence has been.

David Luiz has been suffering from a knee injury since October and rumours of a bust-up with the manager look to have cost him a first-team spot.

His replacement, 21-year old Andreas Christensen, has been consistently solid with Conte predicting him to be the club's future captain.

However, even the Dane has not been error-free as his misplaced pass gifted Lionel Messi and Barcelona a valuable away goal in the first leg tie of the Champions League round of 16.

Gary Cahill is no longer the dominant force he used to be, and Antonio Rudiger is yet to become a starter under Conte.

Only Cesar Azpilicueta has been reliable but he is not the tallest either. Thus, the backline has been struggling for a while now with thumping defeats at the hands of Bournemouth and Watford tell-tale signs.

Hence, United will be facing a Blues defence whose confidence is low; this will serve as fuel to motivate the Red Devils' attackers to deliver.

#2 Sanchez is due a masterclass

Sanchez is due a good game

In order for Manchester United to destroy Chelsea, it is imperative for their attackers to step up and be counted.

While Lukaku is the focal point for the attack, the Red Devils will hope Sanchez can finally live up to his stature in the squad.

The United no.7 has only scored a solitary goal in three league outings and questions are already being asked of him.

Mourinho has been trying to build the team around the Chilean, however, the former Arsenal superstar has looked out of sorts.

His recent performance against Sevilla is a case in point where the 29-year old's decision-making and ball-retention abilities were questioned.

However, Sanchez has proved himself to be one of the best attackers in world football consistently over the past decade and can switch his form along with his team's fortunes over the course of 90 minutes.

Keeping in mind the pressure, home advantage and Chelsea' defensive frailties, this is the perfect big match to announce himself as a United player.

Thus, the sense of occasion is sure to motivate Sanchez and if he can find his best form, Chelsea will be in for a torrid time.

#1 Pogba's redemption

Pogba's situation is set to fuel him to put on a clinic

While all the chatter continues around the team and manager, the Red Devils actually possess a player who can dominate Chelsea's midfield.

Paul Pogba remains the most expensive player at Manchester United and there is a reason why the club decided to shell out £89m for the Frenchman.

The 24-year old is a player tipped by many to be the present and future at Old Trafford and has generally struggled under Mourinho, barring the occasional show of brilliance

Nevertheless, Pogba's talent is unquestioned as his performances for Juventus under Conte have been impressive over three seasons.

While the rumours of bad blood between Mourinho and the lanky midfielder persist, both are sensible enough to realize the magnitude of the match and the impact it could have for their season.

The absence of Tiemoue Bakayoko implies Chelsea either has to play the defensive-minded Danny Drinkwater or the offensive-minded Cesc Fabregas alongside N'Golo Kante.

Thus, Pogba has a great chance to dominate the midfield battle and redeem himself.

After all, whenever the Frenchman dominates the midfield, United more often than not go on to win the game.