Manchester United vs Chelsea: Key Battles

Manchester United v Sevilla - Rio Ferdinand Testimonial

Michael Carrick vs Chelsea’s advanced playmaker

Manchester United Training and Press Conference - Hong Kong

Michael Carrick will have his hands full

Bear in mind that when I use the words “advanced playmaker”, I’m not referring to Juan Mata, rather whoever starts in that particular position. Mata himself will probably start out wide so that means either Oscar or De Bruyne will be deployed as the number 10.

Whoever does start, Carrick will no doubt, have the unenviable job of ensuring that he doesn’t let that player influence the game too much. Carrick’s defensive capabilities are often overshadowed by his impressive ball distribution and tidy passing, but his defensive work-rate is nothing short of excellent.

He will have to continuously drop deep in order to help the defence in keeping the main central attacking midfielder in Chelsea’s talented attacking trio at bay. Whether or not he succeeds in this particular job might just be the difference between a win and a loss for United.

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