Premier League 2019-20: 3 things to watch out for in the Manchester United vs Chelsea match

Chelsea and Manchester United are two clubs striving for identity at the moment. With inexperienced managers at the helm at both clubs, this season will showcase whether the gambles taken by them succeed.

Manchester United have had a fairly successful transfer window where they aggressively pursued their defensive targets. Aaron Wan-Bissaka's arrival is a fantastic move as it has given United a world-class young talent with a lot of room for further development.

Towards the end of the window, they were also able to finalize the transfer of Harry Maguire from Leicester City for a world-record fee for a defender.

On the other hand, Chelsea were under a transfer ban this transfer window. Unable to make any new signings, they merely welcomed the arrival of Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund, a deal that was announced back in January.

Moreover, Mateo Kovacic's stay at Stamford Bridge was made permanent as Chelsea were able to buy him permanently from Real Madrid due to a technicality in the transfer ban.

As Chelsea and Manchester United go head to head to start this season, we take a look at three things to look out for in the epic clash.

Defensive stability of both teams

The defense was perhaps the weakest area for both clubs last season. United looked incapable of finding the right combination at the back. Defenders like Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones made some blatant mistakes, which was one of the reasons behind United's miserable form last season.

At the same time, Chelsea witnessed perhaps one of the weirdest seasons in their history. There was a lot of discussion regarding Chelsea's defense last season; they just kept making basic mistakes which led to unnecessary problems.

More often than not, it was a case of lack of concentration as the Blues seemed to doze off at times.

As far as defense is concerned, both clubs have undergone renovation and they seem ready to exhibit new backlines. Recent events at Chelsea have led many to believe that Frank Lampard, the current manager, wants to mix things up at the back.

Lampard will look to solve Chelsea's defensive problems

While last season's manager, Maurizio Sarri, went for experience in David Luiz, Lampard believes otherwise. It looks as if Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen will be starting at the back with Antonio Rudiger and Fikayo Tomori on the bench.

This is perhaps the biggest reason why Luiz left Chelsea, but that is another debate.

Now, with new signings in Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the back, United's backline should look formidable. The worry, however, will be the second center-back position, as Luke Shaw will seamlessly slot into the left-back position.

Since Bailly is out with a long-term injury, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have to pick his center-back from either of Smalling, Jones or Marcus Rojo. And to be honest, all three bring a sense of insecurity to the backline.

Manchester United v Cardiff City - Premier League

As these two teams lock horns at Old Trafford, the defense will perhaps be one of the most exciting parts of the match. Both teams try and find out if their backline will be able to function well together.

Paul Pogba's form

If there is one player that is always subject to speculation, it is Paul Pogba. Be it managerial controversies, hair color or transfer rumors, Pogba is always in the news.

This transfer window wasn't any different. There was persistent gossip about Pogba moving to another club to pursue "a different challenge". To add to the mix, Solskjaer gave many cryptic responses to queries related to Pogba, which suggested that something was going on.

However, the situation seems to be in control (for now). As the season starts, it is imperative that Pogba starts for United as he seems to be the driving force behind's Solskjaer's machine.

Pogba is a polarizing player; he has always divided opinions among the fans. Perhaps the most concerning part of Pogba's character has been consistency. Very often when United are struggling, Pogba is seen hanging his head and just doing the bare minimum instead of taking charge of the situation.

On his day, Pogba can be a defender's nightmare. He possesses unmatched dribbling ability coupled with fabulous vision. Solskjaer has to realize that Pogba can become the spine of this team if his consistency can be improved.

The contest at Old Trafford might just depend on Pogba's form. If the Frenchman decides to make this his match, then there is little Chelsea can do.

Chelsea's high press

One of the most visible changes at Chelsea from last season has been the press. Under Maurizio Sarri, Chelsea didn't press high. While the off press was there, it just wasn't effective enough.

However, Frank Lampard has decided to implement a high press with his Chelsea squad. Throughout pre-season, Chelsea managed to score goals which were a direct result of their high press.

Now, pressing is quite a difficult task to carry out. It needs a lot of stamina and a high level of fitness. Also, pressing can turn out to be more detailed than it looks as some coaches implement systems where certain players trigger the press when the ball reaches a particular area.

Lampard's aim with the press will be to disturb the rhythm of the Manchester United backline. With ferocious pressing, defenders have to be a lot more careful while playing the ball out from the back. A high press will likely lead to mistakes from the United defenders, thereby creating openings for the Chelsea frontline.

After the pre-season, it has become clear that Lampard is building a squad that will be pressing high. His emphasis is to work hard off the ball.

This press will likely be on display against United. Whether or not it will impact the home team is anyone's guess, but the battle certainly promises to be exciting.

Edited by Musab Abid