Chelsea hosts Manchester United in a huge Saturday lunchtime kick-off as pressure mounts on Michael Carrick amid ongoing speculation about his job security. Xabi Alonso has also drawn criticism in recent weeks, but not more so than his colleague in the opposite dugout.
The Blues were knocked out of the EFL Cup midweek after losing on penalties to Liverpool at Anfield. Cole Palmer was suspended for this fixture and will make his return to the squad for the visit of Manchester United.
Chelsea are now at risk of losing three consecutive matches under Xabi Alonso, as the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur did no favours for Alonso to endear himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful.
Chelsea head into this fixture with two wins from their last six league matches, after winning their opening two games this season. Hosts Chelsea find themselves 11 points clear of their visitors from Manchester, but defensively they have also had problems. Only Crystal Palace (19) and Ipswich Town (16) have let in more goals than Chelsea's 15 in the 2026-27 Premier League, and Alonso's men have conceded an average of two per game at home thus far.
Manchester United's problems are well documented this season. The constant pressure and expectations has seemingly humbled the Red Devils this campaign and the criticism of the INEOS/Glazer ownership is once again in the public spotlight. On the pitch, Michael Carrick has drawn criticism tactically, as his Manchester United side have won only two games in all competitions, albeit against Ipswich Town and FK Sabah in the Champions League.
In fact, Manchester United have failed to win any of their last eight matches in all competitions, which has led to reports of captain Bruno Fernandes having major disagreements with Carrick and the club in general. The Red Devils have had the odd respectable performance against teams like Leeds United, but the defeat to AFC Bournemouth was a damning indictment of where the club stands.
