UEFA Champions League: Manchester United V Chelsea – Tuesday, 12 April 2011 All Sports Room

Apr 11 2011

UEFA Champions League: Manchester United V Chelsea – Tuesday, 12 April 2011

Posted by Jasper Irvine in Betting Sport Tips

Tags: 12 April, 12 April 2011, 2011, April 2011 | No Comments »

Manchester United V Chelsea

Date & Kick-Off: Tuesday, 12 April 2011 – 19:45 (GMT) Venue: Old Trafford; Manchester, England TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD2

It was being built up as the titanic clash between the two clubs who have completely dominated English football for the past six-years, the pair winning three league titles apiece during that time, however it was 18-time English champions Manchester United who comfortably came out in top at Stamford Bridge in the opening leg, with none other than man of the moment Wayne Rooney squeezing home a winner in a 1-0 victory which has left Sir Alex’s men within touching distance of the last-four.

So then, Chelsea have it all to do heading up to Manchester – which is where the Red Devils haven’t lost a competitive match in 2010/2011. In fact, the last team to have won a game at Old Trafford were Carlo Ancelotti’s now ailing Blues, when goals from Joe Cole and Didier Drogba sealed a 2-1 triumph nearly twelve months to the day ago, which, at the time, paved the way for Chelsea to end United’s Premier League dominance and bring home the league title for the first time in four-years.

Only a year has passed since Chelsea’s memorable at Old Trafford, however so much has changed since then. United are still their same ultra consistent selves though, challenging for all the major honours, as per usual. You wouldn’t expect anything less from Sir Alex’s men. Chelsea, meanwhile, are out of all but one competition – the UEFA Champions League – and even their one ray of light has been dimmed courtesy of United’s slim win at The Bridge a week previous, with the Blues having little option but to face up to the harsh reality of a rare barren season without silverware should they fail for the umpteen time this season to produce the goods on Tuesday night.

So, only victory on the night will suffice for Chelsea. With the wealth of quality and talent at Ancelotti’s disposal, it goes without saying that they are more than capable of going to Old Trafford and beating one of the more average United outfits I’ve seen for quite some time – but not on the basis of their lacklustre, spineless performance in the opening leg. Vast improvements are needed in all facets of Chelsea’s game if they’re to turn this tie on its head, especially as there are few better at retaining leads and advantages than Manchester United, who at times are unstoppable when they have the bit between their teeth, as they do now after cruising to their sixth consecutive victory in all competitions at the weekend.

Probable Teams

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Manchester United

To win 2010/2011 UEFA Champions League – 5.25 bWin

Sailing towards what would be an unprecedented 19th English league title, Sir Alex could afford to rest a number of important players for Saturday’s clash with Fulham at Old Trafford as the wily Scot sent out an intimidating message to Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti – that not only is he intent on taking the Premier League title away from the West London club, he also wants to dump the Blues out of Europe en route to a potential final in Chelsea’s own backyard.

This year’s final will be played inside the spectacular Wembley, home of the England national team, which isn’t a million miles away from Chelsea’s stamping ground of Stamford Bridge. But while Chelsea are geographically closer to the venue for the final, it is United who can almost touch the show-piece. That statement especially rings true when you consider that in the very next round United, should they retain their slim one-goal advantage, would more than likely face German opposition in the form of Schalke, who have been indifferent all season and will be massive underdogs in the semi-final.

There are so many reasons why Sir Alex should be admired, one of which is that he doesn’t have the time of day for complacency nor arrogance. His side were impressive 1-0 winners at Stamford Bridge last week thanks in no small part to Ryan Giggs’ brilliance and Rooney’s precise finishing, yet the 69-year-old isn’t taking the priceless away win for granted.

On Saturday, in a fixture United could ill-afford to lose if they were deadly serious about regaining their top-dog status in England by clinching 12th Premier League title, Ferguson made no less than seven changes to the team which won so convincingly at The Bridge for the visit of Fulham, with the likes of Edwin Van Der Saar, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney handed some valuable respite, though the latter was enforced on Sir Alex as Rooney served the first of a two-match suspension, which could be a blessing in disguise in the long run especially as United cruised to victory with a 2-0 win over Fulham in his absence.

So not only do United hold all the aces following their hard-fought yet thoroughly deserved victory in the West of London six day previous, they’ll also take to the field for Tuesday’s decisive second-leg in fine form, having won their last six matches in all competitions, but also with fresher legs than a visiting Chelsea, who were put through their paces and made to squirm at home to Wigan on Saturday.

Chelsea

To win 2010/2011 UEFA Champions League – 11.00 PaddyPower

On the back of two miserable performances, Chelsea have to somehow raise their game from out of nowhere in Manchester this Tuesday if Roman Abramovich is to stand any chance of getting his hands of Europe’s most coveted of prizes – the only trophy the Russian hasn’t managed to manipulate through cash, so far anyway.

The man left with the task of masterminding the extra-ordinary performance required in order to overcome a 1-0 deficit is manager Carlo Ancelotti, a man whose job is reportedly under immediate threat, to such an extent that the Italian could even be out the door as quickly as the end of the night should Chelsea’s Russian billionaire owner, who is renowned for making brash decisions based on disappointing results, leave Old Trafford in a huff and once again without a hope in hell of landing that elusive UEFA Champions League.

After another dismal display in the opening leg, Chelsea now trail in the tie and head to Old Trafford knowing only a win will suffice if they’re to keep alive hopes of ending the season with at least one piece of silverware. The incentive for the players is that the solitary competition they are still going in is the one they want so badly, that elusive European crown. But the lure of Europe’s greatest prize was enough to awaken the West Londoners from their slumber a week previous, and it would appear nothing has changed since either.

On Saturday, in their prep match before Tuesday’s CRUNCH game, Chelsea were handed a stunning opportunity to not only make an immediate return to winning ways but to do so with aplomb. Wigan Athletic were the visitors to Stamford Bridge, a team Chelsea have had a ball against in recent encounters – scoring 14 in the last two league meetings alone – yet not even the presence of rock-bottom Wigan could inspire Chelsea.

Florent Malouda’s controversial goal was all that stood between Chelsea and another embarrassing scoreline, a match where Chelsea lacked any cutting edge, struggled to carve out clear-cut opportunities, and even when they did split open one of the Premier League’s leakiest defences, sure enough Fernando Torres was on hand to fluff his lines.

The Spaniard is arguably under as much pressure as his manager, who probably had no say in the matter with regards to ‘El Nino’s blockbuster move to London from Liverpool. Torres is still awaiting his first goal since completing his £50M switch to Chelsea in January and has quickly become the laughing stock of the Premier League – though that could all change and his woeful opening to his Chelsea career would be cast into the shadows should he score the third goal of a still prolific career in England at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Manchester United to WIN – 2.20 PaddyPower

It really is difficult to see past a United victory. This second-leg will play right into their hands, with Chelsea having little option but to set-up in an offensive manner, meaning United should find space easy to come by at Old Trafford as the Blues go in search of that calming opening goal which would restore parity to the tie.

The plus side for Chelsea is that even if they do go behind, their task in terms of qualifying remains the same, with 2-0 the only score which would see them sail through, as would 2-1 via the away goals rule. A 1-0 victory would only prolong the affair into extra-time and possibly penalties, the latter something the Blues will be eager to avoid after losing their last two penalty shoot-outs in Europe, but also another in the FA Cup with Everton earlier this season.

If Chelsea are to leave us stunned and clinch the tie, vast improvements are in order, both on their performance in the opening and their pathetic display at home to Wigan at the weekend. I don’t see it myself, as Carlo Ancelotti’s men would need to be something back to their very best, yet I’m not entirely confident we’ll see the vintage Chelsea of old until next season at the earliest, which by then the Italian probably won’t be at the helm and many of this ageing squad will have moved on.

United will have a spring in their step in every sense of the word. Bang in form and reinvigorated following their weekend off, I simply cannot see past the Red Devils retaining their aggregate lead and qualifying for the semi-final. However, foolishly my gut is saying Chelsea will come up with the goods at Old Trafford – so it’s a case of choosing between logic and my rumbling gut. I can tell you that logic prevailed.

Value Bet: Wayne Rooney First Goalscorer – 6.50 Unibet

Almost playing like he has something to prove, which he has in many respects. Wayne Rooney has been untouchable of late, scoring four goals in his last two starts. He has also scored on both United’s visits to Stamford Bridge this season, and on both occasions he opened the scoring.

Match Odds:

Manchester United – 2.20 PaddyPower Draw – 3.30 Boylesports Chelsea – 3.50 Coral

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