Saturday 19th May 2018
Manchester United v Chelsea, 17:15pm
So, that’s another Premier League season done-and-dusted – but don’t worry football fans as there is still loads to look forward to in the coming weeks and months.
We’ve still got the European Cup finals (Europa/Champions League) to come, oh and also the small matter of the World Cup to get us through the summer months.
However, first-up we’ve got the FA CUP FINAL this Saturday at Wembley and with Premier League heavyweights Manchester United and Chelsea locking horns then we should be in for a decent match, especially with the added sub-plot of a certain Jose Mourhino returning to face his old club in a big final.
United finished their league season as runners-up and head here off the back of a 1-0 win over Watford, but with Chelsea stuttering to a fifth-place finish and getting thumped 3-0 away at Newcastle on the final day of the season, then the Blues will want to re-pay their fans with a better performance here – oh, and also make up for losing 2-1 in the final to Arsenal 12 months ago.
If the outright betting is anything to go on then we look set for a very tight game – Man Utd just edge it at 4/5, with Chelsea on offer at Evs.
What do the stats say? The sides met twice in the league this season and with both teams winning their home match against the other then it was 3 points each for them this term.
They last met in the FA Cup back in 2017, with Chelsea winning that 1-0, but in total the sides have played 14 times in this competition with Man Utd having the most wins (8), with 2 draws and 4 wins for Chelsea.
However, it is worth pointing out that Chelsea have the better more recent FA Cup record – they are unbeaten in their last four against United in this competition, plus the Londoners have only lost 2 of their last 15 (all comps) over the Red Devils.
With 7 FA Cup wins to their name (the last in 2012) then Chelsea will be looking to move into a joint third (with Spurs) in the all-time winners list, while if United can lift the cup they will join Arsenal as the joint-most winning sides with 13 FA Cup wins.
Will there be goals? If recent overall head-to-heads are anything go by then the quick answer is – NO! 7 of the last 9 head-to-heads have gone UNDER 2.5 GOALS so it’s no surprise to see this on offer at just 1.61. Chelsea have also won the last two FA Cup head-to-heads 1-0 so at 8.00 this correct score catches the eye.
However, the call here is going to be both teams NOT to score. This bet has rewarded punters in 6 of the last 8 clashes (75%) so the 1.80 on offer looks fair value to us.
We can expect a cagey and tight game with both sides keen to reward their fans with some end-of-season silverware and with that in-mind a low-scoring game is how we are going to play this. Under 2.5 goals looks a fairly safe option but there also isn’t much value in the price. The braver punters might risk just Under 1.5 goals at a much better 3.00 (odds are subject to change) though, but we are prepared to stick with one (or both) of the sides NOT scoring at a fair-looking 1.80.
In terms of goals scorers then Chelsea’s Morata has bagged 15 goals this season, while Hazard has grabbed 16 so this pair will be popular in the scoring markets. United’s Lukaku, with 27 goals in all competitions has had a decent first season for the Red Devils but his facing a race against time to be fit for the final after an ankle injury. Therefore, Marcus Rashford, who was on the scoresheet last weekend for United, might be a safer call – he’s netted 13 goals this term, which is not too shabby considering he’s only been a bit-part player for the league runners-up.
BEST BET – BOTH TEAMS NOT TO SCORE @1.80
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Manchester United v Chelsea, Saturday 19th May 2018, 17:15pm
- This season’s LEAGUE matches ended, Man Utd 2-1 Chelsea, Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd
- Last met in the FA Cup 2017, Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd
- Met in the FA Cup 14 times, Man Utd 8, Draw 2, Chelsea 4
- Man Utd have won the FA Cup 12 times
- Chelsea have won the FA Cup 7 times
- 7 of the last 9 head-to-heads went UNDER 2.5 GOALS
- Chelsea have lost just 2 of their last 15 vs Man Utd (all comps)
- Both teams DIDN’T score in 6 of the last 8 head-to-heads
- Chelsea have won 3 of the last 5 head-to-heads ‘to nil’
- 4 DRAWS in the last 11 head-to-heads
- Chelsea have won the last 2 FA Cup head-to-heads 1-0
- Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 4 FA Cup games vs Man Utd
Recent FA CUP WINNERS
2017 – ARSENAL 2-1 Chelsea
2016 – MAN UTD 2-1 C Palace (extra-time)
2015 – ARSENAL 4-0 A Villa
2014 – ARSENAL 3-2 Hull (extra-time)
2013 – WIGAN 1-0 Man City
2012 – CHELSEA 2-1 Liverpool
2011 – MAN CITY 1-0 Stoke
2010 – CHELSEA 1-0 Portsmouth
2009 – CHELSEA 2-1 Everton
2008 – PORTSMOUTH 1-0 Cardiff
2007 – CHELSEA 1-0 Man Utd
2006 – LIVERPOOL 3-3 West Ham (Liverpool won on pens)
2005 –ARSENAL 0-0 Man Utd (Arsenal won on pens)
2004 – MAN UTD 3-0 Millwall
2003 – ARSENAL 1-0 Southhampton
2002 – ARSENAL 2-0 Chelsea
2001 – LIVERPOOL 2-1 Arsenal
2000 – CHELSEA 1-0 A Villa