Chelsea host Manchester United with Carrick's side eight games without a win
Fifth-placed Chelsea host 16th-placed Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday, with Michael Carrick kept on as United head coach despite a run of eight matches without a win in all competitions. Chelsea are without João Pedro and Emiliano Martínez through injury but have Cole Palmer available, while United are missing Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu and Benjamin Šeško.
Manchester United travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday with Michael Carrick still in charge after the club chose to keep him following a 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth. That result stretched United's run without a win in all competitions to eight matches, and they have yet to win away from home in the league this season. Chelsea return to league action after a 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur and a League Cup tie at Liverpool on Wednesday.
Home advantage and United's winless run point towards a Chelsea victory, most plausibly in a game of three or more goals in which both sides score.
João Pedro, Chelsea's leading league scorer, has a thigh injury that Xabi Alonso said will keep him out for a few weeks. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is recovering from surgery on a fractured jaw, leaving Mike Penders in line to continue in goal. Cole Palmer is available, as his one-match ban falls on the League Cup tie. United remain without Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu and Benjamin Šeško, Marcus Rashford is a doubt with a hip problem, Kobbie Mainoo's return date is unclear, and captain Bruno Fernandes has been receiving treatment after being left on the bench against Bournemouth.
Chelsea are fifth on 13 points after eight matches, two behind fourth-placed Liverpool, having beaten Bournemouth 5-1 and won 2-0 at Everton before the Tottenham defeat. United are 16th on seven points, level with Crystal Palace and one point above the relegation places. Since drawing 1-1 with Tottenham on 10 October, they have lost to Atlético Madrid, drawn at Leeds United and been beaten by Como and Bournemouth.
United have won the past two meetings, 2-1 at Old Trafford in September 2025 and 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in April. Chelsea won 1-0 at home in May 2025. The three Premier League meetings before that ended in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, a 4-3 Chelsea win at Stamford Bridge and a 2-1 United win at Old Trafford.
