Chelsea v Manchester United: It All Hinges On This…

Sunday’s top of the table clash between Chelsea and Manchester United pits the current Premiership Champions against the current FA Cup winners for the second time this season. The Blues beat the Red Devils on penalties in the annual curtain-raiser, the Community Shield… scant revenge for the penalty heartache experienced in Moscow only a year earlier.

While both Carlo Ancelotti and Sir Alex Ferguson will concede that the league title is a marathon and not a sprint, the importance of landing a psychological blow on your closest rivals is an advantage worth fighting for so don’t rule out fireworks. With early season bragging rights on the line it all hinges on this…

Which Patrice Evra will turn up? The quickest, most attacking left-back in world football or a soft, diving whiner? By his own admission, Evra’s been caught up in controversy far too many times against Chelsea and will be looking to let his football do the talking. Either way, you can bet the Chelsea ground staff won’t be mowing the pitch after the final whistle. (Or will they?)

Can Nemanja Vidic contain the Drogs? Getting schooled by Fernando Torres has become an annual occurrence for United’s Serbian defender. Nine times out of ten, a quicker, more dynamic opposition has the beating of Vidic. But what he lacks in speed he more than makes up for in power. Up against the most physical striker in the Premiership, Vidic will have to be at his most resolute if he is to deflect Didier Drogba’s direct assault on the United goal.

Will Petr Cech stand tall in the air? No longer considered the best keeper in the Premiership let alone the world, Petr Cech’s hesitation at set-pieces and crosses has become so destructive that many football connoisseurs believe the three time Czech Player of the Year and three time UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year to be the Chelsea defense’s weakest link. John Terry will have to be in particularly commanding mood and guard Cech’s involvement in the play if the potential aerial threat is to be contained.

Is Sunday’s ref Martin Atkinson fit enough? Okay, so that’s not the real issue here. Sir Alex Ferguson has a habit of attacking referees when decisions go against his team. In fact, it’s become such a problem of late that for the first time in his career he might find referees turning their back on him. Of course, Sir Alex deserves the highest respect for his achievements in the game but his personal attack on Alan Wiley’s fitness following United’s draw at home to Sunderland might be the last straw. Even referees must protect their own.

Who will fill the defensive void? Jose Bosingwa out. Ashley Cole maybe. Gary Neville out. Rio Ferdinand maybe. The two meanest defenses in the league man up without their first choice back-four. With Chelsea able to call on any two from Yuri Zhurkov, Branislav Ivanovic, Juliano Belletti and Paulo Ferreira to replace their doubtful wing-backs, Man United have nowhere near as much strength in depth and can only look to John O’Shea and Wes Brown to fill the void. Bottom line: There will be goals.

Turf Wars - Evra shows off his pace at Stamford Bridge