MUFC vs CFC -FA Premier League- Kick-off :14:05- SkySp PL

Bret Hart

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says his verbal sparring with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has "stopped".

The two meet in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Sunday, a month after a widely report public argument.

"I'm not interested in this topic. Both said something in the past, but we stop," said Conte.

At his own news conference, Mourinho refused to be drawn on the situation, saying: "I told you before I'm not going to speak about it. Not at all."

The Portuguese added: "Very good manager, fantastic team and that's what is important for me. Just that."

Last month, Mourinho - who was twice Chelsea's manager - referred to a four-month suspension Conte served for failing to report match-fixing, for which the Italian was later cleared of any wrongdoing.

Blues manager Conte called the United boss "a little man" and Mourinho retaliated by saying he treats Conte with "contempt".

Liverpool's 4-1 win over West Ham on Saturday means United must beat Chelsea in order to return to second in the table, while Conte's side could leapfrog their opponents into third with a victory.

Playing Liverpool means more - Mourinho

Mourinho is the most successful manager in Chelsea's history, having overseen three Premier League triumphs, an FA Cup victory and a trio of League Cup wins.

Both reigns ended amid acrimony, and his disagreements with Conte have increased the anticipation before Sunday's match against his former club.

However, the United boss claims facing Chelsea is not especially emotional, especially with Liverpool coming to Old Trafford next month.

"It's any normal game and probably to play Liverpool in a couple of weeks' time means more," said Mourinho.

"I don't have any bad feeling in relation to Chelsea Football Club to say: 'Oh, I'm going to play against my former club, I am going to prove this, I am going to prove that.'

"I've never played against Inter since I left, but I played against Porto, Real Madrid and Chelsea. The feeling is just a good one. Not a special feeling."

Mourinho backing Lukaku

Mourinho, meanwhile, said he is "not worried" by striker Romelu Lukaku's failure to score in United's matches against their top-six rivals so far this season.

Lukaku had looked set to rejoin former club Chelsea in the summer, before the Red Devils signed him from Everton for an initial £75m.

The Belgian has failed to score in his 17 Premier League games involving Sunday's opponents - including 10 appearances he made for Chelsea between 2011 and 2014.

Mourinho said he did not know why Lukaku had not scored against their rivals.

He added: "Twenty one goals is not bad at all, and I don't measure the players' performances the same way you do.

"I have other points of analysis and I'm happy with Romelu's performance even when he doesn't score goals."

Team news

United midfielder Ander Herrera faces a few weeks out after aggravating a muscular injury in the midweek Champions League draw against Sevilla.

Eric Bailly could make his first start since November, but Marouane Fellaini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones all remain out.

Chelsea have no new injury concerns before their trip to Old Trafford.

David Luiz, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Ross Barkley are all still unavailable.

Match facts

Head-to-head

Manchester United's only victory in the past 14 meetings in all competitions came at home in the league last season (D5, L8).

United have lost 18 Premier League games and conceded 67 goals against Chelsea, more than versus any other team in the division.

Chelsea's only goal in four Premier League fixtures at Old Trafford was scored by Didier Drogba in a 1-1 draw in October 2014.

There has not been an away win in a league meeting between these clubs since Chelsea's 1-0 triumph at Old Trafford in May 2013.

Manchester United

United have conceded just five goals in 13 Premier League home games this season.

Jose Mourinho has lost only two of his 49 competitive matches at Old Trafford as Manchester United manager, with both defeats coming at the hands of Manchester City.

They have won only four of their 16 league matches under Mourinho against the other established top-six teams (D5, L7), scoring only 12 goals and conceding 18.

Romelu Lukaku has failed to score in any of his six Premier League matches against other current top-six sides this season, managing just four attempts on target in those games.

Lukaku has failed to score in all 17 Premier League appearances involving Chelsea: 10 for the Blues and seven against them.

Mourinho has lost three matches in all competitions against Chelsea as Manchester United manager, more than against any other opponent.

Chelsea

The Blues have won just two of their last nine away matches in all competitions (D4, L3).

Chelsea have lost six Premier League matches this season, one more than in their entire title-winning 2016-17 campaign.

Antonio Conte has won three of his five meetings in all competitions against Jose Mourinho, with his only defeat coming in this fixture last season.

Eden Hazard has six goals in his last six Premier League appearances.

Pedro has seven goals in games against Jose Mourinho-managed teams, second only to Lionel Messi's tally of 11.

Prediction : 1-0

johnpatrick81

Prediction, yet another big 6 bus parking exercise by the “special one”. Continuing his absolutely pathetic record against top teams recently....

0-0

LeeJM

OP is a solid 2/10 effort.

pjohnson

I was wondering had anyone made a "witty" bus related comment.

Regulars in Commuting and Transport forum probably uses the word less than posters to this forum :pac:

johnpatrick81

Most expensively assembled bus ever too mind you :pac:

kona

Afrer 86 mins of bus parking, 4 de gea supersaves, pogba sticks a 50 yard pass to a offside lukakus who scores.

1-0 united and a week of entertainment.

davycc

Hoping for a no score draw with straight red cards for hazard , cesc, willian
And for karma sake hopefully Valencia, young get sent of for repetitive diving

monkey9

pjohnson wrote: »

I was wondering had anyone made a "witty" bus related comment.

Regulars in Commuting and Transport forum probably uses the word less than posters to this forum :pac:

It was Mourinho who brought the phrase into the lexicon of the Premier League to belittle a fellow manager in the first place so the very fact he uses the same tactics himself is absolutely there to be scoffed at.

Now fair enough, Man U fans may defend the chap and the baggage that comes with him, the same baggage they'd themselves scoff at and have done so in the past when he was at other clubs, such is football.

But the scoffing is very justifiable.

Agent Coulson

Lukaku to break his duck and score against an actual good team.

eagle eye

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Lukaku to break his duck and score against an actual good team.

You are talking about this season? Like he has loads of goals against the top teams in the league to this point in his career. Last year he scored against Spurs, Man City twice and Arsenal. I think that was it but it's enough to disprove any theory that he doesn't ever perform against the bigger teams in the league.

pjohnson

davycc wrote: »

Hoping for a no score draw with straight red cards for hazard , cesc, willian
And for karma sake hopefully Valencia, young get sent of for repetitive diving

?

limnam

johnpatrick81 wrote: »

Prediction, yet another big 6 bus parking exercise by the “special one”. Continuing his absolutely pathetic record against top teams recently....

0-0

huh

Results against top 6. Liverpool have been so impressive.

Liverpool w 2 L 2 D 4

United: w 2 L 3 D1

johnpatrick81

monkey9

limnam wrote: »

huh

Results against top 6. Liverpool have been so impressive.

Liverpool w 2 L 2 D 4

United: w 2 L 3 D1

Man U are playing Chelsea.

johnpatrick81

limnam wrote: »

huh

Results against top 6. Liverpool have been so impressive.

Liverpool w 2 L 2 D 4

United: w 2 L 3 D1

Sorry bud, think you’re a couple of weeks early for United v Liverpool :pac:

limnam

monkey9 wrote: »

Man U are playing Chelsea.

I was just checking with the liverpool fan on his baseline for pathetic to make sure we're all on the same page for the discussion.

Thanks for pointing it out though.

Harry Palmr

limnam wrote: »

huh

Results against top 6. Liverpool have been so impressive.

Liverpool w 2 L 2 D 4

United: w 2 L 3 D1

Not to drag this off topic for too long but Liverpool do at least set out to win games as the goal-tastic scorelines indicate.

3-3 Arse
1-1 Chelsea
4-3 City
4-1 Spurs
2-2 Spurs
5-0 City
4-0 Arse
0-0 - guess who?

pjohnson

monkey9 wrote: »

Man U are playing Chelsea.

You wouldn't know it tbf. Not with the posters.

Liam O

monkey9 wrote: »

Man U are playing Chelsea.

Amazing, it took a Liverpool fan 2 minutes to make an inflammatory comment. Been on fire this week though I guess.

monkey9

Liam O wrote: »

Amazing, it took a Liverpool fan 2 minutes to make an inflammatory comment. Been on fire this week though I guess.

It's Man U v Chelsea.

pjohnson

monkey9 wrote: »

It's Man U v Chelsea.

Yet here we are.

monkey9

pjohnson wrote: »

Yet here we are.

Attempting to discuss Man U V Chelsea, yep.

johnpatrick81

Jose copping that Pogba needs to be in a midfield 3 could work in United’s favor if he sticks to a back 4 instead of a back 6 that he seems to favour in the big games.

limnam

monkey9 wrote: »

Attempting to discuss Man U V Chelsea, yep.

by using phrases such as "pathetic"

Insightful discussion

Bret Hart

Man Utd

1 de Gea
25 A Valencia
2 Lindelöf
12 Smalling
18 Young
39 McTominay
31 Matic
6 Pogba
11 Martial
9 R Lukaku
7 Sánchez

Substitutes

3 Bailly
8 Mata
14 Lingard
16 Carrick
19 Rashford
23 Shaw
40 Castro Pereira

Chelsea

13 Courtois
28 Azpilicueta
27 Christensen
2 Rüdiger
15 Moses
6 Drinkwater
7 Kanté
3 Alonso
22 Willian
10 E Hazard
9 Morata

Substitutes

1 Caballero
4 Fàbregas
11 Pedro
18 Giroud
21 Zappacosta
24 Cahill
33 Emerson

monkey9

limnam wrote: »

by using phrases such as "pathetic"

Insightful discussion

No i didn't.

limnam

monkey9 wrote: »

No i didn't.

I didn't say you did.

monkey9

limnam wrote: »

I didn't say you did.

Ok.

smileyj1987

davycc wrote: »

Hoping for a no score draw with straight red cards for hazard , cesc, willian
And for karma sake hopefully Valencia, young get sent of for repetitive diving

don't even think they are the worst offenders in the league kane and alli are alot worse for it now

pjohnson

Bret Hart wrote: »

Man Utd

1 de Gea
25 A Valencia
2 Lindelöf
12 Smalling
18 Young
39 McTominay
31 Matic
6 Pogba
11 Martial
9 R Lukaku
7 Sánchez

Substitutes

3 Bailly
8 Mata
14 Lingard
16 Carrick
19 Rashford
23 Shaw
40 Castro Pereira

Chelsea

13 Courtois
28 Azpilicueta
27 Christensen
2 Rüdiger
15 Moses
6 Drinkwater
7 Kanté
3 Alonso
22 Willian
10 E Hazard
9 Morata

Substitutes

1 Caballero
4 Fàbregas
11 Pedro
18 Giroud
21 Zappacosta
24 Cahill
33 Emerson

Second time Chelsea are mentioned and its page 3.

johnpatrick81

pjohnson wrote: »

Second time Chelsea are mentioned and its page 3.

Depends on your page view preference :pac:

Harry Palmr

Chelsea know they have to get something with Spurs pending victory

tinpib

Chelsea dancing through United from the get go. Very unlucky there.

That would've been a fantastic goal.

mada999

sooo many silly orange boots

BenK

Poor start from United

Barr

Morata should have scored there.

TitianGerm

BenK wrote: »

Poor start from United

That's been said quite a few times lately

niallo27

For me that's a bad miss. If your a top striker you cushion that in. Having the Craic with the lads then after.

Mars Bar

That should have been a simple enough pass from Matic

sligeach

Should be 1-0 Chelsea. United saved by the crossbar.

Always Be Closing

Slow start from Manchester United

monkey9

niallo27 wrote: »

For me that's a bad miss. If your a top striker you cushion that in. Having the Craic with the lads then after.

Now that's a harsh assessment. He did well to anticipate and even make the connection he did with it.

Rekop dog

I feel you have to perform twice as good as the next player to overcome the handicap of a surname like Drinkwater.

Kirby

Rekop dog wrote: »

I feel you have to perform twice as good as the next player to overcome the handicap of a surname like Drinkwater.

Danny Drinkwater? Or his cousin....Eddy EatPizza?

niallo27

monkey9 wrote: »

Now that's a harsh assessment. He did well to anticipate and even make the connection he did with it.

Perhaps perhaps. I still think he should have done better.

sligeach

Yes Wayne, United are boring.

Father Hernandez

Kirby wrote: »

Danny Drinkwater? Or his cousin....Eddy EatPizza?

Oh dear!

Always Be Closing

That kid McTominay looks alright

sligeach

Fake smiles from the managers.

Mokuba

Sanchez has completely unbalanced United since he has signed.

Front 3 are positionally all over the place right now.