Chelsea v Manchester United Betting Tip Manchester United – 19 May 2018

United can take spoils at Wembley

FA Cup & League Cup Tips

Saturday 19th May 2018 Kick off 1715hrs Chelsea v Manchester United Football – England – FA Cup Manchester United and Chelsea have not enjoyed the league campaigns they would have been hoping for when the season started, particularly Chelsea who were defending champions. There is likely to be plenty of change at both clubs in the summer but Saturday does offer redemption of sorts as the two try to end the season with a piece of silverware and one they are both familiar with a total of 19 triumphs between them. Add in the fact that Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte are two of the fiercest competitors in the game and it has all the makings of being a classic.

Chelsea have not only failed to mount any serious title defence which is disappointing enough, but the Blues have also finished outside the top four meaning there will be no Champions League football next season. It’s a real body blow for a club who are becoming known for failing to build on their successes. The season is likely to be Conte’s last in charge with rumour upon rumour as to where he may be going and also who will be replacing him. I dare say there will be plenty of movement on that in the aftermath of Saturday’s final but as for now, all the focus has to be attempting to end the season on some sort of a high. Chelsea have not been impressive for the most part of their cup run but have obviously found enough in each round to get to this stage where they’ll be looking to put on a big performance. They hardly got the best preparation for it, going down 3-0 to Newcastle in their final league game last weekend and Conte will be demanding a response from his players.

Although United have failed to win the league – which most would have had as their main aim at the beginning of the season – there are certainly more positives to take from their campaigns than Chelsea. It’s the highest position and points total of any United team since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013; it was a vast improvement on their league position in Mourinho’s first season in charge and they have also came up against an almighty presence in Manchester City so there has to be a sense of reality when putting their second place finish into context. On the flip side, however, the style of football is still not everybody’s cup of tea; second is rarely good enough for the Old Trafford outfit and it’s likely they are going to have to spend fortunes to narrow the gap on City. They are all problems for the summer, though, and like Chelsea they have to focus solely on the challenge ahead of them which is Saturday. Mourinho and silverware go hand in hand, of course, and having won both the League Cup and Europa League in his first season, the FA Cup would not only tick another trophy off the list, it would get one over on his old club.

One of the most noticeable aspects of Chelsea’s season has been the inconsistency in their selection. One of the underpinning reasons why they were so successful in their charge to the title last year was Conte’s ability to make very few changes to his starting line-up and you got the sense of a real bon and connection between the players, as well as everybody knowing what their job was and assuming that responsibility. It’s been a completely different story this time around with rumours of dressing room splits and players unhappy with the manager. The most obvious example was the signing of Alvaro Morato for huge money yet the Spanish striker has been used sparingly in the second half of the season in favour of Oliver Giroud and is expected to depart after only one season.

The big issue for United heading into this one in terms of personnel is the fitness of Romelu Lukaku. Although there has been some criticism levelled at him since arriving at Old Trafford, it’s been a fairly productive campaign and they have certainly missed him in recent weeks. With little to play for in terms of the league he has been nursed back to fitness over the last month with a view to him being ready for Saturday, You would expect him to be fit and he – like Mourinho – would love nothing more than to get on over his old club, who reportedly passed on him to sign Morata instead in the summer.

Chelsea v Manchester United Betting Tip

The last time these two met in the FA Cup final was back in 2007 when Mourinho was boss of Chelsea. It was the blues who were victorious on that occasion with a 1-0 win. In terms of results this season then the record stands at 1-1 with both teams winning their home games in the Premier League. That will count for little, of course, as will the last few weeks of their league campaigns. Coming into the final, perhaps a better gauge is the semi final performances of Chelsea and United. Chelsea were laboured in their win over Southampton who were battling relegation at the time whilst United showed great resiliency to come back from a goal down against Tottenham who were essentially playing at home. Mourinho’s men were thoroughly deserving of the win and that should inspire great confidence and belief as they face off against another London opponent.

Neither side may have hit the heights they are capable of in the league this term but it remains a very attractive proposition when they both meet. Chelsea lost out to Arsenal in last year’s final when chasing a double and were many people’s favourites to lift the trophy. I fear for all concerned with the Stamford Bridge club that it could well be a case of déjà vu on Saturday, and Mourinho will lead his United team to victory.

Manchester United 24/13 @ Unibet