Ones to Watch: Manchester United vs Chelsea (Premier League)

Manchester United are one point away from securing Champions League qualification, as they face Chelsea at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

After what has felt like a never-ending season, The Red Devils are inching closer to achieving the main goal Erik ten Hag set at the start of the season–get United back in the Champions League. Their opponents, Chelsea, are not exactly having the best of seasons but the importance of this game means there is no room for complacency whatsoever.

The two teams faced each other in the league last October. It was a hugely memorable match, marked by a last-gasp equaliser from Casemiro. This time around, United will surely be looking to strike from the start and field their best XI . That being said, here are the players to watch for the match:

Manchester United: Marcus Rashford

The impact Marcus Rashford has made for United this season has been pretty well-documented. In his first season with Ten Hag, the Englishman took his game to another level. So far, Rashford has scored 29 goals and provided 11 assists, that’s 40 goal contributions across all competitions.

However, the brutal schedule of the season has made Rashford fatigued and eventually injured in recent weeks. He was absent from the matchday squad in the league matches against Wolves and Bournemouth but returned to training ahead of the Chelsea match.

Furthermore, the lack of a reliable striker at the club has often forced Ten Hag to play Rashford up front, a position he can play at a decent level but certainly not his preferred one. Despite all of this, Rashford is still the one to watch for United for the match. After what has been an amazing season individually, the Old Trafford faithful will be looking for one more moment of magic from their talisman.

Chelsea: Mason Mount

Usually, the one to watch from the opposing team is someone that can score goals or get assists against United. Mason Mount is certainly capable of doing those things, but he won’t even play the game. However, he is undoubtedly the one to watch from Chelsea after the turn of events that happened in the last 24 hours.

Many reliable sources have reported that Mount is a prime target for Ten Hag this summer. It is certainly an interesting situation as the 24-year-old only has one year left on his Chelsea contract and has rejected several extension offers. Before the match, he would certainly be a talking point asked to managers of both teams.