Chelsea - Manchester United: Heavyweights meet at Stamford Bridge

Saturday evening at Stamford Bridge holds extra importance as United continue to push on for a late title charge against the league leaders, who have had assertive dominance over the country this year.

Mourinho - Ferguson was always special, Chelsea - United is always special - one of the best fixtures of the season. Now it is Chelsea - United once more, the heavyweights against each other, with Mourinho facing Louis van Gaal.

Louis van Gaal meets the man he guided through an introduction to management for only the third time since he let him leave for his first managerial position in 2000.

TEAM NEWS

CHELSEA

Diego Costa, recently nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award, will be out of contention against United with a hamstring injury.

Loic Remy returns after a calf injury kept him out of Chelsea's London derby with Queens Park Rangers last weekend. Mourinho called it a "Small injury," adding, "I think he should play next game, or be on the bench. He should be available."

MANCHESTER UNITED

Louis van Gaal will be without 4 key players on Saturday. Michael Carrick's calf injury picked up against Manchester City isn't small enough for him to recover in time for Saturday evening while Daley Blind was injured when Vincent Kompany tackled him in a possible red card offence. Phil Jones is out with an ankle knock while his replacement, Marcos Rojo, has a stomach issue so was also ruled out by Louis van Gaal.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea - Premier League - October 26th 2014

It was possibly Robin van Persie's last key moment in a Manchester United shirt. A thrashing shot was the only thing that could beat Thibaut Courtois in the 90th minute. Didier Drogba has often tormented United and on his return to the fixture gave Chelsea the lead in the 53rd minute. Both David De Gea and Courtois proved their worth as the two best goalkeepers in the Premier League.

Chelsea 3-1 Manchester United - Premier League - January 19th 2014

A day best forgotten in a season best forgotten for Manchester United fans. David Moyes' 7th placed United took to Stamford Bridge against 3rd placed Chelsea in hope of a surprise win. Yet it never looked possible let alone likely. Samuel Eto'o tore up United's awful defence with a brilliant hat-trick at the Bridge. United's season went even further downhill from there.

Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea - Premier League - August 26th 2013

After Moyes' United had won their first league game 4-1 against Swansea, they looked like Champions. As such, Jose Mourinho's Chelsea came to Old Trafford looking for a draw and got one without any fuss in attack. United pelted their defence with numerous attacks but they stood resilient and without looking like title material, as they later were, they secured a point away at Old Trafford.

Manchester United 0-1 Chelsea - Premier League - May 5th 2013

Title in the bag, United looked lacklustre at home to Rafael Benitez' Chelsea. Juan Mata, 9 months before joining United, gave Chelsea a late win through a deflected shot. Rafael was sent off due to a disgusting David Luiz dive, which saw him fall to the floor and laugh at the site of the red card. The win lifted Chelsea to third in the Premier League and strongly helped them to secure Champions League football the season after.

Chelsea 5-4 Manchester United - League Cup - October 31st 2012

One of the great League Cup ties of the past few years. After United led through a Ryan Giggs goal, David Luiz scored a 31st minute penalty to level things up. Javier Hernandez continued his scoring record against Chelsea with a goal just before half time but Gary Cahill equalised for Chelsea 7 minutes after the break. Nani's goal with 30 minutes left looked to be the winner but a 90th minute Eden Hazard penalty gave Chelsea the momentum to secure two extra-time goals from Sturridge and Ramires. Ryan Giggs scored a penalty in the last minute of extra time but it was only a consolation for Ferguson's United.

KEY BATTLES

Marouane Fellaini, Daley Blind & Ashley Young

Fellaini, Blind and Young have formed a formidable trio on United's left side in recent weeks. Liverpool, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Manchester City have all fallen to their triangles on the left flank with Fellaini drifting wide left to join Blind at left-back and Young at left-wing.

They often draw attention to their side as well before playing it central to Michael Carrick to dictate play. Yet Jose Mourinho has rarely been tactically outdone in a game against anyone.

Whether it is Kurt Zouma being shifted into midfield to combat Fellaini or Nemanja Matic pressing higher up against the Belgian, Mourinho will have been watching United intently to discover the way to stop Fellaini.

Ashley Young will be key. His floated crosses gave United two assists against Manchester City and it was Fellaini who was on the end of one of them. Despite Chelsea's height in defence with John Terry and Gary Cahill, Fellaini towers over most people he comes up against and his physicality will be needed to break down a strong Blues defence.

Cesc Fabregas - United's defence

Fabregas had a stunning first half of the season and despite a lack of assists and quality that matches that in recent weeks, his piercing passes still cause havoc.

United's defence has faced some fantastic sides in the past month with Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Christian Benteke and Sergio Aguero the frontmen for those sides. They've won all of them. Yet despite wins, they've conceded 4 times from silly errors. Against Liverpool, Sturridge slipped past the defence and snuck the ball past De Gea's near post. Against City, Aguero scored twice simply through a small period of slick passing.

So if Loic Remy or Eden Hazard can have balls played through United's defence, often shaky at the start of the game, from Fabregas they have a great chance of giving Chelsea the lead.