United could effectively clinch a record 19th English championship
with a victory but manager Alex Ferguson must decide whether to revert to the
lineup that lost 1-0 at third-place Arsenal last weekend or trust in the
players that reached the Champions League final on Wednesday.
A team showing eight changes outclassed Schalke 4-1 to reach
a third Champions League final in four seasons, but Ferguson is still likely to
give his first-choice players a chance to show that defeat to Arsenal was an
aberration rather than a turning point in the title race.
“We lacked the same intensity as we normally do against
Arsenal at the weekend,” United defender John O'Shea said.
“We have already played Chelsea at home in the Champions
League, so we know we will have to play well.
“Chelsea have hit a bit of form but we know we are a good
team at home.” Arsenal is at Stoke on Sunday and still has an outside chance of
winning the title if United fails to win.
United is unbeaten at Old Trafford this season and beat
Chelsea home and away in the Champions League quarterfinals but the Blues have
momentum after a dismal midseason spell that seemed to have ended their hopes
of retaining the title.
The same weekend United lost to Arsenal, Chelsea won a fifth
straight Premier League match and could now move ahead of United on goal
difference with two games remaining.
Still, Ferguson can recall the likes of Wayne Rooney, Rio
Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic to face Chelsea.
Ferguson said that fullback Patrice Evra has recovered from
a blow he took as a second-half substitute in Wednesday's win over Schalke,
while Rooney will be fit after sitting out the match to rest a tight hamstring.
“Patrice got a kick,” Ferguson said. “I was ready to
substitute him but he said he was OK. Wayne will be all right. I wasn't
prepared to take a risk.” Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti paired Didier Drogba
and Fernando Torres in attack for last weekend's 2-1 win over Tottenham but the
Blues only won after Torres' substitution and only one is likely to start at
Old Trafford.
Arsenal needs victory at Stoke, which has beaten only
relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers since reaching the FA Cup final,
but could have a depleted midfield.
Captain Cesc Fabregas could miss a second straight match
because of a thigh injury sustained in training last week, while Samir Nasri is
trying to recover from the hamstring problem that forced his halftime
substitution against United.
Central defender Johan Djourou could also miss out if he
fails to get over a leg injury sustained in the same match.
Wolves host local rival West Bromwich Albion in Sunday's
other match.
Manchester City could effectively clinch a place in the
Champions League on Saturday if it wins at Everton and Tottenham fails to beat
visiting Blackpool. Blackpool already beat Spurs this season.
Also Saturday, it's Aston Villa vs. Wigan, Bolton vs. Sunderland,
Newcastle vs. Birmingham and last-place West Ham vs. Blackburn. West Ham is
already three points from safety and will almost certainly be relegated at the
end of the season if it loses.
Fulham hosts Liverpool on Monday.
Queens Park Rangers and Norwich have already filled the two
automatic promotion spots in the League Championship, so Saturday's final round
of matches in the second tier will determine the order of the four teams behind
them - and the semifinal fixtures in the promotion playoffs.
Cardiff,
Swansea and Reading are guaranteed places, while sixth-place Nottingham Forest
can only miss out if a combination of defeat at Crystal Palace and a win for
Leeds at QPR produces a six-goal swing against it.
