Chelsea predicted lineup vs Manchester United - Premier League
Chelsea welcome Manchester United to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Saturday evening.
Graham Potter has already beaten the Red Devils this season, overseeing a famous 2-1 victory at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the campaign. No manager in Premier League history has ever beaten Manchester United with two different clubs in the same season.
Here's the Chelsea XI Potter may deploy to create (some niche) history.
1. Chelsea XI (3-4-3)
GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga - The royally in-form number one boasts the best save percentage of any goalkeeper in Europe's top five leagues this season, rebuffing an outrageous 94% of the shots that have flown his way (per FBref).
CB: Trevoh Chalobah - "Rest up and go again," was the succinct message Chalobah delivered in the wake of helping Chelsea keep a fifth consecutive clean sheet.
CB: Thiago Silva - The 38-year-old played every Premier League minute available under Thomas Tuchel this season but has been left out for half of Potter's matches at the helm while the new coach rotates his veteran centre-back.
CB: Kalidou Koulibaly - On his 30th birthday, Koulibaly gifted a raft of medical supplies - including two ambulances - to a hospital in Senegal.
RWB: Ruben Loftus-Cheek - Across seven appearances, Loftus-Cheek has never been part of a Premier League victory against Manchester United (D5 L2).
CM: Mateo Kovacic - The devout Catholic described a broken leg early in his career as "handy" (no pun intended) as it allowed him to discover "in every evil, there is something good".
CM: Jorginho - His future at the club beyond this season may be in doubt but the Italian remains a firm part of Chelsea's short-term plans.
LWB: Marc Cucurella - The only goal of Cucurella's Premier League career came in Brighton's 4-0 rout of Manchester United last May.
RW: Mason Mount - Every manager's teacher's pet is the only outfield player to have started every Chelsea match under Potter's watch.
ST: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Potter had to defend his decision to wait 81 minutes before bringing on Aubameyang in Chelsea's goalless against Brentford in midweek. Ultimately, he conceded: "But yes, I understand the question." There may not be an absence to query this Saturday.
LW: Raheem Sterling - In 23 career appearances against Manchester United, Sterling has not scored a single goal.