Two of the greatest tacticians of our time will have their second meeting this season, when Manchester United faces Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Mourinho and Van Gaal know each other very well since their time together at Barcelona, and it's safe to say that both managers have the inside stuff to cancel one another. This time, we will take a look at how Jose Mourinho can improve his team's performance against United, who were able to pull out a draw at Old Trafford with a depleted side.
Back in October, Chelsea dominated most of the game after Didier Drogba's goal, but the Red Devils came back during the final seconds of the game with a late goal by Robin Van Persie. On Saturday, both sides will face a similar scenario, and here's how we think Mourinho can avoid losing the tactical battle against the Dutch manager.
1. Eden Hazard needs to make Antonio Valencia suffer
The player from Ecuador is a great right back when it comes to attacking, but his defensive skills have not been tested by a player the likes of Hazard. The Belgian maestro has been key to Chelsea's superb season, and he has the skills needed to become one of the game's crucial players. Without the physical presence of Diego Costa upfront, Hazard's assists will be needed by Drogba to damage United's defense.
2. Cancelling Marouane Fellaini will be a top priority
The Belgian midfielder became Van Gaal's unsung hero on the pitch. The big haired player is currently performing superbly during United's run, and making his contribution irrelevant will be one of Mou's priorities. With the Portuguese's knowledge and the options to handle his squad, it wouldn't be a surprise if Chelsea's boss started Kurt Zouma with the aim of stopping Fellaini. Other options to cancel out the Belgian midfielder would be letting Nemanja Matic deal with him, but Mourinho has made it almost a tradition to change his regular squad to stop his opposition with unexpected moves, and this would surely be the case.
3. Force Di Maria to flop
Mourinho knows Angel Di Maria very well. He knows his stenghts and weaknesses, and he surely is aware of how to make the Argentinian's contribution on the pitch diminish. "The Noodle" is having a tough time adapting to the Premier League, and his best performances have happened when coming off the bench, which will not be the case due to United's injury problems. Di Maria will surely have to deal with Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic, and considering his performance during the first game of the season, it would not be a surprise if Di Maria was stopped easily by two of the toughest defenders in the Premier League.
4. Mata vs Azpilicueta: The game decider?
The Spanish duel will be one of the most relevant in this game, given the great form Mata has displayed recently. The former Chelsea man has experienced a revival under Van Gaal, demoting Di Maria to the bench when it seemed his days with the Red Devils were over. To stop him, Mourinho will certainly require Cesar Azpilicueta's services. Azpilicueta has been one of Mourinho's surprises this year, since most experts felt that Filipe Luis owned the left back position for the Blues. The Basque defender has emerged as one of the key elements in Mourinho's Starting XI, and whenever he has been absent, the team misses his contribution. Teaming up with Eden Hazard and possibly with Cesc Fabregas, Mata will surely have a hard time to display his class against Chelsea.
5. Get it to Drogba
Due to a series of injuries suffered by Diego Costa and Loic Remy, legendary striker Didier Drogba will earn his second straight start against the Red Devils. With United's struggles in the back, Drogba's physical presence will be something to consider when predicting the outcome of this match. Despite his age, the 37-year old striker will be key to his team's performance, and will surely give United's defenders a hard time, just like he did during their first matchup of the season, when he scored the go ahead goal against Van Gaal's crew.
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