Preview: Mourinho, Moyes and Rooney the main characters
The rivalry between the Red Devils and the Blues enters a new chapter on August 26, 2013. Firstly, the manager in the home side’s dugout at Old Trafford will not be Sir Alex Ferguson. Secondly, it will represent Jose Mourinho and David Moyes’ first huge fixture since being appointed as coach by their respective club this summer. Several other aspects contribute to the hype of Monday’s titanic EPL encounter. One of those is the Wayne Rooney factor.
The English forward is reportedly unhappy at Manchester United and is willing to quit before the transfer window shuts down in September. He is on Chelsea’s radar and fate knows if he will soon play under Mourinho, alongside Frank Lampard and the rest of the Blues’ squad. For now, he is a Red Devil. Ironically, he may gun down what could become his next club.
Petr Cech will need to be on his toes; aside Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck appear as major threats to Chelsea’s defensive line. With the UEFA Super Cup coming up on Friday, the visitors might play cautiously.
The pressure is more on Mourinho than on Moyes. The former has been making a lot of noise in the media, trying to lure Rooney away from Old Trafford. He must live up to the hype he’s created ahead of the clash or face serious post-match scrutiny from his critics.
David Moyes, on the other hand, is only experiencing his first few months at a big club. Defeat will be excusable. However, the red side of Manchester is craving bragging rights in the city after the Citizens' stunning 3-2 loss away to Cardiff City last Sunday.
Where to watch the match – live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Manchester United vs Chelsea live on Monday, August 26, 2013:
In Canada at 15:00 ET on: TSN, RDS 2
In UK at 20:00 BST on: Sky Sports 1/HD, Sky Sports 3D, BBC One, BBC Radio 5 Live, Sky Go
In USA at 15:00 ET on: NBCSN, SiriusXM FC (Radio), NBC Sports Live Extra, DirecTV 220
LiveSoccerTV can confirm that the match will be broadcast live in Asia on networks like ESPN and Star Sports. It will receive wide coverage in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. If you are located outside Canada, UK and USA, please view the TV Schedule tab on the Manchester United-Chelsea match page. You may also want to follow live scores on our website during the full 90 minutes.
Probable line-ups
Manchester United’s probable starting XI: De Gea; Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Rafael; Jones, Carrick, Kagawa, Valencia; Welbeck, Van Persie
Chelsea’s probable starting XI: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole; Lampard, Ramires, Oscar, Bruyne, Hazard; Torres
