How many times have Manchester United done this over the past few years? With Cristiano Ronaldo in the side, the lifted the Champions league trophy in 2008. A year after that they suffered a defeat in the Champions League final at Rome, thanks to Barca's recent rise to prominence under Pep Guardiola. Then, they lost their Portuguese talisman and while many expected United to be a shadow of the team with Ronaldo in it, players like Antonio Valencia, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez have ensured that the Devils remain a competitive side.
Qualifying for their 3rd Champions League final in four years is definitely a massive feat for Sir Alex Ferguson's men. While they have had lots of lucky moments this season, consistency has really been United's key to success so far. Not forgetting the presence of oldies like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.
As they head into tonight's game, positivity would be the only thing in their mind. Even though there have been some bad memories with away games, Sir Alex would prefer to emphasize on all the positive outcomes of their season so far. A closer look into their form at Old Trafford says it all.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are having a superb run of their own too. Do not forget that this Chelsea team were the ones that won the double last season but certain aspects slumped their form halfway through this season. Nevertheless, the arrival of David Luiz and Fernando Torres has freshened the team in a certain way as they have revitalized their form to come back in contention for the league title.
Reports are suggesting that Fernando Torres could once againt be dropped to the bench in favour of Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalau and Florent Malouda. It is important to recognize that these are the players that have so often been terrorized United's defence and will definitely be looking to repeat it tonight.
To be frank, the titanic encounter at Old Trafford tonight doesn't only represent a chance for Manchester United to zip up the battle between them and Chelsea because the outcome of this can definitely affect their Champions League final tie against the mighty Catalans. Trust us, a defeat could be too much for them to handle because if Chelsea do edge United to the title this season- something that will eclipse all the comeback records in the history of football, Sir Alex Ferguson could be taking patched up squad to Wembley.
Anyhow, the encounter against Chelsea will be a pre-Barcelona exam for the Devils. A failure could mean a disastrous ending to their season but if they do reign supreme tonight, only sky will be the limit for them at Wembley.
Manchester United Vs Chelsea - Bring It On!