The weekend football bill begins with the headline act first on. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton set their alarms for high noon at Old Trafford.

TALKING POINTS
A dozen goals in two Barclays Premier League matches may have put Chelsea's title bandwagon back on track in spectacular fashion, but this match presents a far more exacting test and is the first of three tough away fixtures that will define Chelsea's season.

It is one thing to knock seven past what was previously the league's stingiest defence, but a different matter to topple the three-times champions on their home turf.

The flow of goals, though, bolsters confidence as the country's finest home team pays a visit to the most successful travellers. United have only conceded nine goals at Old Trafford this season, but the Blues are averaging a little under two goals per away trip.

The hosts will have to get by without their injured talisman and main penalty-taker, Wayne Rooney. The 24-year-old Liverpudlian has been rested for three league matches this season, all won, at Wolves, and home and away to Bolton.

However, this will be the first Premier League clash with any of United's biggest challengers - Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool - that he has missed since making his debut in September 2004.

Another question on everyone's lips following the Blues' disappointing dip out of the Champions League against Inter was how United's continued involvement might affect the title run-in.

The Red Devils played in Munich on Tuesday and stayed there overnight to allow the players a more relaxing trip home. They now have a 1-2 deficit to overcome at Old Trafford in order to reach the semi-finals, leaving the manager little room for manoeuvre in terms of resting players against Chelsea, or Wednesday evening against Bayern.

Nor will United's performances in games immediately following Champions League involvement warm Sir Alex Ferguson's russet cockles.

They have lost four of the eight Premier League games played after European encounters this season (Liverpool, Chelsea, Villa and Everton), drawn one (Sunderland) and won three (Man City, Portsmouth and Fulham).

That's four of the six league games they have lost all season.

Their record at Old Trafford in those post-Europe league matches is far from impressive (won two, drawn one, lost one), but it is the games -home or away - after midweek flights that reveal the greatest vulnerability: they have won one and lost three of these.

The early kick-off may also work in Chelsea's favour. United have lost both previous matches (Villa home, Everton away) played on the Saturday following a Tuesday trip in the Champions League.

Going into APOEL in early December Chelsea had won every post-European match, but two draws and a defeat since suggest that there may be a silver lining to the premature exit from Uefa's elite competition.

The irony of Barcelona's unfortunate penalty concession on Wednesday will not be lost of Blues fans following Tom Henning Ovrebo's myopia last season regarding the same opponent.

Against Chelsea-United the referee is always in the spotlight and on Saturday lunchtime it falls on Mike Dean. Make of this what you will, but Merseysider Dean has donated the most penalties of any referee this season: 16 in his 24 Premier League matches, more than twice as many as the next busiest spot-pointing officials, Alan Wiley and Mark Clattenburg.

In terms of United and Chelsea games there is a mis-match. The Mancs have been three times as likely to score from a spot-kick as the Blues with him in charge over the last four seasons (eight in 17 games for Utd, three in 18 for Chelsea).

Not only did Dean also unjustly send John Mikel Obi off at this stadium in 2007/08 but, idiosyncratically, he demanded Frank Lampard retake his penalty twice at his former club West Ham's ground this season (pictured below). His sending-off of Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack in our home defeat by Man City were less questionable.

On the positive side, Dean was not afraid to award the visitors a free shot from 12 yards last season.

Chelsea's 12-goal salvo in four days did not apply any pressure on his team, Sir Alex Ferguson suggested, although he did concede the turnaround had thrown down a gauntlet.

A title actually decided on goals rather than points is almost as rare as rocking horse manure. The title winners usually - but not always - have the best goal difference. Only five times since the start of the Football League has that figure, or goal average (the number scored divided by the number conceded, the deciding factor up to 1976), determined the outcome.

Huddersfield edged Cardiff after they finished level in 1923/24, Portsmouth did the same to Wolves in 1949/50, Arsenal to Preston North End in 1952/53, and Manchester United to Leeds in 1964/65.

The only relatively recent season when goals altered the final analysis was the famous occasion when Arsenal won at Anfield in 1988/9. Back then a Michael Thomas goal meant George Graham's team pipped Liverpool on goals for - the teams' points and goal difference were both identical.

United's goal difference would be 13 inferior to Chelsea's were it not for their stand-out performer behind Rooney. In fact, they might consider playing him upfront instead if the England striker is unfit.

Because this lad Own-Goal has had a fantastic season for United. Although he didn't have the most auspicious start - he took five games to open his account this season - he has now bagged 12 goals in all competitions, 11 in the league.

United's third-top scorer is also very versatile, having netted from almost every position on the field, including goalkeeper (against Arsenal in January).

His best sequence was five strikes in three games, including the near-perfect hat-trick (full-back, midfielder, centre-back) against Portsmouth.

His icy coolness in front of goal - especially in the opener at Bolton last weekend - has opened the scoring five times (twice against local 'rivals' the Trotters) and made the difference between the two teams on six occasions, earning his team at least points eight points and probably more.

Chelsea have an Own-Goal too, but he is unfortunately not as prolific, scoring just the six, earning three league points, and having endured a barren spell since Watford in the FA Cup.

Typically, when Own-Goal scored as a centre-half for the Blues against Fulham just after Christmas, Manchester United's manager swiftly signed him up - Smalling Own-Goal will appear at Old Trafford next season.

On a more rueful note, if United had benefited from the same number of self-inflicted strikes by opponents as Chelsea's four, the Blues' superiority in goal difference would now stand at nine.

Chelsea's remaining league fixtures (3 home, 3 away)
Saturday Man Utd (a)
Tue Apr 13 Bolton (h)
Sat Apr 17 Tottenham (a)
Sun Apr 25 Stoke (h)
Sat May 1 Liverpool (a)
Sun May 9 Wigan (h)

Manchester Utd's remaining league fixtures (3 home, 3 away)
Saturday Chelsea (h)
Sun Apr 11 Blackburn (a)
Sat Apr 17 Man City (a)
Sat Apr 24 Tottenham (h)
Sat May 1 Sunderland (a)
Sun May 9 Stoke (h)

Arsenal's remaining league fixtures (3 home, 3 away)
Saturday Wolverhampton (h)
Wed Apr 14 Tottenham (a)
Sun Apr 18 Wigan (a)
Sat Apr 24 Man City (h)
Sat May 1 Blackburn (a)
Sun May 9 Fulham (h)

Arsenal, possibly missing several key players and minds straying to the Camp Nou, host a resilient Wolves side unbeaten in four.

Barclays Premier League fixtures
Saturday
Man Utd v Chelsea 12.45pm - Sky Sports
Arsenal v Wolverhampton 3pm
Bolton v Aston Villa 3pm
Portsmouth v Blackburn 3pm
Stoke v Hull 3pm
Sunderland v Tottenham 3pm
Burnley v Man City 5.30pm - ESPN
Sunday
Birmingham v Liverpool 3pm
Fulham v Wigan 3pm
Everton v West Ham 4pm - Sky Sports

The race for the Premier League Golden Boot
Rooney (Man Utd) 26
Drogba (Chelsea) 24
Bent (Sunderland) 20
Tevez (Man City) 19
Torres (Liverpool) 18
Defoe (Tottenham) 17
Lampard (Chelsea) 17

Click on tabs above for more briefing.

BBC London has live radio commentary on every Chelsea game and can be accessed online via Chelsea TV Plus.

TACTICAL BRIEF
In target man and talisman Wayne Rooney's absence, does Dimitar Berbatov have what it takes to play the solo striker role in the 4-2-3-1 formation Sir Alex Ferguson favours against top six sides?

In any case, is the Bulgarian the obvious replacement for Rooney? Michael Owen is out for the season, but United also have youngsters Federico Machedo and Mame Diouf, and might even consider playing Nani as a forward. (He played 4-4-2 in this game last season.)

The midfield is where Ferguson made considerable changes in recent seasons. He has a triangle of players in the centre that can be switched around to form a defensive pair in front of the central defence or further up the field. He deploys the likes of Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Paul Scholes or Ryan Giggs, energy and experience, in flexible fashion, closing or exploiting gaps according to opposition strength.

Yet on Tuesday United's experienced trio of Scholes, Fletcher and Carrick was overrun by Bayern's two, Prantic and Van Bommel, especially in the second half. It will be interesting to see how Chelsea's midfield matches up should Carlo Ancelotti retain the 4-3-3 that has brought 12 goals in two matches.

As has been the case throughout Ferguson's time at Old Trafford, United attack from wide, with Nani providing the dynamism and pace and Ji Sung Park, most likely, asked to perform more of a grafter's role.

Against them, Yury Zhirkov earned two penalties with his surging runs in the Blues' record-breaking 7-1 win over Villa, but Ancelotti has problems at right-back.

It is still too early for Branislav Ivanovic to return, but in any case he is not a raiding full-back in the Ashley Cole/Jose Bosingwa mould to concern Ferguson.

The Scotsman can call upon his first-choice centre-backs, Nemanja Vidic and Ferdinand, but United's full-backs are not at their best. The manager may feel his promising youngsters the Da Silva twins are not quite reliable enough to play such an important game at present: Rafael had a tough time up against Ronaldinho in the recent Milan encounter.

However, left-back Patrice Evra (below) was sloppy in possession all evening in Munich and dozed off during Bayern's late winner; he may be feeling the effects of starting every match since early January, and tends to become overwrought against Chelsea. Likewise, 35-year-old Gary Neville has figured in every United game since mid-February.

It is likely to be the guileful Neville who is asked to neutralise Chelsea's in-form wideman, Florent Malouda, who scored his first goal in English football in the 2007 Community Shield by ghosting behind Wes Brown and eluding Rio Ferdinand's desperate lunge to beat Edwin van der Sar.

We must hope the referee affords him more protection than is normally the case for visitors to Old Trafford.

Van der Sar appeared to be an injury concern at one point midweek, but carried on and has made a huge difference for United since returning in mid-October.

 
After the game there is 'Extra Time at the Bridge' on Chelsea TV. The programme starts at 3.15pm on Saturday. Phone 0844 543 4969 or email in your thoughts on the match.

WE HAVE HISTORY
This weekend the novelty is 3Dtv, but long ago this fixture was a midwife at the birth of the football statto.

Fifty-five years and two days ago Chelsea strode onto the Old Trafford turf flanked by a guard of honour from Matt Busby and the Man United players. Ted Drake's Blues had won the league title for the first time the week before.

The 'Daily Express' published an innovative match statistics column, compiled by Mr Facts, noting that Drake's men had committed fewer fouls, misplaced fewer passes and had to make fewer 'wild clearances'.

No trainers were called upon, despite 145 stoppages, the conduct of both sides was 'Excellent', the pitch perfect and Chelsea's 'accurate passing and slick interchanging of positions' earned them a ribbon of merit. Never the less the goals tally was Man Utd 1 Chelsea 2, for what good it did the Red Devils.

Fast forward 50 years to May 2005 and Sir Alex Ferguson was in the same invidious position as his illustrious predecessor, Chelsea having secured the Premier League title at Bolton ten days earlier.

Once again a United side provided a guard of honour - though Gary Neville's level of commitment during the applause might be said not wholly to have embraced the Corinthian spirit.

On that occasion José Mourinho's men won 3-1. It was, in fact, our last victory there. Ruud van Nistelrooy opened the scoring, Tiago equalised with an outstanding 30-yarder, followed by an Eidur Gudjohnsen chip and a Joe Cole tap in for a comfortable three points.

By the way, United supporters protesting against their board sport their club's original kit colours of green and yellow. How well would it go down around Trafford if Chelsea fans made a fashion statement by wearing the Pensioners' first strip … of light blue and white?

In 17 Barclays Premier League matches at Old Trafford United have won six, Chelsea won four and there have been seven draws with the Blues scoring 21 and United 25.

Our Premier League record at Old Trafford in full is as follows:
1992/93 Man Utd won 3-0
1993/94 Chelsea won 1-0
1994/95 Drew 0-0
1995/96 Drew 1-1
1996/97 Chelsea won 2-1
1997/98 Drew 2-2
1998/99 Drew 1-1
1999/00 Man Utd won 3-2
2000/01 Drew 3-3
2001/02 Chelsea won 3-0
2002/03 Man Utd won 2-1
2003/04 Drew 1-1
2004/05 Chelsea won 3-1
2005/06 Man Utd won 1-0
2006/07 Drew 1-1
2007/08 Man Utd won 2-0
2008/09 Man Utd won 3-0

The reverse fixture this season
8 November 2009 Premier League
Chelsea………..……1 Man Utd………..….…0
Terry 76
                               Att: 41,836

Other match this season
9 August 2009 Community Shield, Wembley
Man Utd………..……2 Chelsea………..……2
Nani 9                            Carvalho 52
Rooney 90+1                Lampard 70
                              Att: 85,896
Chelsea won 4-1 on penalties

Chelsea v Manchester United in all competitions
Games played 155
Chelsea wins 42
United wins 66
Draws 47

Head-to-head in the league at Manchester United
Games played 67
Chelsea wins 17
United wins 27
Draws 23

Biggest league win at Manchester Utd for each team
26/12/1960 Man Utd 6-0 Chelsea
24/08/1968 Man Utd 0-4 Chelsea

DAYS SINCE
Chelsea won at Old Trafford: 1,789
United conceded a penalty at Old Trafford: 383
Arsenal won a trophy: 1,778
Liverpool won a trophy: 1,421

Chelsea v Bolton at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday 13 April is now on general sale. CLICK HERE FOR FULL TICKET DETAILS

CHELSEA STATS
Chelsea's away record is eight wins, four draws and four defeats. We have conceded the fewest away goals in the Barclays Premier League - 15 in 16 games.

Chelsea's 82 league goals (with six games to go) is our best haul in a top-flight season since 1964/65 when we scored 89 in 42 games. We are the current Premier League top scorers, six more goals than second best Man Utd.

Didier Drogba has scored 15 goals in his last 14 Premier League appearances.

2009/10 Premier League scorers
Drogba 24, Lampard 17 (8 pens), Malouda 11, Anelka 8, Ballack 4, A Cole 3, Essien 3, Deco 2, Terry 2, Alex 1, J Cole 1, Ivanovic 1, Kalou 1, own goals 4 (Givet, Blackburn h, Vermaelen, Arsenal a, Adebayor, Man City a, Smalling, Fulham h). Total 82.

MILESTONES
Didier Drogba needs one goal to equal our seventh highest scorer George Mills on 125.

Congratulations to Frank Lampard for reaching 151 goals, an outstanding achievement for a midfielder.

Top all-time scorers
Bobby Tambling 202, Kerry Dixon 193, Frank Lampard 151, Roy Bentley 150, Peter Osgood 150, Jimmy Greaves 132, George Mills 125, Didier Drogba 124, George Hilsdon 108.

If selected, Michael Ballack will make his 100th Premier League appearance for the Blues.

Frank Lampard will play his 50th club and international match of the season.

Most goals in a season
121 1964/65
117 1960/61, 2006/07 and this season
110 2008/09
109 1988/89

MAN UTD STATS
Formed 1878

Major trophies
18 League championships, last in 2009
11 FA Cups, last in 2004
3 League Cups, last in 2009
17 FA Charity/Community Shields (4 shared), last in 2008
3 European Cups, last in 2008
1 European Cup Winners' Cup in 1991
1 Uefa Super Cup in 1991
1 Intercontinental Cup in 1999
1 Fifa Club World Cup in 2009

Man United's defeat at Bayern Munich ended a run of seven successive wins in all competitions since their previous defeat at Everton in February.

Man Utd have won the last eight Premier League games at Old Trafford since Aston Villa won there on 12 December. The eight matches have seen Man United scoring an average of 3.5 goals per game whilst only conceding one: Fernando Torres in their last home game.

Man Utd have conceded nine goals in 16 home league games this term - that's one goal every two hours 40 minutes.

The Red Devils have kept more clean sheets than any other Premier League club, 15, one more than the Blues.

Wayne Rooney has scored nine in his last six games in a red shirt. He last failed to hit the net at Everton in February.

Man United's league record at Old Trafford this term is 14 wins (Birmingham 1-0, Arsenal 2-1, Man City 4-3, Bolton 2-1, Blackburn 2-0, Everton 3-0, Wolves 3-0, Wigan 5-0, Burnley 3-0, Hull 4-0, Portsmouth 5-0, West Ham 3-0, Fulham 3-0, Liverpool 2-1), one draw (Sunderland 2-2) and one defeat (Aston Villa 0-1).

Manager Air Alex Ferguson
Days in charge: 8,549
Played 1,325
Won 780
Drawn 307
Lost 238

2009/10 Premier League scorers
Rooney 26 (4 pens), Berbatov 12, own goals 11, Valencia 5, Fletcher 3, Owen 3, Carrick 2, Gibson 2, Giggs 2, Park 2, Scholes 2, Anderson 1, R Da Silva 1, Diouf 1, Nani 1, O'Shea 1, Vidic 1. Total 76.

Man United's 11 Premier League own goals
Hughes, Vanden Borre and Wilson, Portsmouth
Diaby and Almunia, Arsenal
Knight and Samuel, Bolton
Collins, Aston Villa
Dann, Birmingham
Dawson, Hull
A Ferdinand, Sunderland

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
The referee is Mike Dean. He has awarded nine penalties in his eight Man Utd and Chelsea games this season. His last Blues game was our defeat to Man City at Stamford Bridge when he awarded a penalty to each team as well as sending off Juliano Belletti and Michael Ballack. His most recent United match was their 1-2 Carling Cup semi-final defeat at Eastlands in January.

OTHERWISE ENGAGED
There are no suspensions.