PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: MANCHESTER UNITED V CHELSEA
TACTICAL BRIEF
A wounded Man United are the clear favourites according to bookmakers, but how might Chelsea upset the odds in our favourite cup competition? Former Blue Clive Walker weighs up the possibilities.
Key battles
'We know a top four finish is the club's priority but we do pride ourselves on taking the FA Cup very seriously.
'Several players look likely to return on Sunday with Victor Moses and Ramires having been rested midweek and Juan Mata, Ashley Cole, Gary Cahill, César Azpilicueta may well start.
'For Chelsea against Man United it's always about winning the midfield battle and getting the creative players, especially Mata, on the ball. We played a lot of long balls in Bucharest and that didn't suit Fernando Torres; that's not his game.
'Demba Ba scored an equaliser for Newcastle from the spot at Old Trafford a few years ago, so he's not fazed by the place. He will be hungry for goals and the service to him has to be top drawer.
'We've also seen how, when he holds it up, he brings others into play and Mata has to be on hand, cute and clever on the ball, to affect the outcome. If he has a bright game it could be a good day for the Blues.
'If we have all guns blazing we can put United on the back foot after their own much bigger European disappointment. We have five players on two goals in this competition, so we're finding the net as usual.
'The players will need no special motivation for this anyway. It's a competition we love, it's against a great adversary who you know you have to perform against simply to avoid a big defeat. The players will know they need to find a little bit extra on Sunday.
'We know how United will play - they rarely change. It is all about their wingers getting behind and cutting the ball back. In the league game our defending was poor at times, Robin van Persie and Hernandez being given far too much freedom in and around the box. Our men will have to stay on their feet against Van Persie, not jump in. Stand in front of him; make him beat you.
'The wide defenders always have a major role to play against United. Sir Alex Ferguson knows how we play. I wouldn't be surprised to see Antonio Valencia start on the right against Ash. He's not great defensively but he's strong, quick and can open play up.
'I doubt Nani will start. Ferguson might slot Wayne Rooney in on the left or Shinji Kagawa, who seems to be the new Ji-Sung Park: brought in for big games. Kagawa's an intelligent player but so is Azpilicueta who may be asked to handle the Japanese.
'Rooney's state of mind will dominate the build-up after he stayed on the bench on Tuesday. We don't know whether he will be fed up about missing out on a huge game in his career, or champing at the bit to make up for those midweek headlines.'
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