^ ^ Chelsea vs Man Utd: Predicted lineups today and confirmed team news

Mainoo missed the game against Leeds on Monday night (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United take on Chelsea tonight at Stamford Bridge with a full-blown defensive crisis on their hands.

Seven points separate the two sides ahead of kick-off and while a victory won’t be enough for Chelsea to claw their way back into the top five tonight, it will certainly crank up the heat on United who lost their way against Leeds last time out.

Lisandro Martinez’s red card that night means he will miss the next three games – a huge blow for Carrick with key games against Brentford and Liverpool to follow.

To make matters worse, Harry Maguire was handed an additional one-game ban this week for his reaction to the red card he received against Bournemouth last month.

Leny Yoro has deputlised in the place of the injured Martinez under Carrick but the Frenchman has not made the journey down to London with reports suggesting he has picked up an injury that may end his season.

It leaves Ayden Heaven as United’s only senior centre-half – with the 19-year-old expected to start his first game under Carrick tonight.

Elsewhere, Kobbie Mainoo missed the defeat at Leeds after picking up a knock in training with United badly missing his presence in midfield. Carrick was hopeful the England international would be available for selection when he spoke to the media on Friday.

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Yoro expected to miss tonight’s match (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United XI vs Chelsea – Metro prediction

With no other natural option available, Luke Shaw may be tasked with playing alongside Heaven at centre-half this evening.

Shaw has previously taken up the role as emergency centre-half under Erik ten Hag and regularly played as part of a back three under Ruben Amorim.

Shaw moving inside would require a bit or rejigging at full-back with Diogo Dalot expected to fill in on the left with Noussair Mazraoui on the right.

Casemiro at centre-half is another option – but with United’s midfield already very lightweight, removing their best player in that position could create more problems than solutions.

Enzo Fernandez to return tonight?

Chelsea will welcome Enzo Fernandez back after his two-match suspension this evening. The Argentina international sat out of games against Port Vale and Manchester City after ‘crossing the line’ with comments he made in a string of interviews that threw his future at the club into doubt.

Fernandez is available for selection again tonight (Picture: Getty)

The Blues have their own concerns in defence with Trevoh Chalobah still a doubt following his ankle injury. A late call on his inclusion is likely to be made tonight. Levi Colwill played 60 minutes in a behind-closed-doors Under-21 match but is unavailable for first-team action today.

Reece James meanwhile remains sidelined with a hamstring injury with Jamie Gittens and goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen also still sidelined.

Chelsea XI to face Manchester United – Metro prediction

Wesley Fofana and Jorrel Hato could continue at centre-half tonight. Andrey Santos is looking at home in midfield alongside Moises Caicedo so if Enzo Fernandez is to return to the starting XI, it could be in a more advanced role.

Alejandro Garnacho will be desperate to leave a mark on his old side tonight but he may have to settle for a role off the bench.

Chelsea vs Man Utd TV channel, live stream and kick-off time

Chelsea vs Manchester United kicks off at 8pm tonight (Saturday 18 April).

You can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1 with streaming also available through the HBO Max app.

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^ ^ Joe Cole tells Chelsea to rip up transfer policy and sign Man City star in stunning double transfer

Cole wants to see big changes at Chelsea this summer (Picture: Getty)

Joe Cole has named Robert Lewandowski and John Stones his two dream signings for Chelsea this summer after urging the club to change their transfer policy.

Under the BlueCo ownership led by Behdad Eghbali’s Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly, Chelsea have targeted elite young talent on long-term contracts with their oldest recruit last summer Joao Pedro at the age of 24.

While the club did return to the Champions League this season, their swift and brutal last 16 exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain underlined the gulf in class between them and Europe’s elite. Having lost their last three Premier League games on the bounce, Liam Rosenior’s side are now in a desperate scrap to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition again next season.

With the current recruitment policy perhaps not paying off, Egbhali has suggested the club will target ‘ready-made’ players this summer to take the Blues ‘to the next level.’

Cole, who won three Premier League titles during Chelsea’s most successful era, believes the current squad is crying out for experience and leadership in defence and up front.

Lewandowski is coming to the end of an extraordinary career with his contract at Barcelona expiring at the end of the current campaign. At 37, the former Bayern Munich star is still a potent goal threat with 17 in 40 appearances to his name this season.

Stones meanwhile has been an integral figure under Pep Guardiola at City but is another who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season.

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While injuries have limited him to just 15 appearances, this term, Cole believes the 31-year-old can still play a key role on guiding a young Chelsea defence.

‘We need experience, someone to come in and support the young players,’ Cole exclusively told Metro when asked for his dream signings this summer.

Lewandowski will turn 38 in August (Picture: Getty)

‘I would be looking at Lewandoski. If his contract is up at Barcelona, get him in for a year.

‘That could work, someone to come in and help the young players. He is a big name, has that stature and would be a huge presence in the dressing room. I think he could really help Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

‘John Stones as well maybe if City let his contract expire. He is another who could be an big presence in the dressing room, to help and nurture the great young centre-halves we have at Chelsea. He might not be able to play 50 or 60 games anymore but will improve players around him.’

Stones is also out of contract at the end of the season (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal and Manchester City have led the way in getting football operations off the pitch right in recent years with Manchester United getting their act together somewhat last summer.

While Cole believes a change in how Chelsea go about their recruitment would produce results, he is not convinced it starts this summer.

Cole has partnered with Samsung for their ‘Raise the Bar’ campaign.

‘I would welcome it but I don’t think it will happen,’ he said. ‘They will be financial decisions again. Arsenal and Manchester City have been run smoothly to build a football team on the grass. Obviously there is business in place these days because clubs are huge cooperate entities. But unless Chelsea do that fully, they will struggle.

‘You still have to get the right players in. If the right players is 28 years-old and costs a fortune, you buy the right player. Buy the right players to build the team.’

Chelsea’s ownership has hinted at a change in direction (Picture: Getty)

Cole has partnered up with Samsung for their Raise The Bar initiative to lead a search for local pubs needing a TV upgrade in time for England’s World Cup campaign this summer.

‘Nothing beats live sport, especially when it is England and international football,’ Cole said. ‘We are calling on fans to nominate their local to win thousands of pounds worth of new tech so they can hopefully watch England lift the trophy in style this summer.’

To get behind your local and ‘Raise the Bar’ for its World Cup coverage, people can vote here: watchitonasamsung.com

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^ ^ Bruno Guimaraes injury update ahead of Newcastle vs Bournemouth

The Brazil international has not played since February (Picture: George Wood/Getty Images)

Bruno Guimaraes could make his long-awaited return for Newcastle United against Bournemouth this weekend.

The Brazil international has not been seen in action since picking up a hamstring injury in the 2-1 win over Tottenham in mid-February.

Newcastle were hopeful he would be able to return from his 11-game absence following this recent international break last weekend against Crystal Palace.

Illness delayed those plans, but Eddie Howe has seen plenty of positive signs in training this week.

While he stopped short of confirming the Brazilian’s availability, Guimaraes is pushing to make the squad for Saturday’s game against the Cherries.

‘There is a chance [he will be available],’ Howe told a press conference on Friday.

‘We’ve seen him in training. He’s pushing really hard to be back involved.

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‘The medical team are trying to hold him back – there’s always that tug because the player desperately wants to play. I love that about Bruno.

‘I’ll make a decision based on what I see today in training. But there’s a possibility.’

More to follow

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^ ^ Gary Neville names Arsenal star who can win Gunners the title against Man City

Neville still regrets not seeing Manchester United sign the Arsenal star (Picture: Getty)

Gary Neville has urged Declan Rice to step up and be the player to secure the Premier League title for Arsenal this weekend when they take on Manchester City.

After defeat to Bournemouth last week, the Gunners head to the Etihad with a six-point lead at the summit of English football after City took full advantage with a crushing win over Chelsea.

Arsenal are now looking over their shoulder and defeat to in-form City on Sunday would half that deficit with Pep Guardiola’s side holding a game in hand – against Crystal Palace on a date still to be confirmed by the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s side have won just one of their four games since the international break ended having also lost the Carabao Cup final to City last month.

But a win, or even a draw, in Manchester on Sunday would go some way in easing the considerable pressure piling on the north Londoners.

Arsenal booked their place in the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday night with Rice in the side having been a major doubt ahead of kick-off.

The England international has been the heartbeat of the Arsenal team this season, completing the full 90 minutes against Sporting despite being ‘shattered’.

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Rice recovered from illness to start against Sporting (Picture: Catherine Ivill – AMA)

Former Manchester United captain Neville, still regretful over his old’s side failure to sign him while he was playing for West Ham, believes Rice is the man who must step up again this weekend.

Arsenal have not won at the Etihad since 2015 but Neville has urged Rice to have his ‘Roy Keane or Steven Gerrard moment’ on the blue half of Manchester and send Arsenal towards title glory.

Rice can set the standard on Sunday, says Neville (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I do think Declan Rice is someone… When he went to Arsenal for £100 million, I was gutted. I think he’s a Manchester United player,’ Neville told The Overlap.

‘He’s the player, Harry Kane, Declan Rice, that Manchester United would have always signed back in the day. You don’t let Declan Rice go to any other club.

‘To me, on Sunday, he is the player I am looking at. This is not me putting pressure on him, by the way. This is me expecting that this is the Roy Keane moment, the Gerrard moment.’

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