Stats Corner: Chelsea vs Manchester United

Match overview

Chelsea welcome Manchester United to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, with both sides looking to turn their recent fortunes around after contrasting starts to the Premier League season.

Xabi Alonso's Chelsea sit fifth in the table, having scored an impressive 17 goals in their opening eight matches. However, their attacking strength has been undermined by defensive struggles, with the Blues conceding 15 goals and keeping just one clean sheet so far.

Manchester United, meanwhile, find themselves 16th after a difficult start under Michael Carrick, having picked up just seven points from their opening eight games. The Red Devils are now without a win in eight matches across all competitions. Can they end that run at Stamford Bridge, or will Chelsea’s attacking firepower prove too much?

Match result with Copybet:

• Chelsea: 77/100
• Draw: 14/5
• Manchester United: 29/10

Saturday’s Stat Corner

Goals Market

Chelsea – Over goals:

Chelsea have been in impressive attacking form this season, scoring 17 goals in their opening eight Premier League matches, at an average of 2.1 goals per game.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have struggled defensively, conceding seven goals in their last two league matches and failing to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League so far this season.

With United's defence looking vulnerable and Chelsea's attacking trio of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Pedro Neto looking to step up in the absence of the injured Joao Pedro, another high-scoring display from the Blues could be on the cards at Stamford Bridge.

• Chelsea over 2.5 team goals: 9/5

Player Market

Morgan Rogers and Bryan Mbeumo will both be looking to make an impact on Saturday, with the two versatile attackers taking on more central roles for their respective clubs this season.

Rogers has enjoyed a productive start to the campaign, scoring four goals and registering one assist in eight Premier League appearances. However, the England international struggled when deployed as a striker against Tottenham last weekend, failing to register a shot in 90 minutes. He looked far more comfortable back on the left wing against Liverpool in midweek, finding the net from the penalty spot.

Mbeumo, meanwhile, has been one of Manchester United's brighter attacking performers despite the club's difficult start to the season, scoring four goals in eight league appearances. Usually deployed on the right wing, the Cameroonian has recently been used as a central striker in the absence of the injured Benjamin Šeško. His pace and ability to get in behind defenders remain key attacking threats.

• Morgan Rogers to score anytime: 19/10
• Bryan Mbeumo to score anytime: 11/5

Player to watch: Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer will be looking to bounce back against Manchester United on Saturday following his red card against Tottenham last weekend. The former Manchester City man has an impressive record against the Red Devils, scoring four goals in six Premier League appearances for Chelsea, including a memorable hat-trick.

After a summer of rest following his absence from the World Cup, Palmer is still finding his feet under new manager Xabi Alonso. However, the England international remains a key creative figure for the Blues, having registered two goals and three assists this season while averaging 3.21 shots and 2.18 chances created per 90 minutes.

With Joao Pedro sidelined through injury, Palmer's creativity and goalscoring ability will be crucial for Chelsea. As Chelsea's primary penalty and set-piece taker, he will have plenty of opportunities to make amends for last weekend's dismissal against a struggling Manchester United side.

• Cole Palmer to score and assist: 6/1

Can Chelsea capitalise on Manchester United’s defensive struggles and pile further pressure on Michael Carrick, or will the Red Devils end their winless run at Stamford Bridge?

Follow all the action throughout the season on CopyBet to find out.

Odds correct at the time of writing.