Man Utd v Chelsea

These sides met twice at Old Trafford last season - once in the Premier League and once in the Champions League. Both times Manchester United won 2-1 and I’m backing the same again at a best price of 9/1 with Ladbrokes. The gap between the two sides looks greater now, but this fixture has a history of being settled by the odd goal.

In fact, all four matches between these two great rivals in 2010-11 were settled by the narrowest of margins. Ferguson’s side were also victorious 1-0 in Europe at Stamford Bridge, but Ancelotti’s men briefly got the upper hand in the league meeting there in April. That time the Londoners won 1-0; back then Chelsea had a run of three consecutive league wins going. The balance of power has fluctuated, but the one goal margin of victory has occurred - one way or the other - for six consecutive matches.

This tells me that the better team normally wins but rarely with something to spare. Even the last league meeting back in May should have been as one-sided as any match could ever be after the Red Devils romped into a fully deserved 2-0 lead. And yet, by the end, the home team were clinging on after Lampard threw the visitors a lifeline.

United have scored in 32 consecutive league games at Old Trafford, winning 30 and losing just the one, to Chelsea back in April 2010. They have a confidence and swagger that new Blues’ boss Andre Villlas-Boas may be able to match, but I don’t think too many of his players currently can.