Man Utd play Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday and this is how our writers think they should line up.

Manchester United take on Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday evening. United suffered a 2-1 defeat to Leeds at the beginning of the week and must bounce back from that disappointing result.

Leeds are fighting to maintain their Premier League status, but they had a two-goal cushion by the interval. Lisandro Martinez was shown a straight red card in the second half, meaning he will be unavailable.

Harry Maguire will also be suspended after receiving an additional one-game ban for allegedly acting in an improper manner towards a fourth official against Bournemouth. Michael Carrick was expected to pick Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven in central defence at Stamford Bridge, but there are injury fears over the former after he was not spotted travelling to London on Friday afternoon. If he is not part of the matchday squad Carrick will be left with just one fit centre-back.

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Chelsea are sixth in the Premier League, they were hammered 3-0 by Manchester City last weekend, and there are already question marks around their inexperienced manager, Liam Rosenior.

This is how our writers think United should line up:

Steven Railston

Shaw impressed when playing at centre-back for Erik ten Hag, but I would start Mazraoui and Heaven in the centre of the defence to prevent two left-footed players playing together in the heart of the backline.

Mainoo must be recalled to the starting XI if he passes a late fitness test to feature in the capital. The groans from United fans were loud and clear when Ugarte misplaced a few passes against Leeds. The midfielder has started 10 games this season, and he’s won just once (against Newcastle on Boxing Day).

Mbeumo was named on the bench at the beginning of the week and it’s a no-brainer to start him against Chelsea. Amad looked bright in moments against Leeds, but I would bring Mbeumo into the team for him.

Ross Jackson

A centre-back pairing of Heaven and Yoro seemed nailed on until the latter wasn’t seen travelling with his teammates to London.

If Yoro isn’t fit then Shaw needs to move into the middle alongside Heaven. That would mean Mazraoui starts at left-back, with Dalot coming in at right-back.

Ugarte has never looked like making the grade at United and his confidence must be shot after another poor display on Monday night, but if Mainoo wasn’t fit enough to even make the squad against Leeds then it would possibly be an even bigger risk to start him than Ugarte. The Uruguay international can start alongside Casemiro in the middle.

Liam Rosenior knows his side need to produce a big performance today and so expect Chelsea to play on the front foot. That could open up gaps for United to exploit on the counter so a fluid forward line spearheaded by Mbeumo could work well. Benjamin Sesko’s performances off the bench have been good this season and he can be an option late on if United need one.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

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Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Football fans trying to get to MetLife Stadium from New York City for the World Cup matches this summer will have to pay $150 (€127) for a round-trip, according to local transportation officials.

The price is almost 12 times higher than the usual $12.90 fare for the 15-minute trip from Penn Station in Manhattan to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“We are going to charge $150 for our roundtrip ticket on our system. So from New York to MetLife, MetLife back to New York,” said Kris Kolluri, the president and CEO of NJ Transit.

NJ Transit officials said they planned to spend $62 million on transportation for fans traveling to and from the stadium during the tournament. However, only $14 million of those anticipated expenses had been defrayed by outside grants.

A fare increase was needed to cover the rest, according to Kolluri.

“This isn’t price gouging,” he told reporters. “We’re literally trying to recoup our costs.”

Driving to the stadium will be even more expensive. According to the Just Park site, limited parking options will be available at the stadium for fans with disabilities and at an adjacent mall for other supporters. Prices start at $225 per parking space.

US politicians and FIFA trade blame

New Jersey’s recently sworn-in governor, Mikie Sherrill, defended the state transit organization’s policies on X, saying that “FIFA put zero dollars towards transporting World Cup fans.”

She called on the international football’s governing body to cover the transportation costs. “If it won’t, we will not be subsidizing World Cup ticket holders on the backs of New Jerseyans who rely on NJ TRANSIT every day,” Sherrill said in a statement.

On Tuesday, as initial reports emerged, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also wrote on social media that FIFA should foot the bill for transport costs to World Cup venues.

However, FIFA’s World Cup chief operating officer Heimo Schirgi said the move to “arbitrarily set elevated prices and demand FIFA absorb these costs is unprecedented.”

FIFA also pointed out that other US host cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston, are maintaining their transit rates.

Boston is one notable exception. Officials announced this week that express buses from various locations to Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL’s New England Patriots, will cost $95.

Fans call World Cup prices ‘insane’ and ‘astronomical’

The MetLife Stadium will host eight World Cup matches, including the final on July 19. The group stage matches will include teams from football powerhouses Brazil, France, Germany, and England.

A French “Irresistibles Francais” fan organization called the train ticket pricing “completely insane.”

“Every day there’s bad news about transportation,”  said Guillaume Aupretre, a spokesman for the group. “You really have to wonder how far this madness is going to go.”

Meanwhile, England’s Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) chief Thomas Concannon told the BBC “Every single thing coming out of this tournament so far is just fans getting fleeced.”

“The price is obviously astronomical in terms of what you would expect to pay going to a match,” he said. “We weren’t expecting to be gouged.”

Earlier, fan organizations expressed outrage over the exorbitant price of World Cup match tickets.

Edited by: Sean Sinico

The team of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr expected damp weather in Sydney’s autumn period and built La Fracas’ schedule around such scenarios.

Price regards the gelding as among the elite, potentially the standout, on soft ground that he has ever prepared.

Yet, the going was unsuitable for La Fracas in both of his Sydney starts, so the stable opted to bring him home to contest the Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) at Mornington on Saturday.

“We had him up in our Rosehill stable hoping for some moisture, and it seemed every time we were zigging, the rain was zagging,” Kent Jnr said.

“First-up 1100 (metres), we went back from the gate, and he worked home well then second-up, he was the only horse all day to break 34 (seconds) last 600 (metres).

“He got a long way back and out wide in inferior ground.

“We had intentions of running him in the Hall Mark (Stakes on Saturday at Randwick), but it’s very warm and sunny, so we thought the Hareeba looks a beautiful back-up plan.

“He’s won at Mornington before, it’s a toe in track and there is rain about and thankfully he’s drawn a beautiful gate.

“He looks poised to run a very good race.”

Kent Jnr mentioned that Brisbane loomed after Sydney in the plans for La Fracas, a path that could still materialise.

The co-trainer stressed that Saturday’s performance will dictate next steps.

The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville on May 9 is possible, as is Warrnambool should rain continue.

“We originally thought we would be Sydney then Queensland, but you have to put them where they can win, so it’s one race at a time,” Kent Jnr said.

“He’s a benchmark 90 gelding at the moment, so we’ll worry about Saturday first, but there is Adelaide, there’s the Wangoom, or there’s Brisbane, depending on what happens at Mornington.”

Check racing odds for the Hareeba Stakes via trusted betting sites.