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Man United vs Chelsea, FA Cup semi-final preview: Prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, h2h, team news, odds

Manchester United and Chelsea put their Premier League top four battle to one side today as they lock horns in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final.

Chelsea (third) and United (fifth) are separated by just a single point in the race for Champions League qualification, though FA Cup glory will be on the minds of Frank Lampard and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for now.

Both Lampard and Solskjaer are in a similar situation: two young managers who were legends as players for their respective clubs, who need silverware despite time being on their side.

The winners will face Arsenal in the Final next month, after the Gunners defeated Man City 2-0 on Saturday.

Date, time and venue

Manchester United vs Chelsea is scheduled for a 6pm BST kick-off today.

The FA Cup semi-final will be behind closed doors at Wembley Stadium with no fans due to be present due to government guidelines regarding coronavirus.

How to watch

TV channel: Manchester United vs Chelsea will be televised for free live on BBC One, with coverage starting from 5:30pm.

Live stream: Viewers with a valid TV licence will be able to stream the game online for free via the BBC iPlayer.

Team news

Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams were both missing from United's squad which beat Crystal Palace 2-0 due to injury.

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Shaw picked up an ankle injury in the 2-2 draw with Southampton, while his replacement Williams suffered a head injury which needed stitches.

Solskjaer will hope both can return in some capacity for Sunday, though Timothy Fosu-Mensah performed solidly on the left flank in a rare outing at Palace.

Elsewhere, Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones remain sidelined, while Mason Greenwood should start despite two quiet performances of late.

As for Chelsea, Lampard is hoping N'Golo Kante can recover from a hamstring injury to feature for the Blues.

(PA)
(PA)

It is more likely that Kante will feature as a substitute given Chelsea's crucial Premier League run-in, especially with Billy Gilmour out for the season following surgery on a knee injury.

Olivier Giroud may be given the nod up front again after his winning goal against Norwich, though Tammy Abraham may fancy his chances given his pace up against Harry Maguire.

Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea

Despite Chelsea sitting above United in the table, the Red Devils must be favourites given they have beaten the Blues three times already this season.

Form does tend to go out the window when it comes to cup football, but Lampard will have to make changes to prevent Solskjaer getting a fourth win over him.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

As mentioned earlier, United have beaten Chelsea three times this term - twice in the League, and once in the EFL Cup.

The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last six against the Blues, and also have history on their side with 81 wins to Chelsea's 54, along with 51 draws.

Betting odds and tips

  • Man United to reach the final: 8/11

  • Chelsea to reach the final: 11/10

Odds courtesy of Betfair Exchange. Click here to find out more.

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