Chelsea vs Manchester United: Pogba vs Kante and other key battles to watch out for

It is going to be an enthralling contest between two of the biggest clubs in English football when Chelsea will take on Manchester United in the 5th round of the FA Cup. A number of stars will be on show in this crucial clash as both the sides will look to get the better of the other in the battle for supremacy in one of the most prestigious tournaments in English domestic football.

Here are three key battles that are expected to heat up the contest between the Blues of west London and the Red Devils of Manchester in the next FA Cup.

Gonzalo Higuain vs David De Gea

The Argentine striker is expected to lead the line for the Blues, and he will be up against arguably the best goalkeeper in Europe in the form of David De Gea. Though there is a slight chance that Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will go in with his backup goalkeeper Sergio Romero for the cup clash, given the importance of the contest, the Spaniard is expected to get a start between the sticks.

Higuain, on the other hand, has not been able to make much of a mark since his arrival at Stamford Bridge in January other than an isolated brace against bottom dwellers Huddersfield Town and will be raring to score goals against United. However, it will not be an easy outing for him with De Gea and co. looking to keep the pressure on Sarri after a series of high profile losses for the Italian recently.

Paul Pogba vs N’Golo Kante

The two Frenchmen have been the fulcrum of the midfield for their respective sides, and though Pogba is evidently having a better season than his compatriot, the impact of Kante in the midfield battle can’t be undermined.

Maurizio Sarri has been playing the French ace in an advanced role, and he seems to be slowly but surely adapting to his new role. It is expected that the player will start against the Red Devils and if he does, it will be a contest worth watching between the two World Cup winners at Stamford Bridge.

Marcus Rashford vs Andreas Christensen

The Englishman has been one of the finest attackers in the Manchester United lineup, and he has shouldered the goalscoring burden for United along with Paul Pogba since Jose Mourinho’s dismissal. But after a difficult game against PSG, Rashford will want to get on the scoring sheet quickly to banish any fostering doubts regarding this team’s big game potential.

On the other hand, Christensen is struggling to get a permanent place in the Chelsea starting lineup under Sarri but is better placed in the squad than he was earlier in the season. With both the young players having to prove a point, the contest between them is expected to be an intriguing one, which will provide this crucial clash with an extra edge.