New Delhi, 30 October (H.S.): Former England international and Manchester United striker Michael Owen has backed Chelsea to defeat Manchester United in their upcoming Premier League encounter, predicting a 3-1 victory for the London side. According to Owen, Chelsea are in a slightly stronger psychological position than United at present and have the attacking quality to capitalise on their opponents' defensive vulnerabilities.

The two sides will face each other on October 31. Chelsea will be eager to bounce back after suffering a home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, while Manchester United will be looking to end their losing run and return to winning ways. Both teams are coming into the fixture on the back of defeats in their previous Premier League outings, with United having lost to Bournemouth.

Speaking in an interview with JioStar, Owen acknowledged that Chelsea's performances have been inconsistent at times but maintained that the team has shown encouraging form this season. He noted that the club remain close to the Premier League's top four and possess several quality players in their attacking department.

Owen also praised Chelsea forward Joao Pedro, describing him as an underrated striker who has been deserving of greater recognition for some time. However, Pedro will miss the upcoming fixture because of injury, with Danny Welbeck potentially coming in as his replacement. Owen believes Chelsea will continue to pose a considerable attacking threat even without Pedro, given the presence of Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer.

Bruno Fernandes' Availability Poses Selection Dilemma for United

Discussing Manchester United's attacking options, Owen said it would be interesting to see what combination the team fields against Chelsea. He backed the decision to leave Bruno Fernandes out of the previous match, arguing that the midfielder's reported remarks about the manager and the team's tactics justified a firm response.

According to Owen, Manchester United's manager must demonstrate authority in his decisions and avoid giving the impression of weakness. He added that he would not have been surprised had Fernandes been left out of the entire matchday squad.

The former United striker said it would now be interesting to see whether Fernandes is restored to the lineup for the Chelsea fixture or continues to face the consequences of his earlier comments.

United's Defence Could Be Chelsea's Biggest Opportunity

Owen believes Chelsea will benefit from playing at home, while the form of their wingers could give them an additional advantage. He identified Manchester United's defence as the team's weakest area and suggested that Chelsea have the attacking resources to exploit those shortcomings and score multiple goals.

Explaining his prediction, Owen said Chelsea appeared to be in a slightly better psychological position than Manchester United. He cited home advantage and the form of the team's wingers as factors that could work in their favour.

I think Chelsea are in a slightly better position mentally than Manchester United at the moment. Home advantage and some in-form wingers give them the edge. I still think Manchester United's defence is the weak part of their game, and I can see Chelsea scoring a few goals. I am going to predict a 3-1 victory for Chelsea, Owen said.

He also observed that Manchester United's problems extended beyond the manager, pointing to growing dissatisfaction among supporters with the club's board, management and players.

The Premier League encounter between Chelsea and Manchester United will be played on October 31, with kick-off scheduled for 6 pm Indian Standard Time. The match will be broadcast live on JioHotstar and Star Sports.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar