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Analyst, TSN Radio 690 Montreal

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Outside of the London bookmakers - who really could have thought back late last August that here we are now at the official start of the business end of the season and none of the contenders for the BPL crown, nor a Champions League spot can talk about [insert as excuse] the need to balance the demands of midweek European travel and match congestion against their tilt for domestic glory.  

As Liverpool displayed in abundance throughout last season, an absence of European football can do wonders for your BPL position, Manchester United can lay claim to that this season. Sitting in the very comfortable perch of having already secured more points under Van Gaal than the club accomplished in the 2013/2014 season under the 'Chosen One'. The red half of Manchester goes into Saturday evening's encounter with Chelsea knowing a win truly vaults them from a mere Champions League spot into genuine contenders for the title.

Without doubt, Chelsea vs. Manchester United is the biggest game of the season to date, a monster of a match with so very much more than the mere three points hinging on the outcome.

Not many, including the 'most optimistic one' himself LVG, could have dared imagine that at the final whistle as his players trudged off that Old Trafford pitch January 11th, vocal disapproval from the 75,000 crowd ringing very loudly in their ears after they had just been schooled by a Koeman Masterclass. Not only was this Southampton's first victory at Old Trafford in close to three decades, through the entire 90 minutes, the most winningest team in English football history couldn't even muster a solitary shot on target - blanks of the highest £200m plus order.

Now some 11 BPL matches on, with the very considerable return of 28 points gathered out of a possible thirty-three - another three in SW6 Saturday will shrink the gap to only five points away from a most unimaginable first place with the bonus MUFC feel-good factor of a date at the Emirates next up for the league leaders.

As utterly unconvincing United were against Southampton that miserably murky Manchester evening back in January, measure that against last Sunday's annihilation of City. By the way, the current champions of the BPL season has shaped out, it would not at all be shocking to discover United's noisy neighbours have suffered a permanent case of laryngitis.

Laryngitis is something of which you could not ever accuse LVG of suffering from. Thursday, he was banging on that one of world football's superpowers had already exceeded pre-season expectations. How low was that bar then? Do please remind me again Louis how strong is that world famous Dutch beer?

During Friday morning's pre-match news conference, Van Gaal dropped a rather large nugget that due to injuries which have shorn from his squad travelling to London the likes of Carrick, Blind, Rojo and Jones - Wayne Rooney could be deployed as a defensive midfielder. The game of one-upmanship rebranded as battleships.

As you would expect, Mourinho mocked the injuries assertion, instead preferring to focus on the depth and breadth of Van Gaal's squad, one which had the best part of a $200m upgrade in the off-season, this coming on top of the $100m war chest handed to Moyes only twelve months earlier. By comparison, Mourinho has been most frugal with Abramovich's wallet since returning to Chelsea at around the same time David Moyes set about removing the Sir Alex Ferguson sign from the manager's office door.

As for the Van Gaal and Moyes comparisons, Manchester United came to Stamford Bridge in late January 2014 nine points behind Mourinho's team. Courtesy of a 30-minute Samuel Eto'o hat trick Moyes left London 12 points back. Van Gaal faces the real possibility of leaving Stamford Bridge 11 points adrift. Put that 'pre-season expectations exceeded' bon mots by me again please - this time not in double-Dutch.

Even though the league leaders go into Saturday's match on the back of a three-match winning run, which has left them within sight of the finishing line for the title, when you compare those disjointed performances against Manchester United's performances in their three most recent victories, momentum on the hugely vital form guide level is clearly with LVG's men.   

However Manchester United's most recent and historical performances in the BPL era against Chelsea, the favourites for the title has a clear advantage. There is only one team in BPL history that Manchester United has a losing record against. That team is Chelsea.

Coincidentally back in August 2004, Mourinho celebrated his very first BPL victory. The opponent was Manchester United, Saturday the Chelsea manager goes in search of a century of victories in a league he likes to call home.

To achieve that, he is fully aware his team must display their early season selves where until Newcastle United defeated them back in early December, they were winning matches without effort, rarely called on to get out of third gear. Yes, they haven't suffered defeat in the BPL since Tottenham and Harry Kane tonked them New Year's Day - but even John Le Carré and James Bond combined couldn't solve the riddle of the mysterious ways Chelsea have managed to pull off so many dodgy wins since then.

Some say championship teams always find a way, the will to win. Not sure this holds true with Chelsea's defeats of Stoke and Hull which were most un-Mourinho like. Last Sunday's QPR win, the biggest case of daylight robbery in BPL history.   

Chelsea will not only miss Diego Costa's extraordinary goal scoring and poaching ways Saturday but also his almighty presence and raw determination, which as we have seen throughout the season, can drift on the pencil-thin margins of what is, and what is not acceptable behaviour on a football pitch. Bang goes the theory it is a thin line between love and hate.

Often a Chelsea Mourinho-led team errs on the side of caution when assessing the risk and reward of going for it. The best illustration of this was the second Leg of the 2006/2007 Champions League semifinal against Liverpool at Anfield. Nursing the 1-0 advantage an early goal from Chelsea would have made it in nigh on impossible for Liverpool. Instead, Mourinho selected a starting XI with clear instructions to hold back. Liverpool took full advantage as yet again Chelsea fell at the semifinal stage.

Saturday at Stamford Bridge if Chelsea throws a certain caution to the wind in securing the three points - although not mathematically crowned - but for them not to go on and win the BPL title from a position of a 10-point lead this late on in the season would take one of the greatest collapses ever witnessed on planet futbol.

With Abramovich in his usual spot away from the limelight, and far from a director's box which is sure to contain Sir Alex and a bevy of 'A' Listers - no better opportunity for Chelsea to re-introduce their caviar football from earlier in the season.

For Van Gaal, Manchester United has certainly saved their best for last. They could not be going into one of their least favourite fixtures in finer fettle. Fellaini and Young rebranded, rejuvenated and Rooney channelling his 17-year old Everton self. Team discipline and structure at the very heart of it all as LVG's system appears to be in full working order. Heck, even Ángel Di María has a smile on his face from his expensive place on the bench.

This match certainly possesses all the hallmark ingredients. What likely could decide it is a moment or two of individual brilliance. Take it away BPL Player of the Season candidates David de Gea or Eden Hazard.

Then again, there's the Juan Mata factor. LVG's Joker in the Pack, isn't that right José?

Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca
@TheSoccerNoel on Twitter