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Paul Merson has urged Enzo Maresca to bench Jadon Sancho for his return to Manchester United and backed Chelsea to prove too strong for the Red Devils.
Maresca takes Chelsea to Old Trafford on Sunday hoping to get back to winning ways following a disappointing defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
Chelsea beat Newcastle 2-1 in the Premier League last weekend but lost 2-0 at St James’ Park in midweek to crash out of the Carabao Cup before the quarter-final stage.
The defeat represents a rare blip in what has been a promising start to Maresca’s reign as Chelsea boss and Merson expects them to leave Old Trafford with three points.
But the ex-Arsenal and England winger has urged Maresca not to start Sancho against his former club and instead give fellow summer signing Pedro Neto another chance to impress from the off.
Sancho joined Chelsea on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day but the deal includes an obligation for the Blues to sign him permanently from Manchester United next summer.
Champions League finalist Sancho has blown hot and cold since arriving at Stamford Bridge – just as he did for three years at Old Trafford – and is yet to open his account for Chelsea, though he does have three assists in the Premier League.
United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy is expected to be in charge of the team on Sunday as the Manchester giants continue to work on a deal for Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim following Erik ten Hag’s sacking.
‘It’s true that Manchester United were not lucky during the defeat to West Ham,’ Merson told Sportskeeda. ‘But this is Manchester United we’re talking about, you can’t keep living on excuses like that.
‘They were all over the place, lost the game and are in the bottom half. So the decision to sack Erik ten Hag was justified, no point waiting around!
‘I think Chelsea will win this game. I only say that because they’ll play out from the back and the only way they can get beat is if teams get the ball from them high up the pitch by closing them down.
‘I don’t think United will do that up front, they’re just lazy. So I have a feeling that Chelsea can play through them and win the game.
‘Chelsea rested many of their players during the Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle, but I didn’t understand their decision to keep Cole Palmer on the bench.
‘If you don’t want to play him, why are you taking him all the way to Newcastle for the game? Just allow him to rest at home instead of asking him to take the long trip and sit on the bench all night.
‘Chelsea should start Pedro Neto over Jadon Sancho in this game. Neto has pace and he can really hurt United.
‘Sancho has this tendency to slow the game down a bit. Neto will be really useful when Chelsea beat United’s press and play through them.
‘United went and won 5-2 against Leicester in their cup game. I’m thinking if Ten Hag was still there, Chelsea would be huge favourites in this game.
‘But with Ruud van Nistelrooy in charge now, there will be a change for sure. They still look at bit disjointed though, not what you expect from a proper team.
‘The problem is that United don’t have enough time to work on these things and beat Chelsea this weekend.
‘I was in Portugal last year and they speak very highly of Ruben Amorim. He’s a good manager, but what he’s done there in Portugal, it’s a three-team league at the end of the day.
‘This will be a completely different challenge. Now they’re talking of bringing Viktor Gyokeres in. This is what does my head in, honestly.
‘He was playing for Coventry a while ago and no one wanted him. Now he goes to a lesser league, does well and suddenly you have to pay £40-50 million extra for him!
‘Imagine if he was still at Coventry and United wanted him? Everybody will be losing their minds.’
Ten Hag was sacked with Manchester United just 14th in the Premier League, seven points outside the Champions League places and six points above the relegation zone.
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