Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, London in Gameweek 9 on Sat 31 Oct, 12:30 GMT. Chelsea are 4th on 13 points from 7 games after Gameweek 7 (form LDLWW), Manchester United are 13th on 7 (form DLDDD). The FPL deadline is Saturday 31 October 2026, 11:00 GMT, so check team news before you lock your squad.
Chelsea: team news
Chelsea have scored 17 and conceded 13 in 7 league games, and in GW7 it finished W 2–0 at Everton. At home they have 7 points from 3 games. Official FPL list, 2026-10-24: Martinez (head injury: Unknown return date); James (knee injury: Unknown return date); Chavarria (unspecified injury: Expected back 31 Oct). Expected shape: 4-5-1.
Chelsea Predicted Starting XI & Lineup · 4-5-1
Official lineups confirmed 1 hour before kick-off.
Manchester United: the story so far
Manchester United have scored 10 and conceded 10 in 7 league games, and in GW7 it finished D 1–1 at Leeds United. Away from home they have 3 points from 4 games. Official FPL list, 2026-10-24: Shaw (unspecified injury: Unknown return date); Mainoo (unspecified injury: Expected back 8 Nov); Martinez (thigh injury: 75% chance of playing); Rashford (hip injury: 75% chance of playing); Šeško (shin injury: Unknown return date). Expected shape: 4-5-1.
Season snapshot
- Chelsea: L 0–3 at Brentford, W 5–1 v AFC Bournemouth, W 2–0 at Everton.
- Manchester United: D 1–1 at Fulham, D 1–1 v Tottenham Hotspur, D 1–1 at Leeds United.
- Table after GW7: Chelsea 4th (13 pts, GD +4), Manchester United 13th (7 pts, GD +0).
Tactical edge
João Pedro against Manchester United's defence is the matchup to watch: Manchester United have conceded 10 in 7. In the other direction, Bryan Mbeumo faces the Chelsea defence that has conceded 13 in 7. FPL rates this fixture 4/5 for Chelsea and 4/5 for Manchester United, where 5 is hardest.
Names to know
- João Pedro (Chelsea, £7.9m): averaging 7.8 points a game (47 in total), FPL projects 4.7 for this round, 73.8% owned.
- Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United, £7.9m): averaging 5.9 points a game (41 in total), FPL projects 5.3 for this round, 21.9% owned.
- Jordan Henderson (Chelsea, £4.9m): averaging 7.7 points a game (23 in total), FPL projects 7.0 for this round, 1.4% owned.
- Clean-sheet angle: Jorrel Hato (Chelsea, £4.5m) at home, with Chelsea the side our model rates less likely to concede (1.6 expected goals against).
- Differential: Pedro Neto (Chelsea, £6.6m) is owned by just 3.5% and averages 4.9 points a game.
Score prediction
Our model, built on 2026/27 goals scored and conceded, gives Chelsea a 54% win chance, a draw 20% and Manchester United 26%, with 2–1 the single most likely scoreline. Expected goals: 2.3 for Chelsea, 1.6 for Manchester United. Chelsea are the lean on the numbers, but only 7 games have been played, so treat it as a guide rather than a certainty.