Chelsea vs Manchester United Picks and Predictions for Saturday, October 31, 2026
Chelsea returns to Stamford Bridge on Saturday looking to recover from a difficult week. The Blues are fifth in the Premier League at 4-1-3 with 13 points after losing 2-0 to Tottenham last weekend. Manchester United is 16th at 1-4-3 with seven points following a 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth. Chelsea is favored at -120 on the moneyline, with the total set at 2.5 goals. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 am ET on USA Network. Check our free soccer picks for more weekend matches.
Chelsea Looking to Bounce Back at Home
Chelsea's results have been all over the place recently. The Blues lost 2-0 to Tottenham on Saturday, then were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Liverpool on penalties Wednesday following a 1-1 draw. Before those setbacks, Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 and Bournemouth 5-1 in consecutive league matches. There was also a 3-0 loss at Brentford in September. Chelsea has scored 17 goals in eight Premier League games, averaging 2.12 per match, but has conceded 15. Keeping opponents off the scoreboard has been difficult.
João Pedro leads Chelsea with five league goals, although he's unavailable Saturday. Morgan Rogers has scored four times, while Pedro Neto has added three. Cole Palmer has three assists and returns after serving his suspension against Liverpool. Palmer's availability gives Chelsea another option behind Rogers, who is expected to play up front. The Blues have averaged only 46% possession, despite scoring regularly. Chelsea's expected goals average is 1.22, considerably lower than its actual scoring rate, so maintaining that production could be difficult.
Injuries: João Pedro, Emiliano Martinez, Reece James and Jamie Gittens are out. Pep Chavarria is questionable.
Manchester United Still Searching for Answers
Manchester United hasn't won any of its last five Premier League matches, with three draws and two defeats during that stretch. Sunday's 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth was another disappointing result for a club sitting near the bottom of the table. United has collected just seven points from eight games and remains without an away league victory. The Red Devils are scoring 1.25 goals per match while conceding 1.62. United has also failed to keep a clean sheet, something Chelsea's attacking players will certainly notice.
Bryan Mbeumo has four league goals and remains United's leading scorer. Bruno Fernandes has three, while Matheus Cunha has contributed a goal and two assists. Fernandes could return to the starting lineup after being left on the bench against Bournemouth. United averages 56% possession and creates 1.56 expected goals per match, better than Chelsea's number. However, converting those chances has been a problem. Mbeumo offers a threat through the middle, particularly with Benjamin Sesko unavailable, but United needs more consistent finishing.
Injuries: Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu and Benjamin Sesko are out. Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are questionable.
Key To The Game
Chelsea's attacking midfielders could find room between United's midfield and defense. Palmer and Geovany Quenda are expected to operate behind Rogers, creating difficult decisions for United's central players. Chelsea must also watch the spaces left by its advancing wing-backs. Cunha and Amad Diallo could exploit those areas, with Mbeumo providing the main scoring threat. Both clubs have conceded more than 1.5 goals per match, so defensive mistakes could prove costly. Chelsea's home advantage should help, but United has opportunities on the counterattack.
Chelsea vs Manchester United Game Pick
- Chelsea Moneyline (-120)
Chelsea has its problems at the back, but Manchester United hasn't shown much improvement in recent league matches. United is still searching for its first away victory, and converting chances remains an issue despite averaging 56% possession. Chelsea gets Cole Palmer back, giving Morgan Rogers and Pedro Neto more support in attack. Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are capable of troubling Chelsea's defense, so a clean sheet isn't something I'd count on. However, Chelsea has four league wins compared with United's one, and home advantage strengthens the case. I'm taking Chelsea.
Chelsea vs Manchester United Over/Under Pick
- Over 2.5 (-170)
There have been plenty of defensive concerns on both sides. Chelsea is allowing 1.88 goals per match, a figure that helps explain why the Blues have managed just one clean sheet. Manchester United isn't much better at 1.62 goals conceded per game, and the Red Devils have yet to shut out an opponent. Chelsea scored five against Bournemouth earlier this month, while United has enough attacking quality to threaten through Mbeumo and Fernandes. With neither side looking particularly secure defensively, three goals seems a reasonable expectation. Over 2.5 is my pick.