Will Mourinho let Man United attack Chelsea? Can Arsenal stop Man City?

Will Manchester United pounce on Chelsea's vulnerabilities and pull off the victory their manager craves perhaps most of all? The champions, hapless when losing 3-0 at Roma on Tuesday, look to be there for the taking. It could lead to Jose Mourinho throwing off the ultra-conservatism he employs in big away matches and go for all three points.

Being sacked by Chelsea in December 2015 as the defending champions languished 16th in the table, after nine defeats in 16 matches, was the lowest ebb of his career. He was removed after what sporting director Michael Emenalo labelled "palpable discord with the players," many of whom remain at Stamford Bridge.

In the 23 months since that sacking, there has been criticism cast by both sides, with Eden Hazard remarking in February that Antonio Conte's tactical preparation was superior while Mourinho has made repeated digs about Chelsea's style of play. "They played defensive football and counter-attack football," he said in September, but Mourinho might now fancy United can get at an increasingly leaky defence.

Chelsea hope N'Golo Kante can return after he ruled himself out in Rome, for they've missed him badly since he injured a hamstring on international duty last month. Tiemoue Bakayoko, himself struggling because of a knee injury, so far unable to provide the same protection for the back three and command of midfield. If Bakayoko struggles this weekend as he did at the Stadio Olimpico, the wisdom of letting Nemanja Matic defect from Chelsea to United will be brought into sharp focus.

Mourinho will still be without Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini, two key midfielders of very different facets, but Matic provides the ballast United needed. Another former Chelsea player, Romelu Lukaku, came so close to rejoining in the summer but offers another thread between two clubs that have recently become interwoven.