Chelsea vs Man Utd: Can Conte kill the ghost of Mourinho?
All eyes on London as the Special One returns to Stamford Bridge for first time since he was sacked

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Jose Mourinho is the centre of attention once again this week as he returns to Chelsea for the first time since he was sacked as manager ten months ago.
But few people believe the former Blues manager, now in charge of Manchester United, will return to London looking to exact revenge. After leaving Anfield with a point under his belt on Monday, he's expected to once again park the team bus at Stamford Bridge and play for a draw.
The United boss was criticised for his side's performance against Liverpool, but Danny Murphy in the London Evening Standard says he was "impressed" and believes the United manager gets a "raw deal" from his detractors.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Mourinho wants to play the game the right way and if he has a team of settled, confident players, he will," he says. "He knows how to kill a game and will do so if necessary - but that is just good management.
"I expect United to set up at Chelsea exactly as they did in the 0-0 draw at Liverpool... They looked strong, athletic and powerful and I quite enjoyed watching them."
The tactic is valid, says Paul Merson of Sky Sports.
"People had a go at United on Monday," he says. "What do you expect? They got a point...
"I don't think they're good enough to mix it at the moment. I think Jose Mourinho knows that, he set his team up and they didn't lose. It was a great result. He will 100 per cent do the same at Stamford Bridge."
Whatever the neutrals think of Mourinho's tactics, it is "safe to assume he will receive a warm welcome" at Stamford Bridge, says Jonathan Wilson in The Guardian. However, the Special One's legacy there is not as enduring as it once was and new manager Antonio Conte will be keen to lay down a marker.
He has already dispensed with Mourinho's old formation and has employed a back three in the team's last few outings, a tactic that has so far proved successful.
And he will also be without John Terry, the clearest link back to the days of Mourinho that remains at Stamford Bridge.
The former England skipper has an ankle injury and, says The Times, his "expected absence will limit Antonio Conte's defensive options... leaving the Chelsea manager with little choice but to persist with the back-three of Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Gary Cahill that played together in last week’s 3-0 win over Leicester City".
But Terry's absence, despite the "indifferent" form of Cahill, may be a blessing in disguise for Conte.
The Guardian's Wilson says: "There could be few better ways for Conte to assert himself than to vanquish his predecessor on Sunday- particularly if he does it with a team set up in what is recognisably his way."
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Theater of the absurd
By The Week Staff Published
-
The daily gossip: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky reveal first photos of son Riot Rose, Vanna White is staying put on 'Wheel of Fortune,' and more
The daily gossip: September 19, 2023
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
Shut the peasants up
By The Week Staff Published
-
Manchester United and Mason Greenwood: duty of care or double standards?
Talking Point The 21-year-old footballer’s possible return has provoked an outpouring of dismay from supporters
By Jamie Timson Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man Utd win the Carabao Cup: how Erik ten Hag has ‘transformed’ the Red Devils
feature United lifted their first silverware since 2017 after beating Newcastle at Wembley
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
By Mike Starling Published