Joe Cole predicts Manchester United vs Chelsea and makes Viktor Gyokeres transfer claim

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Joe Cole has backed Chelsea to come away from Old Trafford with a 1-0 victory and believes his former club are ‘two years ahead’ of where Manchester United find themselves on their cycle.

The Red Devils are languishing down in 14th place after a dismal start to the Premier League season and the side’s miserable run of results ultimately cost Erik ten Hag his job on Monday.

United chiefs acted quickly to secure Ten Hag’s replacement, with Ruben Amorim officially appointed this afternoon, though the Portuguese will remain in charge of Sporting until the next international break.

This means United will once again by led by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who began his stint as interim boss with an entertaining Carabao Cup last-16 win over Leicester on Wednesday night.

Chelsea, by comparison, have enjoyed a promising start to the 2024/25 campaign under new manager Enzo Maresca and could move into the top four should results go their way this weekend.

And while Sunday’s visitors have won just two of their last five matches in all competitions, ex-Chelsea and England winger Cole is confident Maresca’s men will secure maximum points at the Theatre of Dreams.

‘I think Chelsea will go to Old Trafford and win,’ Cole told Paddy Power.

‘Put aside the League Cup game against Newcastle, and Chelsea's form has been great. They are probably about two years ahead of where Manchester United are right now.

‘They have lots of young players and I think they'll go there and enjoy the challenge.

‘Manchester United will turn up but Chelsea will win the game. It'll be tight because Chelsea haven't won at Old Trafford since 2013, but I fancy a 1-0 Chelsea win.’

Reece James responded to Maresca’s recent criticism with an impressive all-round display in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat of Newcastle last time out in the English top flight.

Given James’ history of injury problems, Cole hopes the club captain is eased back into the fold with a degree of caution when it comes to his workload.

‘It's massively important for Chelsea that Reece James stays fit, but it's also massively important for Reece himself,’ he added.

‘I hold out hope for him and his body because they’ve been very smart with Wesley Fofana, giving him strict rules of only playing one game per week. I imagine Reece would be given that sort of routine.

‘He’s a Ferrari and you can only take him out for a spin once a week. He's a real athlete but the body is fragile so for him and the longer he can keep playing a consistent number of games, his body will get stronger, and he'll get more confidence.

‘Then maybe in a year, or 18 months, they can throw an extra mid-week game in there. He looks great when he plays and if Chelsea can do with Reece what they've done with Fofana, he'll be a world-class defender.

‘He has to be a regular starter in the Premier League and if he can get back to the level he was playing at before his injury, he walks into the team. They just need to be smart with him.’

There has been some speculation that Amorim could seek to bring Sporting sensation Viktor Gyokeres with him from Lisbon to Manchester this January.

But Cole believes United’s hierarchy may be reluctant to relinquish too much power to Amorim in the transfer market after their experience with his predecessor Ten Hag.

‘You have to take every player as an individual and there has to be some structure around recruitment at Manchester United. There has to be a system with their new sporting directors with Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox,’ he continued.

‘Erik ten Hag brought in players that he knew and that didn't work. The days of a manager bringing in two or three of his own players because he knows them, are over. I don't think that will happen at Manchester United.

‘Viktor Gyokeres will be on Manchester United's hitlist but under no circumstances will a player be green lit just because the manager knows him. They've had such a bad experience with Ten Hag and the players he brought in that I don't think time will look too kindly on those players.

‘Anyone scoring goals in Europe will come to the attention of Premier League clubs and Gyokeres is a real talent.’

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