Weekend Football Preview: Chelsea can show United what they’re missing

Friday night in France sees Lens continue bid to be best of the rest

Lens v Angers
Friday, 20:00

PSG may be running away with the Ligue 1 title but the race to finish second is seriously tight. Just three points separate second-placed Nice from fifth-placed Marseille. The team in third, Lens, host sixth-placed Angers on Friday night. Again, just three points separate the two sides so there is plenty to play for the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Lens 1.9720/21 lost 4-0 to midtable Brest last week so need to get back on track, especially as a win would see them go second. Angers 4.03/1 have just one win in their last five so they too need to make sure they don’t squander their impressive start to the season. The draw is 3.711/4.

Dortmund must keep pressure on leaders

Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund
Saturday, 14:30

Borussia Dortmund will go top of the Bundesliga if they win away to Wolfsburg on Saturday afternoon. Admittedly, Bayern Munich will regain top spot three hours if, as expected, they beat Arminia Bielefeld. But that shows the German title race is tight, with Bayern leading by just one point after 12 games. Wolfsburg 2.982/1 lead the Bundesliga earlier in the season but have since slipped to sixth. With four wins in their last five in the league, Marco Rose’s men are worth favourites at 2.3811/8, while the draw is 3.65.

Atalanta won’t make it easy for wounded Juve

Juventus v Atalanta
Saturday, 17:00

Juventus were blown away by Chelsea in the Champions League this week. Prior to that they’d won three in a row but the Old Lady remain an enigma in their first season with Max Allegri back at the helm and languish eighth – an unthinkable position until fairly recently. On Saturday, they face a fourth-placed Atalanta side that continues to impress with its attacking panache. They’re not so great at the back, though, drawing 3-3 with Young Boys in the Champions League in midweek and even conceding a couple when hitting five against Spezia last week.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s men haven’t kept only two clean sheets in Serie A all season and the most recent was on 18 September. Both teams to score could be the way to go here while in the match odds Juve are odds-against favourites on their patch with the visitors 3.412/5 and the draw 3.65.

Premier League leaders odds-on to add to United’s woes

Chelsea v Manchester United
Sunday, 16:30

If Manchester United were wondering what a smart managerial appointment looks like they need look further than the master tactician they face on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. Has any other manager had such an immediate and significant impact than Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea? It’s incredible to think that this time last year the Blues were floundering under Frank Lampard. Now they’re top of the Premier League and 1.635/8 to beat United on Sunday. The Red Devils are 6.411/2 while the draw, which is how it ended last season, is 4.216/5.

First v third in tight La Liga title race

Real Madrid v Sevilla
Sunday, 20:00

This may be the game of the weekend as La Liga leaders Real Madrid host third-placed Sevilla at the Bernabeu. Carlo Ancelotti’s men are hitting their stride and, if any team has the squad to pull away in La Liga this season, it looks like Los Blancos who have won four of their last five in the competition. And yet it remains tight, with third-placed Sevilla just two points behind (Real Sociedad are sandwiched in between having played a game more). They too have four wins in five, as ex-Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui continues to get the best from his players, and have lost just once in the league this season. Madrid are 1.738/11 with Sevilla 4.94/1 and the draw 4.216/5.