MAGUIRE SUSPENDED FOR CHELSEA CLASH

Harry Maguire is a major absentee for Manchester United ahead of their Premier League trip to face leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening. The Manchester United skipper will have to sit out the Chelsea game after receiving a red card for two bookings during the Red Devils’ last league outing, a disappointing 4-1 loss at the hands of hosts and newly promoted side Watford.

Maguire and the other Manchester United defenders were heavily chastised in the media after a woeful defensive performance at Vicarage Road last weekend. Watford dominated the game especially in the first half and they could have scored more than two goals. Ismaila Sarr and Josh King scored the two Watford goals at the end of the first 45 minutes. Dutch midfielder Donny Van De Beek scored for Manchester United shortly after he was introduced into the game to give the Red Devils a lifeline. The Manchester United momentum then evaporated after Maguire was sent off for two yellow cards thus ruling him out of the Chelsea game. Watford scored two goals in stoppage time afterwards through substitute Joao Pedro and Emmanuel Dennis to make it a convincing scoreline at the expense of the former Champions League winners.

Manchester United skipper Maguire will miss the Chelsea game away from home in the league on Sunday, but he should be back for the home game with Arsenal on Thursday. Another player who could miss the Chelsea game is Brazilian footballer Fred after he twisted his ankle during the midweek game with Spanish team Villarreal in the Champions League.

Caretaker manager Michael Carrick gave an update on Fred in his pre-match presser for the Chelsea game. He said that the Brazilian midfielder continued playing until the end of the Villarreal game on Tuesday night despite a twisted ankle.