Chelsea

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri speaking to Sky Sports:

On Alvaro Morata and Mateo Kovacic: "I have seen him very well in the last three days. [Olivier] Giroud played 90 minutes on Tuesday and Morata only 20 minutes on Monday.

"Mateo Kovacic only played the first match with the national team. I am really very happy with Ross but for today, I thought it was better to play with Kovacic because Ross played two games in four days."

On Man Utd's line-up: "They have a very offensive starting 11 but we want to follow our philosophy, have possession and be in control of the match but avoid their counter attacks."

Jermaine Jenas
Former England midfielder on Radio 5 live

Image source, PA

Does Eden Hazard have to go to La Liga to be considered the best player in the world?

No. I think it’s more about dragging Chelsea to Champions League final against Real Madrid or Barcelona and being the main man in those games – that’s how he might win the Ballon d’Or. Chelsea will have to show him how much they want him to stay on.

He’s within a special group of players who have the ability to say the things he says and get away with it.

He's probably half the global brand Neymar is.

Defeat would be United's fourth in their opening nine league games - that last happened in 1990.

Manchester United

More from the Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, speaking to Sky Sports:

"It’s always a big match. In three days we have probably the best team in the country and then Juventus and that gives us a sense of happiness.

"One to play, to enjoy and see the distance between us and them. We will need our players to be top of their level because without that we will not be able to win. But the feeling to play against good teams is happiness."

On respect for Chelsea:

"[I want to show] My respect for the players, and people that supported me every day of my life at Chelsea.

"I cannot promise but if my team scores a goal but I will try to behave. If we win I will try to be respectful because that’s the way they were always with me. If they are not respectful because I am now the Manchester United manager, that’s another story. But they were always behind me at Stamford Bridge."

Spanish La Liga

There's a big game in Spain this lunchtime.

Real Madrid face Levante. If they fail to score in the opening 55 minutes, it will be the longest goalscoring drought in their history.

And they've benched Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema. Mariano makes his first ever La Liga start.

Follow live text commentary here.

Goonerama: We need a new term for Giroud's role because 'target man' doesn't really cover it. Possibly 'Large Non-Scoring Backheel Layoff Assist Facilitator'. Anyway, he is much better at it than Morata, and I think Sarri might have made a blunder here

Football Focus

Mark Lawrensen and Kevin Kilbane join Dan Walker on Football Focus, as they preview this weekend's Premier League action.

Tune in from 12:00 BST to BBC One, or watch at the top of this page.

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho speaking to Sky Sports:

"A couple of days ago (we knew the team) we still had a couple of training sessions. We did some tactical work to try and prepare the team. It’s not a very specific plan, it was also about players we had available.

"We lost a lot of players to national teams, especially in the [Marouane] Fellaini case, we only realised he was injured this week. Alexis [Sanchez] came directly from Mexico to London, that’s just the way it is, we have to adapt."

On Juan Mata's inclusion:

"Mata, is Mata, one of our team players. He's always available for the team, he thinks about the team, he's not eccentric, not selfish, just wants to help.

"Sometimes he starts, he comes from the bench or he doesn't even play but supports the team. He is what I call a proper professional."

Sulaimon: I see a Manchester United win against all odds. There is no crime in dreaming big.

Omofioye: Why on earth is everyone thinking Man Utd are the underdogs

We asked, you answered.

If you take Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi out of the equation, for argument's sake, is Eden Hazard the next best player in the world right now?

Image source, BBC Sport

You thought so - with 31% of the vote he swept the board. See who else was under discussion here.

Spanish La Liga

If you thought Manchester United are having a sticky patch, Real Madrid haven't scored in four games. Which is a crisis at a club of that stature.

Real (409 minutes without scoring) have 55 minutes to avoid setting a new club record for most minutes scoring a goal, which was 464 minutes in April 1985.

You can follow that game here.

Jermaine Jenas
Former England midfielder on Radio 5 live

I think it would be a smart move to go with a Jose Mourinho style of play. United will get picked apart at Stamford Bridge if they have the tactics of the final half an hour against Newcastle.

He has a way of always producing something in these moments. It mightn't be pretty but it will get some momentum going. Manchester United need Jose Mourinho right now.

Emmanuel: I expect United to get a result today. Sarri's dilemma is the nexus of Jorginho and Kante. It will cost Chelsea the game today!

Aleksander: I think there are shades of Scolari's start at Chelsea in 2008 about Sarri. A manager with no Premier League experience, same style of play, started great, then went downhill when opposition realised there was no plan B, was sacked by February.

Chelsea

Image source, BBC Sport

Big Chelsea fan? Know more than Shane Warne?

Have a crack at the quiz here...

BBC Radio 5 live

We have full match comms from today's big early game as well.

You can listen at the top of this page, on your phone, in the car, wherever. Join a man who has scored in a World Cup for England, Matty Upson, and John Murray from 12:30 BST, or tune in now for some pre-match chat...

BBC football analyst Pat Nevin explains how Maurizio Sarri has revolutionised the way Chelsea play, and why Italian midfielder Jorginho is pivotal to the Blues' promising season so far.

Mark Lawrenson
Ex-Liverpool defender and BBC football expert

I am going to go for a 1-1 here. Yes, I know - a big game and I go for a 1-1, what a shock.

But the reason I see it being so tight is that I think we will see Mourinho park the bus, because he will not want to go back to Chelsea and be embarrassed.

I know United recovered from 2-0 down to beat Newcastle before the international break, but they are not exactly on a good run of results.

Read all of Lawro's predictions here

Kelvin: I think Eden Hazard is the best player in the Premier League but not in Europe, he still has work to do to be the best in Europe.

James: The only issue with Hazard is his consistency. He always seems to have an indifferent season after a sublime one and vice versa. Would Real Madrid fans be willing to accept that after Bale?

And yet Giroud has been left out today! Classic.

While we're at it, we agree that having these combined XIs set up as 4-4-2 is a bit silly most of the time, you can choose your formation when you make it but nobody does. You all just stick with the default don't you? COME ON.

Matthew Upson
Former England defender on BBC 5 live sport

If we were doing a combined Chelsea – Man United XI [see 11:18], I would have Olivier Giroud over Romelu Lukaku.

He knows what he bring into the team and if you were a fan watching him week in and out you would know what he brings.

He might not bring goals or be as prolific, but has shown for France in the World Cup and for Chelsea being that pivot for two players behind him, he is outstanding. His aerial ability is a huge value to Chelsea.