Abramovich - Roman Abramovich's buyout in June 2003 sparked unprecedented spending and turned Chelsea into a major force. The Russian has so far overseen League and FA Cup successes, but the Champions League remains his Holy Grail, and the Blues' only appearance in the final since his arrival ended in tears...
Bonetti aka ‘The Cat’ - Peter Bonetti played 700-plus games for Chelsea, with United the opponents for his testimonial on 17 September 1979 at the Bridge, preceded by a clash between Capital Radio and Dennis Waterman’s Showbiz Stars! The Reds twice pegged the Blues back, with an own goal and a screamer from Ashley Grimes. Arthur Albiston put United ahead, but Chelsea won 5-3.
Charlton - Sir Bobby played his 758th and final United game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 28 April 1973 (the Blues won 1-0). He also holds the honour of being the Reds' highest scorer against the Blues with 10 goals in 30 games; next is Denis Law (nine in 14), then Dennis Viollet and Mark Hughes (eight in 15 and 16 games respectively).
Dawson - Alex Dawson scored a hat-trick for United in a 6-0 win on 26 December 1960, still our biggest ever victory over the Blues – a real Boxing Day beating.
Eleven - That’s how many goals were shared on 16 October 1954 (the year of Chelsea's first title) in perhaps the greatest United-Chelsea match of all time, as two attacking sides went hell-for-leather for the 90 minutes. The Reds edged it, thanks to a Dennis Viollet hat-trick (his first for the club), two Tommy Taylor strikes and a goal from Jackie Blanchflower. Man of the match Johnny Berry set up five. “I've never played in a game this exciting,” reflected United skipper Roger Byrne.
Fangzhou - Chinese forward Dong Fangzhou made his senior Reds debut against Chelsea on 9 May 2007, the final game of the season, with the league title secured. Dong appeared twice the following season before leaving OT at the end of 2007/08 after just three outings.
Guard of honour - Quite a tradition has developed between the two clubs of this type of salute: we did it for Chelsea when they won their first-ever title in 1955, they returned the favour in 2005, while in 2000, Roy Keane’s runaway champions were also accorded the honour. Great for the winners, agony for the losers.
Harris - The Chelsea icon had some memorable personal battles with George Best, not least at OT in 1970 when, with the United star in on goal, 'Chopper' scythed at him, catching Bestie just below the knee. George’s leg buckled slightly, but such was his strength and balance he stayed upright, before rounding Peter Bonetti (England’s no.1 at the time) to stroke the ball home.
Irwin - In his 529 appearances for United, rock-steady Irish full-back Denis Irwin faced no team more than Chelsea. Highlights of his 25 games against the Blues included one goal (in a 3-1 league win at the Bridge in December 1991), a 4-0 FA Cup final romp in 1994 and dumping them out of the Cup in a quarter-final replay en route to the Treble.
Ji-sung - Park scored United's last goal at Stamford Bridge, in the league on 21 September 2008 - the sides' first meeting after Moscow. The Reds led for more than an hour following the Korean's opener, only for Salomon Kalou to equalise with ten minutes to spare.
Kenyon - While chief executive at OT, Peter Kenyon described himself as a “lifelong Manchester United fan”; he then jumped ship to join Chelsea and claimed they would be “the biggest club in the world by 2016”. Leading the Blues up the steps to collect their losers’ medals in Moscow after the 2008 Champions League final must have hurt.
Luzhniki Stadium - The scene of the Reds’ greatest victory against Chelsea. The name Luzhniki, roughly translated as ‘place of puddles’, comes from the swampy land on which the ground was built – and where the Blues' dreams of Champions League glory sank.
Mourinho - When Jose joined the Blues in 2004 he told the press: “Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one.” He had an up and down relationship with Sir Alex while at Chelsea but these days they are good friends.
Neutral grounds - United and Chelsea have played each other at three neutral grounds. The Reds won 2-1 at Villa Park in the 1996 FA Cup semi, and we all know what happed at the Luzhniki in 2008. At Wembley, United just have the edge: the teams have one FA Cup final win each (Reds winning 4-0 in 1994, Blues 1-0 in 2007), while in five Charity/Community Shields, each club have won one in normal time, while United are 2-1 up in penalty-shootout victories.
Obi Mikel - Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel was the subject of a transfer wrangle between the two clubs. United unveiled him as a new signing from Lyn Oslo in April 2005, only for him to end up at Chelsea in June 2006 - without ever kicking a ball for Sir Alex Ferguson. The Reds received a transfer fee of ￡12million from the Blues when the complicated saga came to a close.
Penalties - Most famous spot-kick between the two sides? Easy. Terry’s effort in the 2008 Champions League final shootout. “It will be left to John Terry to take the penalty that could put the European Cup in his hands… Oh, he’s missed it, he’s missed it!”
Questionable - There’s been no shortage of debatable calls in recent games between the two. Was Didier Drogba offside when Chelsea scored at OT last season? Was that really a penalty when the ball hit Michael Carrick at the Bridge in 2008? Did Michael Ballack elbow Patrice Evra in last year’s Community Shield? What about the Terry/Carlos Tevez incident in the Luzhniki Stadium? Expect more this time round.
Record - In all competitive games, here’s how it currently stands between the Reds and the Blues: Played 157 United wins 67 Chelsea wins 43 Draws 47
Sparky - Mark Hughes played 16 times for United against Chelsea, scoring eight. After moving to Stamford Bridge in June 1995, he scored in both league games against the Reds the following season – 4-1 win for United at the Bridge, 1-1 draw at Old Trafford – and played for the Blues as they lost to his old club in that season’s FA Cup semi.
Tooting & Mitcham - The first club of a keeper who played for both United and Chelsea (just): Alex Stepney. After T&M was Millwall, from where Chelsea boss Tommy Doc snapped him up, but after just one game he was allowed to move to Matt Busby’s United for ￡55,000, a record for a keeper. The rest is history…
Understatement - Not something you’ll hear much of during the inevitable pre-match hype. To be fair, it’s not too much of a stretch to say the result of the two league games between United and Chelsea will have a huge bearing on the title race.
Veron - United’s British record signing (￡28.1million) from Lazio in July 2001, Juan Sebastian Veron moved to Chelsea for ￡12 million two years later. After Mourinho’s arrival at the Bridge he spent three seasons on loan at Inter Milan, before, in 2006, returning to his boyhood club, Estudiantes – for whom Veron’s father, Juan Ramon Veron, scored, against United, in the 1968 World Club Championship at Old Trafford.
Wilkins - Ray ‘Butch’ Wilkins was integral to the Reds in the early 1980s, playing 160 times from 1979 to 1984, and scoring in the 1983 FA Cup final against Brighton. He first joined Chelsea as Gianluca Vialli’s assistant, then was reappointed to serve alongside Luiz Felipe Scolari in September 2008. Despite a close working relationship with current manager Carlo Ancelotti, Wilkins exited the club last month. Chelsea's form has suffered since - just a coincidence?
X-rated - 더 배틀(the b,at이 필터링단어네요) of the Bridge always has an intense atmosphere, but it spilled over in April 2008 when United were unhappy with various decisions on the pitch. Evra was involved in an altercation with a member of the Chelsea ground staff after the game, which cost him ￡15,000 and a four-match suspension.
Yuletide - The clubs should have met in the final league game before Christmas 2010 but snow forced its postponement.
Zola - The skilful Italian became a Chelsea legend in his twilight years at Stamford Bridge. After United battered his West Ham side 4-0 last season, Gianfranco stressed to Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs: “Play on as long as you are able.”
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