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Premier League matchweek 28: Staff picks and predictions

By Staff

SEVILLE, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 20: Jose Mourinho of Manchester United attends to the press conference prior to their UEFA Champions match against Sevilla FC at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on February 20, 2018 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
SEVILLE, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 20: Jose Mourinho of Manchester United attends to the press conference prior to their UEFA Champions match against Sevilla FC at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on February 20, 2018 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images) /
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The FanSided soccer staff make their predictions for the weekend’s Premier League games, including Chelsea vs. Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Premier League returns after a week of FA Cup action, with the highlight coming at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, when Chelsea and Manchester United, who both had midweek games in the Champions League, face off at Old Trafford.

While Manchester City have all but wrapped up the title already, the race for second place, and the rest of the top four places, is very tight. Only four points separate fifth-place Tottenham and second-place United. Chelsea are in fourth place, three points behind United.

The Blues enjoyed a relatively successful return to European action on Tuesday, drawing 1-1 with Barcelona in the first leg of their round of 16 tie. Antonio Conte’s men successfully stifled Barca, and would have come away with a win but for a late error by Andreas Christensen.

Conte’s primary selection headache heading into the weekend will be whether he continues with Eden Hazard in the false 9 role he played on Tuesday, or reinstates Alvaro Morata into the starting XI, pushing either Pedro or Willian, Chelsea’s best player against Barca, to the bench.

The biggest selection question for Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, will once again center on Paul Pogba, who started on the bench in United’s draw against Sevilla midweek, but came off the bench to replace Ander Herrera, who picked up an injury, early in the first half.

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FanSided’s soccer staff will be competing in a weekly picks league all season. The rules are simple: three points for a correct score, one for a correct result and none for an incorrect result. Here are the picks for matchweek 28:

Five of our writers think the game at Old Trafford will end in a draw, while two think Chelsea will snatch an away win to complete the double over Mourinho’s side. Here’s how the predictions table stands heading into the weekend’s matches:

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