The doubters were proven correct almost from the start as Liverpool stumbled from the start, opening the season with two wins and two defeats. Liverpool’s struggles were not limited to the Premier League however as they faltered in the UEFA Champions League group stages and the Carling Cup early on. Arsenal eliminated Liverpool in the fourth round of the Carling Cup, and a three match winless streak in the Champions League that featured two defeats and a draw ensured their elimination from Europe’s most prestigious club competition. Liverpool’s season bottomed out in January when they were eliminated from the FA Cup in the third round by Football League Championship side Reading.

The Reds appeared as though they might salvage their season late on however as they thrived in the second tier UEFA Europa League and made a push to retain their spot in the top four of the Premier League. In the end however, the Reds were eliminated by Spanish side Atletico Madrid in the semifinals of the Europa League and suffered a worse fate in the Premier League. Liverpool simply couldn’t maintain the consistency of form that Manchester City and Tottenham had down the stretch. The Reds ended their season meagerly with a 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea and a 0-0 draw away to Hull City, leaving Tottenham to take their place in the top four.

Liverpool finished seventh place in the Premier League standings, 23 points off the pace set by Chelsea and seven points behind fourth place Tottenham. The Reds, by virtue of Portsmouth ineligibility, will appear next season in the UEFA Europa League, a far cry from their annual appearances in the Champions League.

Chelsea began the season red hot and quickly established themselves as the front runners to win the league title. The Blues opened the season defeating their arch rivals, Manchester United, in the FA Community Shield on penalty kicks. Chelsea opened the Premier League season winning six consecutive matches before suffering a shocking defeat against Wigan Athletic on the road. The club remained in the top three all season, holding possession of first place for much of the season.

The stresses of competing in four competitions appeared to affect the club however as they struggled mid-season under the weight of Carling Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Premier League fixtures. It appeared things might unwind for the Blues after falling out of the Carling Cup against Blackburn Rovers, a club they defeated 5-0 just weeks earlier. After their Carling Cup exit, Chelsea went on an unimpressive run, winning one match while losing one and drawing three. Chelsea would regain their form in the Premier League but would see their season “bottom out” in March with back to back defeats against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round, eliminating the club from the most lucrative club competition in the world.

The Blues rebounded again however, winning three of their last four matches in the Premier League. Chelsea retook the lead and established themselves as the title favorites with a 2-1 victory over Manchester United on April 3. The victory puts Chelsea in the driver’s seat as another exciting Barclay’s Premier League season draws to a close.

United will enter Saturday just one point behind first place Chelsea and could steal first place from the idle leaders with a victory.

Kickoff between the two is set for 15:00 local time at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.

Manchester United has struggled mightily over the past six weeks. United was stunned by Football League One side Leeds United who handed the Red Devils a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford in the third round of the FA Cup, the earliest exit from that competition for United in two decades.

United’s last match was a midweek fixture against local rival Manchester City in the first leg of their Carling Cup semifinal tie. Former United striker Carlos Tevez scored two goals against his old side to bring City from behind to earn a 2-1 victory. Hull City has been struggling to climb out of the relegation zone for the past two months, but the Tigers received an emotional boost this past weekend as they held top four side Tottenham to a 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane.

Manchester United have a chance to put all their struggles behind them and actually capture first place, for the time being, with a victory on Saturday. Hull City are creeping out of the relegation zone.

Hull are currently 18th in the league table but level on points with 17th place Wolverhampton and 16th place West Ham United. A victory or draw could boost Hull City out of the relegation zone, providing an important morale boost.