Alejandro Garnacho is laser-focused on getting as many shots away as possible in every appearance he makes, much to the frustration of his teammates in attack, and the 20-year-old lodged another four attempts in United’s midweek cup win over Leicester.

Garnacho had an incredible eight attempts at goal in United’s last Premier League home fixture against Brentford and the academy graduate has been averaging 3.81 shots per 90 in the division overall. Garnacho is unlikely to shift from his shoot-on-sight policy on Sunday, so back him to have at least three efforts again against Chelsea.

Manuel Ugarte was a peripheral figure under ex-United boss Erik ten Hag, though the hard-hitting Uruguayan midfielder started for Ruud van Nistelrooy in midweek and immediately put his ball-winning skills to good use. The 23-year-old made four tackles and committed on foul in midweek and he should be in the thick of the action again against Chelsea.

Ugarte committed three fouls on his last Premier League start against Tottenham, while the former PSG anchorman has been averaging 3.33 fouls per 90 in the division overall. There should be plenty of midfield skirmishes for Ugarte to join at Old Trafford this weekend and he is backed to foul at least twice against the Blues.

Six-goal Nicolas Jackson is Chelsea’s leading marksman in the Premier League this season and the 23-year-old has been averaging a consistent 2.87 shots and 1.57 shots on target per 90 in the top tier since August.

Jackson has a creative supporting cast supplying him with chances and the centre-forward has managed to land at least one shot on target in all nine of his Premier League appearances since the start of the new campaign. This United defence is too easy to get behind at the best of time and Jackson should have enough openings to test Andre Onana at least once on Sunday.

The mercurial match-winning talents of Cole Palmer tend to make the attacking midfielder a target for heavy challenges and the 22-year-old has been drawing fouls at a rate of 2.44 times per 90 in the league since the summer.

Only Newcastle pair Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon along with Tottenham’s James Maddison have drawn more fouls in total than Palmer in the Premier League this season and the Mancunian youngster could be singled out for rough treatment again at Old Trafford. Look for Palmer to be fouled twice at generous odds again.

Casemiro was paired in midfield with a defence-minded partner in Manuel Ugarte against Leicester in midweek and freed to push further forward, the Brazilian had five attempts, two shots on target and scored twice in United’s 5-2 Carabao Cup victory over Leicester City.

The veteran has been averaging a solid 2.56 shots and 0.79 shots on target per 90 minutes in the Premier League this term, though his figures could climb if he is given the same attacking remit on Sunday. Casemiro is also a massive aerial threat from set pieces and the 32-year-old is a hugely attractive prospect in the 1+ shot-on-target bracket on Sunday.

With so many bristly characters crammed into similar positions, bettors should look to midfield for foul-market options on Sunday and Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo looks like a prime candidate in that arena. The 22-year-old has been committing 1.93 fouls per 90 in the league this season and should be able to maintain his average at Old Trafford.

Caicedo, who has given away at least two free kicks in each of his last four Premier League appearances, committed three fouls on his last visit to the Theatre of Dream in December 2023, and the combative Ecuadorian could match that tally here.

Noni Madueke has beaten off stiff competition to make the right-wing berth his own this season and the in-form 22-year-old should be ready to raid down the flank again at Old Trafford on Sunday. Madueke has been carrying plenty of goal-scoring threat this term and ranks joint-top at Chelsea for total shots on target landed (12) in the Premier League.

Madueke, who has been averaging 3.64 shots and 1.75 shots on target per 90 minutes in the division, has vulnerabilities to probe at the left side of United’s defence with the hosts missing their injured specialists for that position and the winger is backed to land another shot on target.

Malo Gusto has been averaging 1.19 fouls per 90 minutes in the Premier League for Chelsea this season and the 21-year-old could be drawn into at least one more mistimed challenge when he marks fellow youngster Alejandro Garnacho on Sunday.

Garnacho has been drawing 1.36 fouls per 90 in the league this term and Gusto could have his work cut out to thwart the speedy Argentine’s surges down the left. Gusto was collared for a foul when he last faced United (April) and the French fullback, who has fouled in 100% of his nine appearances in all competitions for the Blues this season, is tipped to sin at least once again in Manchester.