Sky Sports expert Paul Merson looks ahead to this weekend's live offerings.....

Man Utd v Chelsea

This probably is the biggest game of the season so far - and it definitely is if you're a Chelsea fan. They're on a bit of a blip at the moment, but if they lose this game it'll be a crisis at Stamford Bridge - and I would use that word.

Scolari: decisions to make

They've got to try and sort the team out. In the past they were very efficient and if they went 1-0 up it was game over. Now they're trying to entertain but it means you can get at their defence. If Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry play together they're fine, but that hasn't happened for a while and they are vulnerable.

For me, Deco hasn't done enough and I don't understand why he wasn't substituted at half time against West Ham a few weeks ago. Luiz Felipe Scolari took off Michael Ballack instead and it makes you wonder what's going on.

Ballack's a big-game player, but I can't think of what Deco's done since the first game of the season. I can't see how he can be in the team ahead of Ballack and Frank Lampard.

Up front, Didier Drogba has to play and I would play both him and Nicolas Anelka. These players are good enough to play 4-4-2.

In most games I would play a diamond in midfield with Joe Cole at the top, plus Lampard, Ballack and a holding midfielder because the full-backs are good enough to play as wingers. A lot of their attacking play comes from the full-backs and they cause all sorts of problems for opponents.

Winging it

But against Man United the full-backs need some protection because of the threat of Cristiano Ronaldo. Whichever side he plays on, the full-backs will need to be careful going forward and will need some protection from midfield. They can't go gung ho

United don't look like letting in a goal at the moment. They're not playing great, they've only scored four in their last six league games but if you can keep a clean sheet you'll be fine. In the long run, I'd rather be winning games 1-0 than 4-3.

You need a good defensive record and like Liverpool, United have that. But Rio Ferdinand might miss out this weekend and that's why I think Chelsea should go with two strikers. Jonny Evans and Nemanja Vidic struggled against Derby in midweek and that night they weren't playing against anybody of the class of Drogba and Anelka. Evans is going to be a good player but is he ready for a big game like this?

I think Chelsea should go 4-4-2. That would give the full-backs protection and would cause problems for the United centre-backs. That will be their best chance to get something out of the game - although I can see Scolari setting up the way he always does.

Chelsea would be over the moon if they could get a draw from this game, but I'm not sure United would be quite as happy with a point. They've done all of the hard work in playing all the big boys away. Now they've got to beat them all at home.

PAUL'S PREDICTION
Draw - Chelsea have a good record there and United don't let in many goals so I'm going to go for a 1-1 draw. I don't like picking draws, but it's a game that neither team can afford to lose. Chelsea would be happy with that - and so would Liverpool and Arsenal.

MERSON'S MAGIC MAN
Ricardo Carvalho - I'm a big fan of John Terry, but I think he's a better player when Carvalho's in the team. It's the same with Ferdinand, who is always better when Vidic plays. You can be the best defender in the world, but you need a partner and it's vital for Chelsea that Carvalho is back.

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