Pat Nevin Exclusive: Chelsea Have The Edge Over Manchester United

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He is one of the most enigmatic personalities that you can currently see or hear giving his thoughts on the sport he loves, on either BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Scotland TV or on Channel 5 football.

Pat Nevin the dynamic winger was taken to heart by fans of all the clubs he played for including Chelsea and Everton. Capped  28 times by Scotland, Nevin was a different footballer in every sense of the word, and one of a very few group who has a university degree. He graduated from Glasgow University with an arts degree and has always maintained a keen interest in litertature and alternative music throughout his playing career and even more so now.

Given his love for the club and his ongoing links to them, it's hardly surprising when Nevin feels that Chelsea will start as favourites in their blockbuster battle agianst Manchester United. But his reasons are football-based rather than a matter of the heart.

"If you look at results and performances you have to say Chelsea are favourites, and of course they have home advantage as well.

"Its almost like a derby... Their big players are playing well Drogba is playing spectacularly well and there have been questons raised about Vidic and Ferdinand, so it's looking in Chelsea's favour but there is another thing you have to take into consideration and that is the Alex Ferguson factor."

Nevin doesn't need any prompting to explain what he means by that factor.

"He's fantastic. For someone who can usually get the right system, the right tactics, to actually get something when its unexpected, I don't think there is anyone better at it."

Despite the stas that Fergie boasts in his squad, there is one key player that Nevin feels is vital if United are gong to snatch all three points.

"Darren Fletcher is so important to them and now that he is back from injury, I think he will make a big difference. In the big pivotal games when Fletcher has not been there, I am thinking back to Barcelona and the Champions League final. No Fletcher means a big miss.

"If you look at the big games when he is not there and it's a big problem for them. So he's back and he looks fully fit. And that adapts the way Ferguson attacks the game, because he can allow other players to get forward because he knows that the tacking and the closing down, won't all be done by Fletcher but it will be started by him."

And while Nevin feels United are playing diferently this season after losing Cristiano Ronaldo, he believes it will allow another player to start shining.

"Maybe the player who suffered the most with Ronaldo around was Wayne Rooney. Amazingly for a player of his calibre he was slightly in the shadow, and had to play a supporting role.

"But because he is a such a pro and he works so hard he managed to do that really well. But I think now the expectation is for Rooney to come to the fore."

Nevin enthuses when he is asked about Chelsea. While he thinks the diamond formation favoured by Carlo Ancelotti is working well, he feels there are some problems with it.

"The two problem areas with the diamond formation in English football is that it doesn't give you much width, and also, who do you play at the tip of the diamond?

"It's a tough position to play. Its not as simple as just standing there getting the ball and doing all this creation. Its all about making space, finding space, being able to receive the ball when players are all about you and finding the pass. It's a position that has to be learnt."  Nevin continues.

"Joe Cole is the most likely to do it but Deco has played in there forever."

The other problem for Nevin is the width. While Ashley Cole offers plenty of it on the left, its on the right hand side where Chelsea have a weakness. Its still early days and given the experience that Ancelotti has with it, the former Chelsea man expects that the Italian will get it right and give the team balance. 

Nevin is also highly impressed with Ancelotti. Given the very different style of English football compared to the Italian way, he thinks the former Milan coach has done more than a good job so far.

"He has adapted well and he's done at least as good a job and maybe a better job than I thought he would do."

Nevin feels more than just adapting, Ancelotti has also shown his man management skills.

"When you looked at the start of the season you thought, wait a minute is this an ageing team? Is Drogba past his best?

"Well that sounds a stupid question now. Is Ballack going to be the player that he was? Another big question was, 'Can Anelka and Drogba play together?' A lot of managers would tell you they couldn't... well, they are the best partnership in the Premiere League by miles! It's astounding that people thought they couldn't play together."

Nevin laughs out loudly amused at how wrong Ancelotti has proved  football pundits everywhere. And he feels where Chelsea have the edge is over that quartet of players that will be tussling for that key area. The two Chelsea strikers versus the two United central defenders.

" I really do get a feeling that if Anelka and Drogba are on form, it's going to be be very, very hard for Sir Alex Ferguson to stop them. So if you put me on the spot then Chelsea are the favourites, and I think most people would be agree."

Ashish Sharma, Goal.com