Marquee matchup: Zlatanless United may shake things up at Chelsea

Sick of seeing Antonio Conte thrust limbs and dart around the technical area after each of Chelsea's four unanswered strikes in October, Jose Mourinho apparently requested that the Italian doesn't make the humiliation worse with such exuberance in his infamous whisper.

In his first league visit to Stamford Bridge managing an opponent, Manchester United was soundly beaten, and the locals revelled in the performance by chanting to Mourinho "you're not special anymore."

Conte's celebrations aside, Mourinho's heaviest defeat as a manager since Barcelona beat his Real Madrid side 5-0 in November 2010 was already a rank humiliation.

So, with the Premier League trophy inevitably being passed to Chelsea, Monday's FA Cup quarter-final meeting poses the only opportunity this season for the Portuguese to exert real revenge on his full-time successor in SW6.

Injuries and suspensions

Just like Leicester City for much of last season, champion-elect Chelsea has a clean bill of health once again.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's three-match ban for elbowing Tyrone Mings starts at Chelsea. Wayne Rooney and Luke Shaw sat out Thursday's 1-1 Europa League draw against FC Rostov but are available, meaning Bastian Schweinsteiger is the only injured player.

Projected lineups

Chelsea starting XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Matic, Kante, Alonso; Pedro, Costa, Hazard

Manchester United starting XI: De Gea; Bailly, Smalling, Rojo; Valencia, Herrera, Carrick, Pogba, Shaw; Mkhitaryan, Rashford

What to watch

The only side to get the better of Chelsea since Conte revived his preferred back three from Siena, Juventus, and Italy was Tottenham Hotspur, and Mauricio Pochettino deployed a copycat back three with a high press. So, in that sense, is the beginning of Ibrahimovic's three-match suspension being served at Stamford Bridge a blessing in disguise?

The Swede isn't exactly the most mobile, tending to benefit on the industry and craft of those around him and, given his aerial prowess, lumped balls into the box. His importance to the side is shown by his scoring of 38 percent of United's league strikes, but the fact that his employer has mustered 20 or more shots without winning in a division-high four outings this term would suggest the chances that are being served aren't exactly gilt-edged. So, with a focal point as imposing and issue-masking as Ibrahimovic not at Mourinho's disposal, a change in approach should be necessary - and give more unpredictability.

That's why a 3-5-2, a defensive trio like the one used by Tottenham and a formation that was trialled in the away tie at Rostov, may be rolled out. The wing-backs - likely Antonio Valencia and either one of Daley Blind or Luke Shaw - can provide additional protection when Eden Hazard and Pedro drift wide, but will primarily be busied with tracking the late darts of Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses, and then picking out the space behind them on the counter-attack.

It would additionally flood the midfield. Michael Carrick has been so important for United this term, and would be the most withdrawn, while Ander Herrera, who leads N'Golo Kante in interceptions in the Premier League, and Paul Pogba also populate the middle. In true Mourinho fashion, it could be defence-first for the away side, with the direct distribution and lack of inclination to use patient build-up highlighted in the 65.37 percent pass accuracy after the first half in Rostov-on-Don.

With two defensive setups vying against one another, there's a chance this could become a drab Mexican standoff. But in United's inevitable efforts to nullify Kante - it makes sense to shut off the engine at its source - it could gift space to Pedro and Hazard either side of Carrick. Their roles between the lines can help send defenders not well-drilled in a back-three on a wander, leaving gaps behind the backline for the likes of Diego Costa to bulldoze into.

The final selection choice for Conte rests with fielding Nemanja Matic or Cesc Fabregas. The reason the former may get the nod in this bout is due to his adeptness in the tackle and then, with time, to play the correct pass. Fabregas is a more effective when pressed, because he has the ability to quickly dispatch a pass that can expose an especially high defensive line - something United seldom utilises.