The standout tie of the FA Cup sixth round takes place under the Stamford Bridge lights on Monday evening as holders Manchester United head to league leaders Chelsea for a potential classic.

Plenty of eyes will be on United boss Jose Mourinho, who makes a second return to this part of West London in the space of five months with the aim of avenging October's humiliating 4-0 loss.

Chelsea

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The Red Devils may not have tasted a league defeat since that humbling by Chelsea a quarter of the way into the season - Mourinho's heaviest reverse in six years - but it is the Blues who head into this match better placed for success.

Since tweaking formation midway through the 3-0 defeat to London rivals Arsenal in September, allowing boss Antonio Conte to go with his favoured three-at-the-back system ahead of schedule, Chelsea have lost just four of their subsequent 25 games in all competitions.

A lack of European commitments has been cited as the main reason behind their incredible run of form, which has seen them transform from mid-table also-rans in 2015-16 to runaway leaders this time around under popular new manager Conte.

Since moving to the top of the pile in December, it is fair to say that the West London outfit have barely flinched as they have dropped points in just three games in the three months since, leaving them well poised to soon wrap up a second title in the space of three years.

Finishing top will of course be an incredible achievement in what is Conte's first campaign outside of Italian football, but Blues supporters still harbour strong hopes of going one better by adding another FA Cup to the growing list of honours and pulling off a domestic double, matching the feat of 2010 under another respected Italian in Carlo Ancelotti.

Chelsea certainly have plenty of pedigree in this famous competition, having won it seven times in their history - five coming since the turn of the century - to leave them behind only Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Man United in terms of cups lifted.

Thanks to the ease with which they are brushing aside all comers in the Premier League, seemingly just ticking off the games until they get their hands on the trophy, combined with a seven-day break since their comfortable win at West Ham United, Conte's men will be feeling fit and fresh by the time kickoff comes around on Monday night.

It has been fairly plain sailing for them in the previous rounds, too, courtesy of victories over Peterborough United (4-1) and Brentford (4-0) at Stamford Bridge, as well as a slightly tougher assignment in overcoming another lower-league opponent in Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.

Despite enjoying plenty of success in the FA Cup over the past decade or so, the Blues have not actually made it past this stage since 2013 when going on to lose to Manchester City in the semi-finals, so this match gives them a chance to put that anomaly to one side and remain on course for a famous double.

Form in FA Cup: WWLWWW
Recent form (all competitions): DWDWWW

Manchester United

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United may well be the joint-most successful side in this competition's proud history, sitting alongside Arsenal with a whopping 12 final victories to their name, but they have never previously managed to retain their crown.

Ten previous attempts and 10 failures (discounting the season they controversially withdrew), their recent form certainly suggests that this could be the campaign they go all the way to Wembley Stadium and taste success in back-to-back campaigns for the first time.

Proven winner Mourinho, sacked for a second time by Chelsea in December 2015 just seven months after winning the title, has guided his new side to a run of one defeat in their last 28 outings in all competitions - a 2-1 reverse to Hull City that mattered little in the context of things.

A closer look at the table shows that United have not budged in the past four months in terms of Premier League position, however, repeatedly failing to take their big chance when it arises and remaining in sixth for what no doubt feels like an eternity to their supporters.

Winning the title in Mourinho's first campaign at the helm has long been out of the question, but a top-four finish - their minimum target before a ball was kicked, having spent big last summer - is still within touching distance as they trail Liverpool by three points.

Their frustrations continued last weekend with a 1-1 stalemate against strugglers Bournemouth; that draw making it a record number for the Red Devils in a single Prem season on home soil after previously dropping points to the likes of Hull City, Stoke City, West Ham and Burnley there in 2016-17.

The 1-1 draw in Rostov on Thursday evening had a more welcome feel to it, however, with United making the long trek back to Manchester in the early hours of Friday morning knowing that they are now even-stronger favourites to prolong their Europa League adventure by making it into the last eight.

It remains to be seen exactly where Europe's secondary club competition ranks on Mourinho's list of priorities right now, what with the Red Devils being one of the continent's most successful sides, but the reward at the end of it is a place in the Champions League next term.

As Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been at pains to point out in the past, finishing in the top four - or more specifically, qualifying for the Champions League - is essentially as important as lifting silverware in the modern day.

Try telling that to United fans, though, whose side have already lifted the EFL Cup this month by beating Southampton in a thriller, making it four wins at Wembley Stadium in the space of less than a year.

A fifth and sixth really would raise excitement levels among the Old Trafford faithful, as they could end what has been an underwhelming campaign on the whole with three separate trophies - or, as it has been coined by their rivals, the 'Plastic Treble'.

Form in FA Cup: WWWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWWDD

Team News

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Monday's meeting in West London is the second of four matches in the space of 11 days for United, spread across three different competitions, but Mourinho is still expected to name a strong side.

One player who will not feature at Stamford Bridge is star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose 26 goals will be missed on Monday as he sits out the first of a three-match domestic ban for elbowing Tyrone Mings.

Elsewhere, Eric Bailly is back after sitting out the midweek tie with Rostov through a suspension of his own, while Luke Shaw and Wayne Rooney will likely return to the squad - the latter a contender to fill in for Ibrahimovic through the middle.

In terms of the hosts, Conte is likely to revert back to his strongest XI after giving some of his fringe players playing time in the previous rounds, meaning a front three of Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and either Willian or Pedro.

Sentimentality will play no part, either, so skipper John Terry is expected to miss out on what could well be his final cup tie at Stamford Bridge as a Chelsea player, David Luiz, Cesar Azpilicueta and Gary Cahill instead retaining their places at the back.

Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Matic, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Costa, Hazard

Manchester United possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Smalling, Rojo; Pogba, Herrera; Mata, Rooney, Martial; Rashford

Head To Head

Chelsea will be facing off against United for the first time post-Sir Alex Ferguson, aiming to extend their unbeaten run against their rivals from 11 matches to 12 in all competitions.

The Blues have won five of the past six meetings at Stamford Bridge, meanwhile, with the Red Devils coming out on top twice in 19 trips to this part of West London.

Thirteen times they have faced off in the FA Cup altogether - United winning eight times, drawing twice and losing the other three - with the most recent encounter finishing 1-0 in Chelsea's favour four years ago.

We say: Chelsea 2-2 Manchester United (Chelsea through on penalties)

For the first time in FA Cup history, this weekend's quarter-final ties will be decided on the night - replays have been completely scrapped. That certainly changes things slightly, with the Red Devils unable to perhaps hold out for a draw, but the omens do not look all that good for either team when it comes to penalties should it go that far. The Blues, seeking a club-record 13th successive home win in all competitions, have lost their last two shootouts, United their last four in a run stretching back to the 2009 League Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur.

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