Louis van Gaal has restored Wayne Rooney to the Manchester United starting XI for today's crunch clash with Chelsea.

After starting on the bench for the 2-0 defeat at Stoke City on Boxing Day, Rooney will lead his side out at Old Trafford today, with Marouane Fellaini the man to make way.

In what could be his final game as United boss, under-fire manager Van Gaal makes three other changes, bringing in Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin and dropping Phil Jones, Michael Carrick and Memphis Depay to the bench.

Meanwhile, Eden Hazard has passed a late fitness test and will lead the line for Guus Hiddink's visitors, while Diego Costa is suspended after picking up a yellow card against Watford last time out.

Cesc Fabregas has been ruled out entirely through illness and is replaced by John Obi Mikel, while Kurt Zouma comes into the backline for Gary Cahill, who is out with a foot injury.

Manchester United: De Gea; Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Young; Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger; Mata, Herrera, Martial; Rooney
Subs: Romero, Borthwick-Jackson, Jones, Carrick, Fellaini, Pereira, Memphis

Chelsea: Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta; Mikel, Matic; Willian, Oscar, Pedro; Hazard
Subs: Begovic, Baba Rahman, Djilobodji, Ramires, Loftus-Cheek, Traore, Kenedy

Follow Sports Mole's live text coverage of the encounter here