Graphic: Scolari's big-game blues

Such a scenario seemed inconceivable even a few weeks ago, but Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Chelsea manager, will take his side to Manchester United on Sunday facing almost as many questions as his predecessor on the clubs’ previous meeting at Old Trafford. Avram Grant had the misfortune of playing the champions on their own ground in his first match in charge — not helped by the fact that he was working with a group of players he barely knew — and though Scolari is in a far stronger position, he has problems of his own.

Just past the halfway point of the season, there is a growing sense that the Brazilian’s real work starts now. Chelsea’s dreadful home form has been partially disguised by an unbalanced fixture list that has enabled them to pick up cheap points on the road, but there will be no hiding place if their excellent away form falters in the face of more difficult challenges. The inconsistent form of title rivals can offer solace for only so long.

Scolari’s curriculum vitae, which includes a World Cup win in 2002, and affable personality have bought him time, but many at Stamford Bridge are happy to admit privately that the course of his first season in England has not run as smoothly as had been expected. The heart of the problem appears to be Scolari’s struggle to adapt from seven years of international management — in which he used largely the same tactics and a similar style of play with Brazil and Portugal — to the more intense and varied demands of the Barclays Premier League.

Chelsea have struggled since Liverpool showed opponents a way of denying their attacking full backs space and width in a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge at the end of October, with Scolari failing to come up with an effective plan B. The 60-year-old cannot be too concerned because he appears determined to stand his ground, maintaining a 4-1-4-1 formation even though several players are openly calling for a move to 4-4-2. However, the main protagonists for change are Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba, one of whom will be left out on Sunday, so such complaints smack of self-interest.

Scolari is also sticking to his tried-and-trusted training practices, despite complaints regarding a perceived lack of intensity. These have been given added substance by concerns over the players’ fitness arising from the late goals Chelsea have conceded in their past two matches — draws against Fulham and Southend United. Nothing has changed at the training ground since John Terry and Frank Lampard asked for the tempo to be raised a month ago, with Scolari going the other way by organising a seven-a-side tournament between the players on Wednesday to lighten the mood.

Scolari’s substitutions have also been questioned, but his greatest problem is a disappointing record in the biggest matches that would make Grant blush, lending Sunday’s game added significance. Chelsea have taken one point from home matches against United, Liverpool and Arsenal this season, with Aston Villa the only team in the top six they have beaten.

Of greater concern is the suggestion that this is not a new phenomenon for Scolari, whose results deteriorated the longer he stayed with Portugal. In fact, other than three successive tournament victories against England, there is little evidence to suggest he has the aptitude for the biggest head-to-head confrontations, because Portugal lost the Euro 2004 final to Greece, a World Cup semi-final to France and were beaten by Germany in the quarter-finals of last year’s European Championship. Chelsea did not truly start to believe in Grant until they beat Arsenal at home last March, after which they had only seven league games before the season ended.

To his credit, Scolari is determined to stand or fall by his own methods, although that does not lessen the imperative for a win over a title rival.

Chelsea will soon discover if they have recruited a genuine champion, or whether a World Cup triumph can be used to mask mediocrity.