Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs is hoping his team can hand Chelsea their first defeat of the Barclays Premier League season and bring a halt to the Blues’ blistering form, which has seen them drop just two points so far this campaign.

The 38-year-old Welshman knows what it takes to win a league title, having been a key man in United’s success in recent years.

And he also knows his side cannot allow Chelsea to stretch their lead at the top of the table.

Giggs said: “We recognise we cannot afford to let Chelsea get too far ahead in the title race.

“They are four points in front and have got off to a good start so it is a big game.”

Giggs also believes it is important to start the game well – something United have struggled to do in all competitions this season, having fallen behind eight times in 12 matches.

“You cannot go throughout a season and keep going behind and having to rely on the lads up front to score the goals,” he said.

“It is something we have looked at and are still looking at.

“It happened again against Braga, but against Chelsea, if we go behind, it will be tough to come back.”

Chelsea will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat in their Champions League game at Shakhtar Donetsk.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech is refusing to panic, though, and believes his side can draw on what they experienced in Ukraine to help them beat United.

He said: “It is good that this happened now because Manchester United is a similar team who play on the counter-attack away from home.

“We will play more or less the same kind of side as Shakhtar – we didn’t deal with it well, so hopefully this will serve as a lesson for the weekend.”

Another standout fixture will take place at Goodison Park, where Everton face Merseyside rivals Liverpool.

Everton are six points and eight places better off than the Reds, and defender Phil Jagielka believes that has given this derby a different feel to others he has played in.

The England international said: “I think it’s a strange one. Normally we are desperate to beat them just because it’s Liverpool.

“This time we would love to beat them but we have to think about keeping ourselves up towards the top of the league.”

Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool will be looking to pick up where they left off in the league after they managed only their second victory of the season against Reading last weekend.

Champions Manchester City will have something of a point to prove following their European defeat at Ajax in midweek.

Manager Roberto Mancini admitted afterwards his side “will need a miracle” if they are to progress through the Champions League group stages, but attention turns back to domestic matters on Saturday evening with the visit of Swansea.

Arsenal will host basement side QPR as the Gunners look for a positive end to a dismal week which saw them lose to Norwich and Schalke.

Alan Pardew’s Newcastle play West Brom hoping to build on their battling draw in last week’s Tyne-Wear derby.

In other fixtures, winless Reading host Fulham, Sunderland travel to Stoke, Wigan take on West Ham, Aston Villa host Norwich and Southampton will be on the hunt for their second victory of the campaign when they take on Tottenham at St Mary’s.