Manchester United striker Michael Owen believes his side are due a change of fortunes when they visit rivals Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.United have not won at Stamford Bridge since 2002 and Chelsea have come out on top in six of their last nine meetings on home soil.
But former Liverpool striker Owen, who is likely to take his customary place on the substitutes' bench for Wednesday's game, says United are due a victory.
"Since I've been at the club the games at Stamford Bridge have been odd," he told the club's official website. "We don't get outplayed there, that's for sure. Unfortunately we haven't had many good results, though. I'm sure our luck will change at some point.
"I can't quite believe we lost the last two league games at Stamford Bridge - we played well on both occasions. In the league last month we were 1-0 up and put on one of the finest displays of football Stamford Bridge has probably seen from a visiting team. I don't think many teams go to Chelsea and play like that.
"We were 1-0 up and then they got back into the game from nothing, really. Maybe we were a little guilty of contributing to our own downfall but we won't let that happen again."
United did get the better of Chelsea when they beat them on penalties in the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow, and an all- English battle is nothing strange to either team.
"We prepare for every game in the exact same way - we don't take any game more seriously or less seriously than any other," Owen said. "The way we train, the way we travel, the way we recover, it's all the same. I don't think it will feel much different.
"We hope playing the second leg at Old Trafford will prove decisive. We also know that whoever progresses to the semi-final will get the same advantage there, so that's an added incentive.
"From that point of view, the draw's been kind to us. But Chelsea won't be easy. It's going to be difficult to get past Chelsea over two legs."
But former Liverpool striker Owen, who is likely to take his customary place on the substitutes' bench for Wednesday's game, says United are due a victory.
"Since I've been at the club the games at Stamford Bridge have been odd," he told the club's official website. "We don't get outplayed there, that's for sure. Unfortunately we haven't had many good results, though. I'm sure our luck will change at some point.
"I can't quite believe we lost the last two league games at Stamford Bridge - we played well on both occasions. In the league last month we were 1-0 up and put on one of the finest displays of football Stamford Bridge has probably seen from a visiting team. I don't think many teams go to Chelsea and play like that.
"We were 1-0 up and then they got back into the game from nothing, really. Maybe we were a little guilty of contributing to our own downfall but we won't let that happen again."
United did get the better of Chelsea when they beat them on penalties in the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow, and an all- English battle is nothing strange to either team.
"We prepare for every game in the exact same way - we don't take any game more seriously or less seriously than any other," Owen said. "The way we train, the way we travel, the way we recover, it's all the same. I don't think it will feel much different.
"We hope playing the second leg at Old Trafford will prove decisive. We also know that whoever progresses to the semi-final will get the same advantage there, so that's an added incentive.
"From that point of view, the draw's been kind to us. But Chelsea won't be easy. It's going to be difficult to get past Chelsea over two legs."
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