Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is enjoying a reunion this weekend at Manchester United with his former teammate Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is in interim charge of the Old Trafford team until Ruben Amorim takes over later this month , the Italian said on Friday.

Chelsea visit United on Sunday, where they have not won in the Premier League since May 2013. Maresca, a former midfielder, played with forward Van Nistelrooy during his time at Malaga in the 2011-2012 season, near the end of the Dutchman’s career.

It will be Van Nistelrooy’s second game in temporary charge at United following a 5-2 home League Cup victory over Leicester City in midweek. Portuguese Amorim will join United on November 11.

“I will give Van Nistelrooy a big hug before the game,” Maresca told reporters. “We expect a difficult match. He is a fantastic guy, humble and very professional.

“At that time we had a very good group of people at Málaga. It’s nice to remember those moments.”

Chelsea lost 2-1 at Old Trafford in December and were thrashed 4-1 in May last year. They have not won in their last 11 league visits, with six draws and five losses.

“Hopefully, it’s a good time to play them. It’s a really difficult place to win and our recent record shows that,” Maresca added.

Chelsea are fifth with 17 points, six behind leaders Manchester City, after four wins in their last six games. while United languish in 14th place with 11 after three wins in nine games.

Maresca have a fully fit squad to choose from, apart from on-loan striker Jadon Sancho, who has been ill but is in any case ineligible to play against his parent club United.

The Italian also praised Chelsea’s in-form Cole Palmer, who has scored seven goals and registered five assists in 11 appearances in all competitions, but said he will not put undue pressure on the 22-year-old midfielder.

“As I said at the beginning of the season, if we expect 20 goals and 20 assists from him again, then that’s wrong. We shouldn’t put pressure on him like that,” added Maresca.

“He needs to enjoy his football and when he does you can see what he can do. Cole plays well even when he doesn’t score because he allows the rest (of the team) to play the right way. He is a very important player for us.”