The Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has played down any notion of Sunday's Premier League visit of Manchester United being a revenge mission, insisting: "This is one more game – nothing different".

United overcame Chelsea to clinch the Champions League final in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in Moscow last May, while the incident dubbed the "Battle of the Bridge", when Patrice Evra clashed with Chelsea staff during the warm-down following last season's league match at Stamford Bridge, has heightened the sense of occasion this time around.

However, Scolari has attempted to pass off the fixture as just another league match. "When I came to England the challenge was to win the Premier League, not just the games against Manchester United," he said. "The challenge for Chelsea is to win all the competitions in which we participate. This is one more game - nothing different.

"Three points against United are the same three points as against Stoke City, Wigan or Portsmouth. The same. I have videos of Manchester United in this season's Champions League, and of their last two games in the Premier League. Now is different to what happened in May. Now is important. They have a fantastic group. If they play A, B or C, it's the same. They have 25 or 26 fantastic players, and they're in a better condition now than at the start of the season."

Michael Ballack scored twice as the Blues beat United 2-1 to revive their Premier League campaign in the corresponding match last season and the Germany captain may well return to the starting XI after making his return from a foot injury in his side's 4-0 Champions League win over Bordeaux in midweek. In the absence of Michael Essien, Ballack's return is timely, while striker Didier Drogba is available after a knee complaint although the Ivorian is not expected to play the full 90 minutes.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who played under Scolari for Portugal, is expected to feature for United after his comeback from ankle surgery and, with the defending champions in danger of falling nine points behind their title rivals should they lose, the Chelsea manager is expecting to see his former protege in Sir Alex Ferguson's side from the kick-off. "I think he will start," said Scolari. "My players are thinking that they will mark him very well but there is Tevez, Rooney, O'Shea, Hargreaves, Nani, Berbatov. They have a beautiful team, a fantastic team, and this is a big game. The players are prepared for this."

Ronaldo's relationship with Scolari is just one of the links between the two teams. Former United midfielder Ray Wilkins has returned to Chelsea as assistant first-team coach while former United assistant Carlos Queiroz took over from Scolari as Portugal boss. Scolari has also enjoyed a working relationship with Ferguson since Ronaldo started playing for Portugal, and the Blues manager will present a customary bottle of wine to his counterpart.

"After the game, we'll have some wine," he said. "I know he doesn't drink Portuguese wine because he did not have it with [Jose] Mourinho. I don't have any Brazilian wine. Maybe I need to have some French wine, South African wine. After this, Sir Alex will be happy. We'll know who's happier after the match."

Ferguson was furious with the Football Association overturning John Terry's suspension, received following his dismissal against Manchester City last weekend, while Scolari is delighted to have his captain. "In certain moments in the game, it's more important to have him there as a man or a captain than as a player," said the Brazilian.