Pictures from Man Utd v Chelsea in the Premier League
Erik ten Hag needed a show of commitment from his side after the whispers of disunity which followed the defeat to Newcastle and he got it at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Two goals from Scott McTominay – in either half – lifted Manchester United into the top six as they extended their ten-year unbeaten home league run against Chelsea
Ten Hag took direct action after the no-show at St James’ Park, dropping Marcus Rashford and his revamped United line-up responded with a vibrant performance which, if not perfect, was certainly full of energy. It was an attractive, fluid, occasionally chaotic contest – which was much to do with both sides’ weaknesses as their strengths – but even though Chelsea brought an admirable positivity to it, United deserved to win it.
United made the sharper start with Rasmus Hojlund thwarted by the left hand of Robert Sanchez in the Chelsea goal with a first-time shot in the fourth minute. It was nothing though, compared to the heroics of the Chelsea ‘keeper five minutes later as he threw himself to his right to keep out a penalty from Bruno Fernandes.
It was a good save from an average penalty with United’s misery compounded when Alejandro Garnacho blazed the rebound over the bar. United had been awarded the spot-kick by referee Christopher Kavanagh after a VAR intervention which picked up a stamp by Enzo Fernandez on the foot of Antony in the penalty area. That old Argentina-Brazil thing again.
It was Sanchez keeping Chelsea in it as he continued to frustrate the home side, blocking Garnacho’s shot with his feet and then diving to his right to smother Antony’s strike. However, the dam had to break and it finally did in the 19th minute through Scott McTominay who was on hand to finish accurately after Harry Maguire’s shot had been blocked by Marc Cucerella.
Chelsea, without the suspended Conor Gallagher, had a claim for a penalty of their own turned down in the 25th minute when Raheem Sterling went to ground in the United area with Victor Lindelof in close proximity. Sanchez made a remarkable double save to prevent McTominay making it 2-0 in the 32nd minute but it took some equally sharp goalkeeping at the other end to prevent Nicolas Jackson equalising as the put-upon United ‘keeper raced out to block the Chelsea striker at close range after Sterling had sprung the offside trap.
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Chelsea remained dangerous on the break and the rapid but scattergun Mykhailo Mudryk dragged his shot wide from a promising position. But it was the blonde Ukrainian’s pass which opened up United for Cole Palmer to equalise in the 45th minute.
The former Manchester City player still had a lot to do when he picked up possession, driving into the United penalty area but he outwitted Lindelof and then pulled the trigger before Maguire could get in, caressing a left-footed shot against the grain to beat Onana. United pressed strongly after the break and Sanchez again denied McTominay as the Scotland international directed a header goalwards.
But in the 69th minute McTominay restored United’s lead, powering his header home from close range from Garnacho’s cross. He could even have grabbed a hat-trick two minutes later after a horrible clearance from Sanchez but spooned his shot wide.
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