IN years gone by Chelsea against Manchester United would be a title decider when both teams were at their peak, reports the Voice of Sport from Stamford Bridge.
However this 4-3 thriller was still as tasty as ever for different reasons. United were trying to keep their slim hopes of making the top four alive while Chelsea were just trying to move up the table. The hosts just edged it at the end of a crazy game.
Before the game the big news was that Marcus Rashford had been dropped to the bench and replaced by Antony. It was not clear whether he was carrying an injury or if it was just tactical.
Both teams started as if they had something to prove. Within 3 minutes Mario Gusto cut the ball back to Connor Gallagher who swept it past Andre Onana to give Chelsea the lead. Five minutes after Mykhailo Mudryk cut inside from the left and hit a shot, which just whizzed past the post.
It got worse for United in the 17th minute as Antony brought down Marc Cucurella down in the area to give Chelsea a penalty. Cole Palmer sent Onana the wrong way to double Chelsea’s lead.
The home side continued to pile on the pressure. However the Red Devils got a lucky break when Moses Caicedo played a sloppy pass, which Alejandro Garnacho intercepted and he ran and ran before neatly slotting the ball past Djordje Petrovic to reduce the deficit.
Chelsea though were still threatening as Enzo Fernandez forced a fine save from Onana. Moments later United drew level. Antony got the ball down the right and played a cross field pass to Diogo Dalot whose cross from the left was met by a sweet header on the right by Bruno Fernandes to bring the reds level. That goal was made in Portugal.
As the half was drawing to a close Gallagher hit a post with a shot. What a breathtaking first half.
At the start of the second half Jonny Evans replaced Raphael Varane who was injured yet again. Harry Maguire intercepted a pass and drove into the Chelsea area. He hit a shot which was just over the bar.
Next, Axel Disasi gave the ball away to Rasmus Hojlund who bore down on goal but Disasi recovered to clear the ball for a corner. Straight down the other end Palmer curled a shot, which Onana tipped over. If anyone thought the tempo of the game would slow down in the second half they were wrong.
Hojlund was replaced by Rashford and Evans, who came on as a substitute, had to be replaced by Willy Kambwala. United remained focused on the game. Antony – who justified his inclusion – whipped an audacious cross over from the right and Garnacho headed it home to give Man United the lead.
Blues’boss Mauricio Pochettino responded by making a double substitution. Raheem Sterling and Carney Chukwuemeka replaced Mudryk and Caicedo. United responded by bringing on Scott McTominay for Casemiro.
Both teams still kept up the tempo. Garnacho rather curiously was then replaced by Mason Mount. Gallagher was also replaced by Noni Madueke as Pochettino rolled his last dice.
In the dying minutes of stoppage time an exhausted Dalot gave away a penalty, which Palmer slotted home to bring the Blues level. They were not content with a draw though as they kept pouring forward.
Some how Palmer was allowed to drive into the United area one more time and hit a shot, which found the back of the net to snatch all three points for Chelsea and leave Manchester United heartbroken in west London for the second time within the space of a week.
The game management at the end was lacking by the visitors in a game they ought to have seen out. The top four is now looking like a whistle in the wind for them. Eric ten Hag’s substitutions were head scratchers.
Ten Hag said: “ What frustrated me the most was we started the game poorly with so many errors, we fought our way back and got back into a winning situation and then in stoppage time we did not manage it. You have to do your job and they know their jobs but they did not do it.
“We dominated the game especially our wide players. Antony is progressing, he is stepping up and understanding what we want. He did well against Liverpool, Brentford and today. ”
On the injuries to Varane and Evans he said: “This happens. I cannot tell if Varane will make it against Liverpool on Sunday. This week we have dropped 5 points in stoppage time. Games are running out. We will keep fighting. I am sure we will be there on Sunday.”
Pochettino said: “It was amazing. We were the better team today and the result was fair. At 2-0 we were controlling the game but made a mistake and got emotional. In the second half we controlled the game again and lost to ball in transition.
“It is a very good thing that happened today and it should be the turning point. I told the players there are still two minutes and we can score the winning goal.”
When informed that the fans want to see him to show more passion he said:” The fans need to see the passion of the players winning the ball back and scoring goals. I need to concentrate and focus. This is not circus for me to be the centre of attention! I am not clown. I am a head coach. “
https://www.voice-online.co.uk/sport/premier-league/2024/04/05/chelsea-edge-out-red-devils-in-west-london-thriller/
