Man United stuns Chelsea to blow the title race wide open

Photo: Manchester United players celebrate after scoring against Chelsea in the English Premier League on Sunday. United defeated Chelsea 2-0 at Old Trafford courtesy of goals from Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera to blow the Premier League race wide open. (Getty Images)

On a day when Liverpool clinched a victory at West Brom, Jose Mourinho and his players knew they must capture all three points to keep their top four ambitions alive. With leaders Chelsea visiting Old Trafford just four points clear of Tottenham Hotspur, Antonio Conte’s charges could feel the pressure and the need to get a result against their former boss. Manchester United made a few personnel changes as it seemed Mourinho was prioritising their midweek Europa League clash against Anderlecht while an illness forced Conte to start Kurt Zouma in place of Marcos Alonso at the last moment.

In a hugely anticipated battle that seemed to be very personal for the two managers, it was the Red Devils who looked sharper and showed the desire, hunger and passion demanded for a fixture of this nature. Strikes in either half from Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera gave United a deserved 2-0 victory as they overpowered and outclassed the Blues in every department. Such was the dominance of the Ashley Young-led United that the league leaders failed to trouble David De Gea as they failed to make an attempt on target. It was a near perfect day for Mourinho who has got one back on his former employers who defeated him twice before this fixture.

It was United who exploded out of the blocks as they dominated the early proceedings.  Paul Pogba and Marouanne Fellaini retained possession in midfield while pressing high up the pitch and closing down the space, giving Eden Hazard and company no time on the ball. It was quite evident very early that Herrera was given the task to keep Hazard in check while Matteo Darmian kept a close eye on Spanish playmaker Pedro. Mourinho’s pressing game was epitomised by the pace and willingness of Rashford and Jesse Lingard who gave the Blues back three very little time to settle on the ball.

Their pressing game almost paid off in the 6^th minute when Lingard closed down David Luiz and robbed him of the ball that fell kindly to Rashford. The 19-year-old got a decent first touch to play the ball towards the penalty area, however he dragged his shot wide. The Red Devils took the lead a minute later after Herrera gambled midway his own half to desert Hazard and win the ball off Nemanja Matic even though it appeared as if the ball hit his left arm. The 27-year-old Spaniard won possession and played a magnificent through ball behind Luiz that Rashford latched onto and finished quite well past the onrushing Asmir Begovic.

Old Trafford was rocking and the players responded by controlling proceedings, spreading the ball around confidently and getting in behind the Chelsea back three at will. The Blues could not even put three passes together and their first real attack came on 13 minutes. Hazard managed to evade Herrera however his attempted cross for Diego Costa was easily caught by De Gea. Three minutes later United went close as Pogba , Lingard and Rashford linked up and managed to get Young on the wrong side of Victor Moses on United’s left side. The versatile English man managed to make space for himself just inside the penalty area but his cross was just out of the reach of Rashford.

United threatened again in the 23^rd minute as Rashford used his pace to get past Moses down the right but his cross, destined for Lingard, was beaten away by Begovic. Six minutes later Rashford played in Pogba down the right who picked out Young on top of the Chelsea penalty area but his shot was dragged wide. United was bossing the game and frustrations led to Diego Costa coming together with Marcos Rojo in the 37^th minute in the United penalty area as the Argentine cleared Pedro’s cross. Chelsea skipper Gary Cahill must have been relieved on 42 minutes after Rashford managed to hold off Moses down the right. The United speedster then attempted a cross which Cahill got his head to and flew just over his own crossbar.

Chelsea’s only effort at goal in the first half came in the first minute of stoppage time after they break at pace and Pedro’s pass to Hazard was cut out and the ball fell to Costa. The Spanish striker decided to shoot at goal first time from about 25 yards but the ball went wide of De Gea’s right upright. Chelsea went in at half time trailing the Red Devils who have never lost a game at Old Trafford in the Premier League era when they lead at the half.

The second half started quite similar to the first half with United dictating the game and they were rewarded after just four minutes into the half attacking the Stretford End. Rashford’s deep free kick from the right side was kept alive by Pogba who then played the ball to Herrera. The 27-year-old then played in Young whose cross was charged down and fell to Kante. The United skipper then managed to win back possession off N’Golo Kante and drove into the penalty area before he was surrounded by a sea of blue shirts. He was crowded out, however the ball broke kindly to Herrera who unleashed a ferocious striker that deflected off Zouma and hit the back of the net. Conte’s team was shell-shocked and just didn’t have an answer to United’s onslaught.

Hoping to turn things around, Conte withdrew Moses and called upon World Cup winner Cesc Fabregas who immediately started to show a bit of aggression. Mourinho decided to act swiftly and introduced Michael Carrick on the hour mark in place of Lingard to add a bit of assurance and calmness to his team. Herrera then passed on the responsibilities of keeping Hazard quiet to the 35-year-old as he sought to have an even bigger impact on the game. Very little changed, despite United dropping a bit deeper and Chelsea enjoying a bit more possession.

Brazilian playmaker Willian entered the game on 66 minutes in place of Matic however his presence did very little to threaten the Eric Bailly-led defensive unit. Rashford was now the only outlet for United and almost put the game out of sight on 69 minutes. The English forward was released down the left by Pogba and with no support and four Chelsea defenders to beat, he used his pace to get pass Luiz. After he entered the penalty area, the 19-year-old showed great strength to hold off the Brazilian defender before forcing a smart save from Begovic low down to this right.

United at this point had gone into a defensive mode however the league leaders lacked the invention and creative spark needed to breakdown a disciplined United defence. Rashford was substituted to a standing ovation from the capacity crowd at Old Trafford as he was replaced by their top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic on 83 minutes. The Swede was used as a focal point as United tried to pick him out every time they broke up play and needed an outlet. By this time the home fans were singing the name of Mourinho as the result was inevitable. Academy graduate Tim Fosu-Mensah replaced Young in stoppage time as the Red Devils came out on top in what was perhaps their best performance of the season.