REPORT: CHELSEA 1 UNITED 1
Manchester United picked up a hard-fought point against league-leaders Chelsea on Sunday in a high-intensity encouter at Stamford Bridge.
Jadon Sancho’s early second-half goal was cancelled out by a penalty from Jorginho, whose mistake had led to us taking the lead, as the Reds were forced to share the spoils in West London.
The result sees caretaker manager Michael Carrick earn his first point in the Premier League to follow the Champions League victory in midweek.
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FIRST HALF – RESOLUTE REDS
Chelsea’s attacking unit started brightly, creating a couple of chances in the opening five minutes. The first saw Hakim Ziyech strike one on the turn in the area, although right at David De Gea. Callum Hudson-Odoi then also saw an effort well-saved as he drove into the box having received a Marcos Alonso knock-down.
United’s first chance of the evening fell to Bruno Fernandes as the Reds got forward, but on trying one from range he pulled his effort wide of Mendy’s right-hand post. Meanwhile Alonso might have threatened De Gea’s goal at the back post as a cross just cleared the leaping Aaron Wan-Bissaka, but fortunately the Spaniard wasn’t able to control it.
On the half-hour mark Antonio Rudiger fired one from 25-yards that that crashed off the crossbar. Replays showed it might have snuck in the top corner if not for a very fine touch from the fingertips of De Gea.
The Reds then had a penalty shout towards the end of the half when Fred knocked the ball past Rudiger in the box. As the Brazilian gave chase the defender blocked his run, appearing to body check Fred who fell to the floor. However Anthony Taylor waved away appeals for a spot-kick, with VAR seemingly uninterested too.
The final action before the break saw De Gea once again involved as a curling cross from a Reece James free-kick missed everyone in the crowd waiting for it, but the ball bounced awkwardly and needed the Spaniard’s hand to turn it away from going in.
SECOND HALF – SANCHO STRIKES
Less than five minutes into the second 45 and United were in front. A Fernandes clearance from deep was miscontrolled by Jorginho on the halfway line dropping right into the path of the on-running Sancho who was ready to pounce. Through on goal and supported by Rashford, Sancho coolly converted into the bottom corner for his second goal in a week and his first Premier League strike.
As Chelsea looked to comeback quickly at the Reds, Timo Werner had a golden chance to level the scores when a corner dropped to him in the area, but the German fluffed his lines by wildly striking the ball wide.
Following a flurry of set-plays, Thomas Tuchel’s side were awarded a penalty as Thiago Silva got to the ball before Aaron Wan-Bissaka and went down. Jorginho then duly converted from 12 yards, sending De Gea the wrong way with his usual skipping run-up.
Wan Bissaka put in an important block when Werner tried a shot from inside the box a little over 10 minutes from time, with the striker being replaced by former Red Romelu Lukaku a short while later as the home side tried to carve out a winner.
Fred might have clinched it when Edouard Mendy played an errant pass, but the Blues keeper atoned his mistake by saving the midfielder’s attempted chip. A frantic five minutes of added time saw chances at both ends, including a glorious opportunity for Rudiger in the dying seconds, but neither team could find the decisive touch.
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MATCH DETAILS
Chelsea: Mendy; James, Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Alonso (Mount 78); Jorginho (c), Loftus-Cheek; Ziyech, Werner (Lukaku 82), Hudson-Odoi (Pulisic 78).
Subs not used: Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Saul, Barkley, Havertz.
Goal: Jorginho 69 (pen)
Booked: James, Jorginho.
United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Lindelof, Telles; Matic, McTominay, Fred, Fernandes (c) (van de Beek 89); Sancho (Ronaldo 64), Rashford (Lingard 77).
Subs not used: Henderson, Dalot, Jones, Mata, Greenwood, Martial.
Goal: Sancho 50
Booked: McTominay, Rashford, Fernandes, Ronaldo, Bailly.
