Welcome to The42’s live coverage of a crucial game in the Fight for Champions League Football, which is currently being fought with all the calm, level-headed poise of a scrap outside a chipper on a Saturday night.
Chelsea’s trip to Old Trafford comes after defeats for both Spurs and Arsenal, with United today avoiding the latter’s fate by losing three league games in a week.
This game is the last of the Top Six battles this season, which guarantees that at least one of the sides slugging it out for third and fourth will pick up a point this weekend.
Get in touch with us by commenting below the line, tweeting @gcooney93 or emailing gavincooney@the42.ie.
Kick off is at 4.30pm, and team news is imminent, but until then please enjoy this video of a Premier League side trying to establish themselves in fourth place.
This Sheffield United fan after winning promotion today😂 pic.twitter.com/n9DjdhtVBS
— Away Days Videos (@AwayDaysVideos) April 27, 2019
Team news
Loads of changes again for United.
Eric Bailly is in for Matteo Darmian, Herrera and Matic are in midfield with Pogba instead of Andreas and Fred, while Mata and Lukaku partner Rashford in attack. Lingard and Smalling drop out.
Marcos Alonso returns for Chelsea, with Gonzalo Higuain up front and Eden Hazard on the left of the attacking trident.
There have been reports of a cheer from the few inside Old Trafford an hour before kick-off: as Sergio Aguero has put City ahead against Burnley.
Here’s the top four picture as it stands ahead of kick-off. With Spurs wobbling badly and Arsenal seemingly intent on blowing it, there’s a big, big chance for the winners of this game.
A draw wouldn’t be a terrible result for Chelsea, but it is must-win for United.
Juan Mata starts against his former side, in what may be one of his final appearances for Manchester United. Can he make the difference?
Elsewhere, it’s all over at Turf Moor. Manchester City have beaten Burnley 1-0, and are two wins from the title.
While Solskjaer tried to draw on something hopelessly abstract by training at The Cliff for the Man City game, he has been inspired by something more tangible for today’s game: Rashford and Lukaku playing ahead of a midfield diamond of Matic, Herrera, Pogba and Mata mirrors the selection for the FA Cup win at Stamford Bridge in February.
The only difference for Chelsea from that game, by the way, is the selection of Willian over Pedro.
Here’s the past United/Chelsea game we’ve decided to exhume ahead of kick-off, featuring a Nani howitzer, a comedy Rooney penalty and that Torres miss.
Manager talk:
Solskjaer says that, if United win, they’ll make top four. “It’s crazy really. For us it’s a massive opportunity. We’ve been given some hope.”
Maurizio Sarri, meanwhile, says that “we need to win two matches in the last three.”
He adds that Chelsea aren’t able to play for a draw, as it’s not in the squad’s characteristics.
Solskjaer got the entire squad together last night ahead of this game, with Sky’s David Jones asking Gary Neville whether this is unsual.
Neville says this is either a “farewell bash or spirit-building”…and settles on the latter.
Five minutes to kick-off at Old Trafford. If you’ve been out of the loop today, here’s a taster of what’s been happening today.
- Sergio Aguero and 21 millimetres put Man City back to the top of the league at Turf Moor.
- Arsenal continued to Spurs It Up, this time at Leicester.
- Leeds’ officially missed out on automatic promotion because of a goal Marcelo Bielsa ordered his players to concede. Yep, it was another mental day in the Championship.
Teams are strolling onto the pitch.
KICK OFF: We’re underway!
It’s a midfield diamond for United; the same system and personnel as played the 2-0 FA Cup win at Stamford Bridge in February.
First flash of danger from Hazard, as he skims a low cross across the box for Kante. Shaw crunches into the midfielder to make an important block.
Chance! Lukaku is released over the top by a hoof from Shaw, and as he bears down on Kepa, he checks back onto his left foot and under pressure from the recovering Rudiger, has his belated shot blocked by Kepa. The resulting corner comes to nowt.
United have started really well, with Rashford dropping off and buzzing around to cause Chelsea trouble. Some neat link-up play with Lukaku and Mata forces Alonso into good corrective action in the penalty area.
Kante, used to breaking up the 0pponent’s attacks, thwarts Chelsea’s: they had numbers countering at pace but a heavy touch overruns the ball and allows Matic sweep up for United. Good pace to this game so far.
More good link-up play from United, this time between Lukaku and Shaw. The latter’s driven cross into the box is blocked by Rudiger. It’s all United in the first 10 minutes here.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Chelsea (Mata)
A fully deserved lead for United, and it’s a gorgeous goal. Lukaku drops to the edge of the box to the prod the ball into the sky, which then drops onto the foot of the sprinting Shaw, who pulls the ball back from the endline to Mata, who finishes first time with his right foot. A nice birthday present for Mata, who doesn’t go in for any of the non-celebration celebration shtick. Chelsea haven’t got off the bus yet.
The Chelsea defence are getting the run-around here, particularly from Lukaku. David Luiz looks to be in rake-stepping form.
Herrera scythes down Hazard as the Belgian accelerates to goal. Free-kick Chelsea, central, 30 yards out. David Luiz looks interested….
In the end Alonso gets a crack at…and he spoons the ball into the Stretford End with his left foot.
Mata takes his goal.
Chelsea have slowly begun to get into this game. Kante wins a corner that definitely didn’t look like a corner.
They’ve now won another: Hazard’s shot deflecting off Mata. It’s been headed away by Pogba, and Jorginho haplessly shoots wide from the rebound.
Ander Herrera does really well to dispossess Hazard down Chelsea’s left-wing.
Chelsea bossing possession now. A long ball into the box for Kante breaks for Higuain, who sees his shot blocked. Willian then cuts in from the right to take a shot, which is deflected behind for a corner by Bailly. That corner is then floated high for an unmarked Jorginho on the edge of the box…and he screws a volley wide.
Chelsea continue to hog the ball, but they are just passing the ball side-to-side with little penetration. At the other end, Young breaks and sees his low cross dealt with by David Luiz at the near post.
Higuain slumps his shoulders in the box as Azpilicueta’s cross is cleared by Lindelof. It’s all Chelsea.
United break, Lukaku slips the ball through for Rashford, who wins a corner off Azpilicueta. This almost leads to some Chelsea comedy, as Rudiger’s header bounces off the back of Alonso’s head, and is hacked away by Azpilicueta. Another United corner.
Oooooof. Another chance for United: Bailly’s header from Shaw’s corner is narrowly wide of Kepa’s left-hand post.
A potential Chelsea counter attack is foiled as Higuain clumsily strayed offside. It’s just about the only bit of movement we’ve seen from him thus far.
Lukaku, meanwhile, has been industrious for United, but he looks fairly knackered already.
More good play from United, Mata’s smart run in between the lines ends with a fizzed shot at Kepa. This has been United’s best performance in weeks. (Okay, faint praise).
Lukaku has just swatted Azpilicueta off the ball with his shoulder. That stokes a reaction from the crowd: he is very much up for this. This game has ebbed and flowed, and now it’s United in control, but looking much more dangerous.
Hazard cuts in from the left wing, beckons for Higuain to, y’know, move. He doesn’t, Hazard is forced to pass the ball backwards and gives Higuain a withering look.
Matic gets away with a flailing elbow that caught Azpilicueta in the face. Lucky boy.
Sky, meanwhile, are showing replays of Azpiliceuta’s contonued trajectory after that Lukaku shoulder. He was sent skittering from the pitch, and into the club’s photographer, who ends up flattened.
Alonso does really well at the back post, heading away a delicious Mata cross that was intended for the loitering Lindelof.
The resulting corner finds Lukaku in oceans of space in the box, but his cross in reply is headed away by Alonso. United get the ball back quickly, though, as their outlet up front is the stoically stationary Higuain.
Azpiliceuta is getting a roasting. Now he gets a stern talking to from referee Martin Atkinson for hacking down Pogba. Young’s free-kick comes to nothing. Herrera, meanwhile, is booked for a foul on Alonso.
Goal! Manchester United 1 -1 Chelsea (Alonso)
Oh my word, David De Gea. It’s another howler. Rudiger lazily shoots directly at him from 40 yards, and although it’s a tame effort, he parries the ball in front of him and is very slow to get up to deal with it. In the meantime, Marcos Alonso pounced on the rebound, and steered the ball in off the post. A goal out of nothing.
United respond to De Gea’s error well, forcing a corner, which ends in Eric Bailly trying an overhead kick. It comes to…nothing.
Half-time: Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea
David De Gea has spent years redeeming bad Man United performances, but today he has ruined quite a good one. United have been energetic and cohesive, with Lukaku, Pogba, Mata and Rashford all linking up well. Chelsea have had lots of the ball but with Hazard on the outskirts of the game and Higuain disinterested in it, they didn’t look like scoring until De Gea handed them a goal. Credit must go to Alonso for a clever finish from a tight angle, mind.
“He needs the summer” said Gary Neville of De Gea. His teammates need at least another goal…and perhaps more given their goalkeeper’s curiously rotten form.
Back in 15.
The Tribulations of David De Gea
Kick-off: Second-half underway!
On the goal, De Gea seemed to Be Caught In Two Minds. He initially shaped to catch the Rudiger shot, but changed his mind at the last second, and it all ended in calamity. He went off to his name ringing around Old Trafford, which is a nice touch from the United fans. His confidence is shot at the moment, and it may be time to patent the phrase An Uncharacteristic David De Gea Error.
Gary Neville’s heart is bleeding for De Gea, here. “I feel for him” says GNev, amid a three-minute oration in support of the ‘keeper. Nothing else has happened since we resumed.
Matic is lucky to get away with a foul on Hazard, as those free-moving elbows clashed with the Belgian’s cheek as he stepped across him. Instead, Kante is penalised for a foul on Bailly seconds later. Rashford over the ball…
…and Kepa shows De Gea how to do it, by confidently gathering Rashford’s low strike.
Willian has his hands in the air in exasperation: he has been booked for a foul on Mata as United countered.
Herrera buys a foul, clattered by Kovacic when he was going nowhere. Kovacic is then booked for blootering the ball away. Silly x2.
The free-kick skids along the penalty area to Eric Bailly, who shoots tamely at Kepa. Harmless stuff, but it has stoked another roar from Old Trafford. United in the ascendancy again.
Hazard drifts in off the left wing and shoots optimistically…he wins a corner off Ashley Young’s boot.
Bailly clears said corner.
Higuain and Hazard link up, the ball breaks for Willian on the right, who fizzes a low cross straight at De Gea. He gathers…with a small hint of a fumble.
Kovacic fouls Herrera. Howls from Old Trafford, but no second booking for the Chelsea man. He’s walking a thin line…
Hazard jinks down the left wing and plays the ball to Higuain’s feet…which were missing in action as the striker wanted the ball in behind. Both gesture in annoyance at each other. They have zero chemistry.
Rudiger is down on the grass, clutching the left knee he injured at Anfield a few weeks ago. He’s gone now, helped from the pitch. Andreas Christensen is coming on in his stead, but Chelsea making do with ten men for now…
Uh-oh. David Luiz is down injured too, clutching his groin. Just as Christensen jogs on.
Meanwhile, Rashford has limped off for United: he’s replaced by [checks notes] a squad player called Alexis Sanchez.
Ha! We may have been fooled by some very amateur Luiz theatrics. He seems to be fine, and just dropped to the floor to justify a stoppage in play to allow Christensen come on for Chelsea.
United defending scrappily now, with chances to shoot in the box for both Kante and Hazard. Bailly flew in two-footed toward Alonso, and was perhaps lucky to miss everything.
Bailly’s luck lasted about 30 seconds, and he is writhing in agony on the floor. Kovacic, dribbling to goal and chopped down by Herrera, fell on the lunging Bailly, who seems to have twisted his knee in a bad way. He’ll leave the pitch on a stretcher, and it looks like he will be replaced by Marcos Rojo.
As we wait, here are some images of De Gea’s latest ‘mare.
Stretcher not needed for Bailly in the end, but he is helped from the field by two of United’s medical staff, limping very gingerly. He has had no luck injury-wise at United, and looks unlikely to play again this season. Rojo on.
Willian whips the long-delayed free-kick over the bar.
The game has sundered and become very scrappy now, with lengthy delays as Rudiger, Rashford and Bailly left through injury. Chelsea have resumed better, however, and have forced a corner off Rojo.
A very tired-looking Lukaku is playing toward the left wing now for United.
RedCardInWaiting Kovacic is subbed off by Sarri, for Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
United win a throw-in near the corner flag. Big roar around Old Trafford. Pogba fizzes a cross across the box which Kepa gathers confidently.
This injury-interrupted second half hasn’t been half dreary. Will we see some late drama? United need some to go in their favour…
Eek. Loftus-Cheek sends a simple five-yard pass to Hazard right out of play. Rojo, meanwhile, makes a superb tackle on Higuain, and three seconds later he lunges in two-footed on Willian. He’s been booked; he should have been off.
Willian is limping very gingerly, but he might just be able to continue.
Matic sends a cross-field ball over Sanchez’ head and out of play. Mata is replaced by Scott McTominay.
United, having been energetic and convincing in the first-half, have totally lost their way in the second-half and barely strung two passes together. Hazard has been kept quiet for Chelsea, though, and they don’t look like scoring without his central involvement.
Sanzhez almost releases Lukaku with a ball over the top, but Christensen covers well. Willian has had to go off, meanwhile, so Pedro is on. That means Higuain will have to plod his way through a whole 90 minutes. His movement so far is best described as…tectonic.
On the edge of the box, Alonso does really well to cut out a clever Pogba through ball for Lukaku, who is back playing up front after a sojourn on the left-wing.
*Stifles yawn* this second-half has been rubbish. United have lost their way; Chelsea never found theirs.
Pedro fires a shot over the crossbar at the end of a scrappy move in which each side lost and won the ball.
Ashley Young is booked now, throwing the ball away in disgust as the referee gives Loftus-Cheek a free-kick. He had tackled Herrera, and the ball got stuck beneath him. Herrera briefly walked off the pitch in disgust, but he’s back now. Probably couldn’t bear the thought of watching this dross.
Life, life at last! Hazard’s penalty area shot is blocked by McTominay! Sanchez has been cleaned out by Azpiliecueta! We have seven added minutes!
McTominay slips the ball behind the Chelsea defence for Lukaku, who shoo- ah, he’s offside.
McTominay means business. He has slalomed his way into Azpiliecueta and won a corner.
Off the line! Rojo had a free header, and Pedro nodded it away under his own crossbar; So close for United!
Loftus-Cheek, who has been dreadful, screws a shot high and wide.
Higuain has been caught offside for the 459th time. Then Lukaku is caught offside for the 392nd time. Neither are fit enough to play a full game at this level.
Late pressure from Chelsea, but Lindelof disposses Hazard and United break to a roar. Then Pogba slips on his arse, United give the ball away and Pedro scampers down the right-wing, in loads of space. His low cross for Hazard is cleared by Young. Still Chelsea turn the screw…
…big save de Gea: he blocks a one-on-one with Higuain.
Full-time: Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea
And that’s it. The full-time is greeted with a few boos amid a wider silence at Old Trafford. It’s a draw that suits Chelsea, with Solskajer admitting pre-game his side needed to win. That’s not happened, as his side never recovered from De Gea’s blunder. Chelsea weren’t up to much, but they didn’t need to do a whole lot to stop United from scoring in the second-half.
Thanks for following our coverage, bye.
