Red Devils seal top-four spot in style
Lineups:
Man United (4-2-3-1, right to left): De Gea (GK) — Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Lindelof, Shaw (Malacia) — Casemiro, Eriksen (Fred) — Antony (Rashford), Fernandes (McTominay), Sancho — Martial (Garnacho)
Chelsea (4-3-3, right to left): Kepa (GK) — Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Fofana, Hall — Gallagher (D. Fofana), Fernandez, Chukwuemeka (Loftus-Cheek) — Madueke (Ziyech), Havertz (Felix), Mudryk (Pulisic)
Man United turn on the style in tribute to Ten Hag's work
United have made a habit for much of this season, certainly in recent months, of winning games by a less comfortable margin than they should. While the defence is often sound — De Gea has already won the Golden Glove award for the most clean sheets, with 17 and counting — Ten Hag has often been frustrated by his side's inability to kill matches.
Today, there was no such concern.
United ended the game with 5.14 expected goals, which is the highest such figure of any side in a single Premier League game this season (according to Opta data). They should really have scored at least two more than they managed, and several promising attacks broke down even before a shot was attempted, but this was still a promising step forward in Ten Hag's work.
Man United vs Chelsea live updates,
89th min: GOAL! Chelsea have at least something to cheer about! Hakim Ziyech volleys a fine pass to Joao Felix, who suddenly has space to run at the United defence. Nobody closes him down, so he drills a shot past De Gea and into the bottom-left corner. The man to the left of the Sporting News' media seat has his head in his hands — that goal ruins a promising bet.
78th min: GOAL! It's four for United! Fofana gives up possession on the edge of the Chelsea box, Fernandes knocks it sideways to Rashford, who dummies superbly to leave the defender bamboozled. Kepa gets a touch on his first effort, but Rashford only has to tap the rebound home
Manchester United will be playing Champions League football next season! A blistering attacking display has put Chelsea to the sword and guaranteed they will finish at least fourth in the table, although they are now third heading into the final day. Lampard gets a warm reception from the visiting fans, who just want to see the back of this season now.
75th min: There was a scuffle after the penalty, in which Fernandez seemed to take exception to something Fernandes said or did. After a bit of a shoving match involving a group of players, Fernandez and Malacia are booked.
73rd min: GOAL! No mistake from Fernandes — he waits for Kepa to start moving to his right before rolling the ball into the net to the keeper's left.
72nd min: PENALTY! Fernandes nutmegs Fofana, who hangs out a boot and clips United man's foot. The referee has a think about it before awarding the spot-kick. Fernandes will take it...
70th min: Two changes for United as Garnacho and Fred come on for Martial and Eriksen. Chelsea fan have started a chorus of "You're nothing special, we lose every week".
67th min: United fans roar their approval as Casemiro, having matched Fernandez stride for stride as he broke forward, makes an inch-perfect sliding tackle. The Brazilian is then annoyed that Wan-Bissaka couldn't stop the ball going out of play.
64th min: USMNT star Christian Pulisic is on for Mudryk, who tried hard but again failed to make a telling impact in a Chelsea shirt. Joao Felix is also on for the visitors.
61st min: End-to-end stuff as Rashford leads a counter-attack, slips it to Fernandes, but yet another Man United cut-back is behind the intended target! Chelsea go down the other end and Madueke goes to ground as Casemiro blocks his path, but no amount of anger from the visiting fans is going to make that a penalty.
59th min: Hall exchanges a short corner with Fernandez, drives into the box and blasts a shot straight at De Gea. Mudryk tries his luck from the loose ball on the edge of the area, but it deflects up into the air and the United keeper collects.
45 + 4 mins: Fernandes spreads the play to Sancho, who drives into the Chelsea box but pulls the ball back behind Eriksen, and the chance is gone. A supporter near the media area makes his feelings about that quite clear.
45 + 1 mins: Another big chance goes begging for Chelsea! It's a brilliant run from Madueke, a fine throughball from Fernandez, but Gallagher drags his shot just wide of David de Gea's right-hand post. Lampard will be very happy with how his side have played here, but taking chances remains a problem.
43rd min: Lewis Hall pops up in the United box but Wan-Bissaka blocks his shot. Chelsea look the sharper team at the moment, and the Red Devils seem to be happy to hold on until halftime.
40th min: Chelsea work the ball from the right, Fernandez feeds it to Mudryk in the penalty area, but his touch is so heavy it goes out for a goal kick. Fernandez throws his arms up in the air.
38th min: The game seems to have shifted down a gear. United are happy to keep the ball and Chelsea aren't pressing too high, although they are at least attacking with purpose when they win it back.
33rd min: Fernandes goes down in the Chelsea box after Fofana clipped his heel, but the officials are unmoved. A penalty would have been very harsh.
27th min: Antony can't continue. He's just tried to put weight on his right ankle but it's clearly painful. Rashford comes on to replace him.
24th min: Wan-Bissaka puts the ball out so Antony can receive treatment. Chalobah clearly won the ball with a sliding tackle on the edge of the Chelsea box, but the United winger seems hurt. This might be serious.
19th min: Martial is having a shocker here! Eriksen's volley forward gives United a three-on-one, Antony finds the United striker, but he takes a touch rather than shoot first time and Azpilicueta gets a toe on the ball to knock it back to Kepa. A huge chance wasted for 2-0.
16th min: United have had three or four attacks break down because of a poor touch from Martial. Ten Hag will be frustrated if they cannot build on this early lead.
14th min: Chelsea have reacted well to going behind but they can't quite work a way through the United defence. On the break, Antony drives infield from the right, but his shot is poor.
10th min: A chance for Chelsea to equalise! Madueke plays through Havertz, but his cut-back is just too strong for Conor Gallagher to reach.
6th min: GOAL! Man United take the lead! Christian Eriksen floats a free-kick from the left wing into the box, Casemiro rises unchallenged and steers a header high into the net past Kepa. There was a long VAR check for offside, but the goal stands!
It’s two goals in two games for the Brazilian! Watch LIVE | watchoptus.tv/PL-MUNCHE-23 #PL #OptusSport
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