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Manchester United misplaced 4-3 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening in what was a chaotic match full of end-to-end motion.
Following a irritating draw away at Brentford, United had been hoping to return to profitable methods with a cheeky away win towards a struggling Chelsea.
United obtained a fast breakthrough inside a minute, as Antony acquired the ball within the field. Whereas he tried to take a shot, he was blocked by Moises Caicedo.
4 minutes in, United’s defence capitulated. Malo Gusto made a by means of ball from the right-hand facet to Connor Gallagher, who grabbed an early lead for Chelsea. Whereas Gusto’s cross took an unlucky deflection, the defence clearly failed with their marking as Gallagher was allowed to race into the field unattended.
Antony tried a curling effort from the sting of the field to try to degree the scoreline, nonetheless his effort was caught by Dorde Petrovic.
Whereas United continued launching counter-attacks, they appeared predictable, with the defence simply reducing out every effort.
Following a Chelsea nook, Marc Cucurella had a major alternative to attain when he collected the ball on the fringe of the field, solely as well it excessive.
Moments later, Nicholas Jackson was on the assault, threatening United’s defence but once more when Raphael Varane did effectively to intercept.
16 minutes in, Kobbie Mainoo did effectively to ship a threatening cross into the field, which Alejandro Garnacho sadly wasted by blasting the ball excessive.
A minute later, catastrophe struck but once more, when Chelsea launched a counter. Antony’s knee made contact within the field with Cucurella, with the referee awarding a penalty.
Cole Palmer stepped as much as take the penalty, sending Andre Onana diving the flawed solution to double the house facet’s lead. A horrific begin to the evening for United, significantly towards a group in twelfth place on the Premier League desk.
Following the restart, Diogo Dalot carelessly caught his leg out to foul Palmer on the sting of the field. He could be relieved that Axel Disasi’s header floated over the crossbar. But once more, Dalot was at fault, permitting Disasi to blaze previous him unmarked.
With quarter-hour left till half-time, United appeared to kick issues up a gear as Dalot’s shot was deflected for a nook. Whereas Bruno Fernandes’ nook was headed out of the field, Dalot collected the unfastened ball solely to fireside huge.
United earned a free kick on the sting of the field, with Fernandes’ effort blocked by the wall. The ball fell to Mainoo, who unleashed a venomous strike from distance that the keeper struggled to carry onto.
Three minutes later, Alejandro Garnacho capitalised on a Chelsea defensive error to place the ball previous the keeper into the underside proper nook of the online, pulling one aim again for United. Immediately, it appeared that the guests had been again within the sport with a combating likelihood.
Minutes later, nonetheless, Chelsea had been again on the assault, with Enzo Fernandez taking a quickfire shot that Onana did effectively to parry. Clearly, United can not afford to lose focus.
A second later, United had been again on the assault, with Dalot expertly directing a cross into the far nook of the field for Bruno Fernandes to go dwelling United’s second, levelling the scoreline.
The thrill refused to finish, with Chelsea again on the assault as Mudryk took a shot that Onana did effectively to carry onto.
5 minutes of added time had been introduced, with Chelsea but once more pressuring United of their remaining third till Gusto was dominated offside.
On the stroke of half-time, Gallagher got here inside inches of scoring once more when his shot slammed into the upright. Raphael Varane started to expertise discomfort, triggering concern from United’s bench as his additional involvement within the match was introduced into query.
In the end, he remained on the sector because the referee blew for half-time, bringing a pause to a match that had up to now been full of end-to-end motion.
Jonny Evans changed the struggling Varane, beginning the second half for United. Regardless of the harm setback, Erik ten Hag’s group got here out weapons blazing for the second half, streaming into Chelsea’s remaining third. Even Harry Maguire obtained in on the motion, taking a shot that skimmed over the crossbar.
Enzo Fernandez and Palmer loved a fast one-two, simply beating United’s defence just for Evans to dam Fernandez’ shot.
It appeared that the end-to-end soccer was set to proceed within the second half, with United bringing an finish to Chelsea’s assault after which countering themselves. Whereas an honest transfer, Fernandes skied his shot from shut vary, losing a major goalscoring alternative.
In what gave the impression to be Sunday League-level defending from Chelsea, Rasmus Hojlund reduce out a cross by Disasi and took a shot that was deflected out for a nook. Each groups’ antics continued, with Casemiro heading the ball over the crossbar.
Given either side’ frequently rising checklist of errors, it appeared as if the winner could be the one who capitalises extra typically on the opposite group’s errors.
Palmer reduce into the field and took an opportunistic strike, with Onana making a full-stretch save to tip the ball over the crossbar.
Within the sixty fifth minute, Willy Kambwala got here on for Evans, who appeared to undergo an harm of his personal, whereas Marcus Rashford changed Rasmus Hojlund. Clearly, United have a lot work to do with a purpose to higher handle their gamers’ accidents, particularly in defence.
Moments later, Antony confirmed nice imaginative and prescient to play an ingenious cross by means of to Garnacho, who scored his second aim of the evening to seize the lead for United after being two targets down. But once more this season, United seemed to have pulled off an unlikely comeback, going 3-2 forward after being 2-0 down after 19 minutes of play.
With quarter-hour to play, Scott McTominay got here on to exchange Casemiro. United’s joint prime scorer within the league, McTominay could be raring to seize one other to increase his group’s lead.
Chelsea continued pushing for an equaliser through the closing phases of the match, with Kambwala doing effectively to dam a cross earlier than heading the next nook out of hazard. With six minutes to play, Garnacho got here off to applause from the United followers and a barrage of boos by the house followers, substituted for former Chelsea participant Mason Mount.
The house facet continued to push, tenting in United’s penalty field just for the defence to carry regular, thereby denying the house group any sight of aim.
Following a number of ineffective corners by Chelsea, Noni Madueke determined to attempt his luck from lengthy vary, with Onana comfortably catching the shot.
Because the match entered eight minutes of stoppage time, United did effectively to take care of possession, thereby irritating Chelsea and influencing a foul on Fernandes to earn a helpful free kick within the dwelling group’s half.
With simply three minutes left to play, Dalot pulled down Madueke within the field at hand Chelsea a penalty. But once more, Palmer marched to the penalty spot, but once more sending Onana the flawed manner.
Simply when it appeared that the match was at an finish, Palmer scored but once more barely after the restart, with a nasty deflection off McTominay, leaving United wanting shellshocked. With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford within the stands, Ten Hag’s job could possibly be in even larger jeopardy after this outcome.
Beginning XI: Onana, Maguire, Fernandes, Hojlund, Garnacho, Casemiro, Varane, Dalot, Antony, Wan-Bissaka, Mainoo
Subs: Evans, Kambwala, Rashford, McTominay, Mount
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