09:32 PM
67 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Havertz didn’t seem pleased to be hooked. Maybe Pochettino will play him as an eight as he doesn’t favour 10s or false nines.
09:30 PM
65 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Joa Felix ⇢ Mudryk
Pulisic ⇢ Havertz.
09:29 PM
63 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Madueke beats Malacia to head into the United box and then he stands on Casemiro‘s foot and falls over. No penalty.
09:28 PM
61 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
United break quickly up the left and have Chelsea’s centre-backs outnumbered after Madueke is dispossessed high up the pitch. Rashfordraces forward and plays in Bruno to shoot but he, like Sancho at the start of the half, decides to set up Rashford instead and lays the pass behind him. Cue a heartfelt groan.
09:25 PM
59 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Hall brings the ball in from the corner after a short one-two and smashes a wobbling shot straight at De Gea who batters it away at the near post. Mudryk hacks at the rebound, scuffing it into the grass from where it spins erratically but ultimately towards De Gea.
09:23 PM
57 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Rashford is limping but seems OK after a heavy fall. Malacia is booked for a professional foul to stop the game while Rashford was down. From the free-kick, Chelsea earn a corner.
09:22 PM
55 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Mudryk’s teasing cross from the left beats everyone in the penalty area as it whizzes throuygh the six-yard box. Wan-Bissaka heads away the follow-up, bent in from the right.
09:20 PM
53 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Some penalty box pinball which starts with Wan-Bissaka’s shot being blicked at close range and continues with Malacia’s cross from the left beating Kepa but striking Eriksen on the body as it was behind him as he tried to turn it in from three yards. The excitement ends when Azpilicueta scrambles the ball away from the line to Casemiro 18-yards out and he smears his shot wide by about three feet.
09:16 PM
50 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Better from Mudryk when he runs on to Hall’s right-foot pass up the left wing. The Ukraine wide man cuts infield, evades three red shorts but takes it too far across to the right of the D from where he scuffs his shot back across goal and wide.
09:14 PM
48 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Bruno Fernandes crashes a right-foot shot from 18 yards off the crossbar. The chance was made by Lindelof pressing high and blindsiding Gallagher to dispossess him. The Sweden centre-half took two strides forward then threaded a pass to Sancho on the right of the box. Sancho could have shot but instead surprised Chelsea with a short lay-off to his captain who should have scored but chose instead to try and knock the casing off the ball with a torpedo.
09:11 PM
46 min: Man Utd 2 Chelsea 0
Half-time change for United: Malacia ⇢ Shaw.
United kick off attacking the Stretford End now. Varane‘s ball up the inside right for Wan-Bissaka is picked off by Hall and Gallagher but they cannot build a credible attack.
09:05 PM
Not his day
Meanwhile his cousin Jamie Redknapp is grinning broadly during the onfield half-time chat when serenaded with ‘Jamie Redknapp, he’s a w—–‘ over and over again. Once a Liverpool player …
08:58 PM
Half-time: Manchester United 2 Chelsea 0
Chelsea have been the better side in all but finishing, their young midfielders and forwards combining well in the United half. But half the time when they were in great positions they messed up the final pass before the shot, the other half they messed up the finish. United have been clinical by comparison and Casemiro has made one and scored one.
08:53 PM
GOAL!!
Manchester United 2 Chelsea 0 (Martial) Made by a marvellous Casemiro, no-look chip, almost a toe-poke over Chalobah on the left of the Chelsea defence. Sancho had made the run in behind, picks his head up and plays the perfect diagonal pass to isolate Kepa and serve it on a silver platter for Martial who calmly slots it in and raises his right hand to salute.
08:51 PM
45+1 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
The first of six minutes of stoppage time (for Antony’s injury) begins with yet another Chelsea chance. They should be over the hills and far away. For want of a nail = for want of a gold standard finisher. Fernandez slips a pass between Lindelof and Shaw for Gallagehr who opens his body and drags his shot wide of the far post.
Chelsea can’t score but you could bet if United played like this at Wembley, City would be five up.
08:49 PM
44 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Hall traps Madueke’s cross on his chest and lest it fall to shoot … into Wan-Bissaka. Momenst later Gallagher blazes over.
08:47 PM
41 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Mudryk is making Todd Boehly look like King Midas in reverse. Chelsea have exposed Manchester United’s weakness at defending the channels with cute diagonals and this time Havertz slices and dices Varane and Lindelof with a pass to the left of the D. But Mudryk’s touch is so heavy from 18 yards out that he knocks the ball out for a goal-kick.
08:45 PM
39min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Perhaps Fofana did step on the back of Fernandes’s boot:
08:40 PM
37 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Sancho receives a pass to the left of the D, slips it forward stylishly with the sole of the boot, using his studs to shake off Azpilicueta and open a path to goal but the Chelsea captain slides in and creates a barrier and his team-mates rally into the breach to block Sancho’s shot when it finally comes.
08:39 PM
35 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Bruno wants a penalty for what he claims is Fofana’s trip on him but there’s very little evidence, if any, discernible on the replay and VAR. much to his anger, backs Attwell’s original judgment. He doesn’t half make a meal of it, though.
08:37 PM
33 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Blimey! Another golden opportunity for Chelsea after more fine work from Hall down the left. He opened his body to bend the perfect near-post cross into the six-yard box. Havertz made the run and dived at it but failed to twist his neck, ending up heading it towards the corner flag rather than glancing it the other way and on target. There’s more than one way to head a football. Havertz was all brow and power. Needed a snide little eyebrow glancer.
08:34 PM
31 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Chukwuemeka and Havertz work together to send Madueke down the right to cross. Casemiro clears.
08:32 PM
29 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Rashford ⇢ Antony. Sancho switches to the right to accommodate United’s top-scorer.
08:31 PM
27 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Antony cannot go on. Ten Hag looks frustrated and concerned as he pats his winger’s hand as he departs on a stretcher. Left ankle, I think, though he did stand up for a while before agreeing to be carried off.
08:29 PM
24 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Antony is hurt and slams the floor with his hand after making a real hue and cry over a perfectly fair and in fact wonderfully crisp tackle from Chalobah. VAR says no further action required … but there will be by the medics.
08:28 PM
21 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Chelsea corner on the right after Azpilicueta receives treatment for an ankle injury. Madueke floats it deep but Manchester United after a moment of concern hook it clear.
08:24 PM
19 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Antony and his mercurial left-foot threads a glorious pass in from the right for Martial to the left of the D. Like Mudryk at the other end, his first touch lets him doen and instead of sweeping it in, the ball bobbles off his boot and allows Azpilicueta to knock it back to Kepa.
08:22 PM
17 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Casemiro somehow evades a yellow card when he slices through Chukwuemeka who gets up rubbing his sore ankle.
08:21 PM
14 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Gallagher executes a perfect pratfall when about to shoot at the edge of the box. Old Trafford enjoys it greatly and even more so when Antony pelts down the right, cuts back on to his left and rifles a shot wide.
08:19 PM
11 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Another chance for Chelsea as Havertz and Gallagher in tandem run up the centre-right before Gallagher peels to the left of the penalty spot. Gallagher takes up the ideal position for Havertz to slip it to him past Lindelof and he does get it through the centre-half but too far ahead of Gallagher who would otherwise have been one-on-one with De Gea.
08:17 PM
9 min: Man Utd 1 Chelsea 0
Excellent work from Sancho gives Bruno Fernandes the opportunity to double United’s lead when he hares down the inside left and then squares it but his captain can’t trap it and ends up stabbing it inadvertently through to the keeper.
08:08 PM
GOAL!
Manchester United 1 Chelsea 0 (Casemiro) After a VAR check, the goal stands. He stole between Havertz and Fofana at the near post to head in Eriksen’s lovely free-kick from the left. He met it with such impeccable timing and force that Kepa had no chance.
08:08 PM
6 min: Man Utd 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea should be leading. The increasingly impressive Hall is picked out on the left by Fernandez and Gallagher’s good work infield. Hall pelts down the channel between Wan-Bissaka and Varane and squares it to Mudryk who needs a firm side-foot finish to beat De Gea from 12 yards but he scuffs it.
08:06 PM
5 min: Man Utd 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea defend the corner well and counter with a raid up the right that ends with Chukwuemeka, on the right of a central midfield three, making De Gea backpedal as his shot whooshes over the bar.
08:05 PM
3 min: Man Utd 0 Chelsea 0
Casemiro mugs Gallagher and knocks it five yards up to Bruno Fernandes. He plays a one-two but the ball back to him isn’t clean and a Chelsea ricochet gives him another chance. He hooks a pass to the left of the penalty spot for Sancho whose heavy touch allows Azpilicueta time to get back and block the delayed shot.
Corner.
08:03 PM
1 min: Man Utd 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea kick off, attacking the Stretford End. Thought it might be 4-1-4-1 for them but looks more like a 4-3-3. Fofana plays it back to Kepa who chips it up the left for Hall. His header back to Chalobah is miscontrolled by the centre-back but his team-mates help him out.
07:59 PM
The teams are in the tunnel
Both sides in their home kits red/white/black plays blue/blue/white.
07:44 PM
Sky’s stat
With an average age of 23 years and 238 days, this is Chelsea’s youngest ever Premier League starting XI.
07:26 PM
Ten Hag at the Sky podium
You don’t get a point, you have to deserve a point. But for me that can never be an approach for a game, you have to win a game, we want to play in our style, proactive and dynamic. We are in a really good position but we have to get the job done. We have to show a winning attitude and go for it There is a really positive vibe at Carrington, a top culture. [How to catch Manchester City?] We have to set higher standards and get better.
07:21 PM
Lampard speaks to Sky
We’re playing for pride, playing for Chelsea. There’s an opportunity for each individual, there’s a reason in the dressing room for everyone [to be motivated]. There’s a lot of pride at stake. It is a big squad and that has been challenging not just for me but all the managers who have been here. It’s been a difficult balance this year and I’ve obviously come in at the back end of that. The squad size is something the club will address.
There are a lot of standards and basics that have dropped down a level here and that’s what I’d say to the new manager. The basic level before you get to tactics needs to step up again.
07:12 PM
And now for those of you watching in black and white
Manchester United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Lindelof, Shaw; Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Fernandes, Sancho; Martial.
Substitutes Butland, Dalot, Maguire, Malacia, Fred, McTominay, Garnacho, Rashford, Weghorst.
Chelsea: Kepa; Azpilicueta, W Fofana, Chalobah, Hall; Fernandez, Gallagher; Madueke, Chukwuemeka, Mudryk; Havertz.
Substitutes Mendy, Silva, Pulisic, Felix, Loftus-Cheek, Ziyech, Koulibaly, D Fofana, Gilchrist.
Referee Stuart Attwell (Nuneaton).
07:03 PM
Chelsea switch to back four and make three changes
07:01 PM
Rashford returns – but only on the bench
06:09 PM
Preview: Proving a point and London pride
Good evening and welcome to live coverage of Manchester United vs Chelsea, the final match of the penultimate round of Premier League fixtures of the 2022-23 season. That’s a line one would only write at the end of a long season – or if we were paid by the word – but it does reflect a sense that the sparkle has gone and a general feeling of “let’s get it over and done with”.
There are of course, still momentous consequences at stake at the bottom of the table. Here, though, Manchester United can wrap up qualification for the Champions League with a point here or, indeed, against Fulham on Sunday good enough to hold Liverpool’s late charge off.
For Chelsea, who have not won at Old Trafford since a 1-0 victory May 2012-13 when Sir Alex Ferguson’s team were on their victory lap for his (and their) last title, a fortnight after they had won it, only capital pride is at stake. Currently 12th, they cannot affect their worst position in the west London pecking order, finishing third (behind Fulham and Brentford) for the first time since 1982-83. But a point or a victory would take them above Crystal Palace into the London top five going into Sunday, thus avoiding their worst finish among their neighbours since 1988-89 when they won Division Two but finished behind Arsenal. Spurs, QPR, Millwall, Wimbledon, Charlton and West Ham.
I know they consider themselves a global club now but losing face in your own city, losing your connection with your location, is the road to ruin. Frank Lampard, however, drawing to the end of his second spell as Chelsea manager with a record so far of P7 W1 D1 L5 in the league, did not sound particularly confident of getting anything from Old Trafford. His whole pitch to his players seemed to be based on Chris Sutton’s go-to line: “You’re better than that.” He’s obviously hurt by what he has found there but he did sound especially downbeat in a pre-match interview, perhaps a hangover of being completely ignored and swamped by City’s title party on Sunday after Chelsea’s defeat at the Etihad.
“It’s a challenge for them … but they have a chance to show that they are a talented group,” he said. He is right. They have talent but no structure, no patterns of passing, no positional discipline, no confidence and no proper goalscoring threat to rattle opponents’ defences. They have to work very hard to score and, it seems to me, have always had to since they sold Diego Costa. It’s like threading a needle rather than blowing the doors off. Nonetheless, as Lampard says, they have talent in abundance and a more sane squad next season could make rapid progress.
Marcus Rashford is expected to have recovered from illness which kept him out of the last two games to be involved tonight but Manchester United’s long-term casualty list remain sidelined: Lisandro Martinez, Tom Heaton, Donny van de Beek, Marcel Sabitzer and poor old Phil Jones.
For Chelsea Benoit Badiashile joins the absentees: Mason Mount, Marc Cucurella, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, N’Golo Kante and Armando Broja. But Joao Felix and Kalidou Koulibaly are fit to start.
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