A late header from Casemiro earned Manchester a 1-1 at Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening. Chelsea and Manchester United were both looking for wins after their own respective midweek games against Brentford and Tottenham.
As expected, Cristiano Ronaldo was excluded after his indiscipline from the benches previously, and Marcus Rashford started up front, but both he and Antony squandered good chances as the away side dominated the first half.
In the second period, Raphael Varane left the pitch in tears after suffering an injury when he caught his studs in the pitch, with fears that his place at next month’s Qatar World Cup could well be in doubt.
Chelsea almost took the lead a quarter of an hour later when Trevoh Chalobah rattled the bar with a powerful header at the back post as the home side enjoyed a dominant period.
With six minutes of normal time remaining, Scott McTominay dragged substitute Armando Broja to the ground from a corner, conceding a penalty. Jorginho stepped up to score, before Casemiro’s header dramatically rescued a point on 94 minutes.
The result sees Chelsea stay fourth with United in fifth behind them.
TALKING POINT – CHELSEA’S SQUAD SHOWS UP UNITED’S WEAKNESSES
When Chelsea made changes they were able to bring on Mateo Kovacic and Christian Pulisic, while Erik ten Hag turned to Fred and Scott McTominay.
You cannot fault the effort from the latter two, but they simply do not have the quality or guile to win games – and it was McTominay’s indiscipline that lost this one for his manager.
With Cristiano Ronaldo set to leave and the winter transfer window months away, there is more upheaval on the cards for United but it will not come soon enough.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – KEPA ARRIZABALAGA (CHELSEA)
The Chelsea ‘keeper was under pressure for most of the first half but he was equal to the challenge in both periods of the game. Shots from close range and from distance meant that when it came to the penalty with minutes remaining, it looked as if Jorginho was able to win the game with his spot-kick, only for Casemiro to intervene.
PLAYER RATINGS
Chelsea: Kepa 7, Chalobah 6, Thiago Silva 6, Cucurella 5, Azpilicueta 6, Loftus-Cheek 6, Jorginho 7, Chilwell 6, Mount 6, Aubameyang 6, Sterling 5. Subs: Chukwuemeka 6, Kovacic 6, Pulisic 6, Broja 6,
Man Utd: De Gea 6, Dalot 6, Varane 6, Martinez 7, Shaw 5, Casemiro 7, Eriksen 6, Fernandes 6, Antony 6, Sancho 5, Rashford 6. Subs: Lindelof 6, Fred 5, McTominay 5, Elanga 6.
KEY EVENTS
28’ – KEPA SAVE – The best chance of the match so far as Fernandes sets up Rashford, but he can’t beat Kepa with his effort.
45’ – A HUGE MISS – Antony is on for a chance as he slices a shot wide of goal. His right foot is really a weakness.
74’ – CHALOBAH HITS THE BAR – A corner from the left to the back post, and the defender beats De Gea and rattles the top of the goal frame.
84’ – PENALTY! – From the corner, McTominay grabs Broja and drags him to the ground. Pretty clear-cut.
87’ – GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 MAN UTD – JORGINHO SCORES – The Italian strides up and watches De Gea dive out of the way. That should win it for Chelsea.
GOAL! CHELSEA 1-1 MAN UTD – CASEMIRO SCORES – McTominay rises at the back post, but it’s a lunging Casemiro who reaches a deep cross that Kepa gets a touch too, but can’t keep it out of the goal as it bounces off the post.
