Chelsea fell by the minimum to Manchester United in a gray match. Enzo Fernandez was the best, Garnacho was booed by his own fans, and Cunha scored the winning goal. The Blues move further and further away from the Champions.
The match started without much emotion, somewhat bogged down since both teams want to take the victory to continue with their respective aspirations of the season. Sadly for Chelsea, the first notable situation was due to the injury of young Estevao, who had returned from an injury a couple of games ago, so alarms are sounding for the club from West London. We will have to wait for the medical report to know in detail what the Brazilian player suffered. Garnacho came on in his place.
With the entrance of the Argentine, the visiting fans took it upon themselves to remind the player every time he touched the ball that they are not happy with the way he left the club a few months ago, booing him every chance they got.
Perhaps the most important chance fell to Enzo Fernandez, who received the ball on the edge of the penalty area, shook off a defender, and unleashed a curving shot toward Lammens' far post. Unfortunately for him, the ball didn't curve enough and grazed the outside of the post.
After another shot from Enzo, which Lammens saved poorly by giving up a rebound to the center, the ball fell to Palmer, who only had to pass it to Delap to leave him in front of the goal to score. But to the Red Devils' fortune, there was a previous offside by Palmer himself, so the goal did not go on the scoreboard, and the score remained at zero.
Despite having had a forgettable first half, Bruno Fernandes pulled a precise cross into the area out from under his sleeve, and Cunha took advantage to finish into the corner, which Robert Sanchez could do nothing about, and that's how United went into the break with a minimal lead.
The excitement in the second half arrived in the 67th minute. After a cross from Pedro Neto, Fofana tried to head the ball, but Mazraoui instead headed it with his shoulder, and it hit the crossbar, inches away from being an own goal that would have leveled the score between the Blues and the Red Devils.
In general terms, a bad match for Chelsea, with very little punch, crosses, and shots on goal without danger. Their main attacking weapons, Enzo and Palmer, have been able to do little to penetrate Manchester United's (makeshift) defense. Garnacho, since coming onto the field for the injured Estevao, has not generated any dangerous plays, only turnovers, which is why the fans are already making their discontent known every time the Argentine receives the ball.
The second half has spent more time in the midfield controlling possession rather than in the penalty areas. The Blues are desperately trying to tie the match. Neto keeps sending crosses from the wing, which are being cut out effectively by the Red Devils' defense. Caicedo unleashed a powerful shot from outside the area, which grazed the right post of the goal. United is currently playing on the counterattack.
The match is over. A minimal victory for Manchester United, and Chelsea falls even further down in the European spots of the Premier League. They see the possibility of playing Champions League next season as increasingly distant.
Chelsea Player Ratings
R. Sanchez: 6.4
M. Gusto: 7.0
W. Fofana: 7.0
J. Hato: 7.0
M. Cucurella: 6.5
M. Caicedo: 7.0
E. Fernandez: 7.6
A. Garnacho: 6.9
C. Palmer: 6.7
P. Neto: 6.9
L. Delap: 6.5
Manchester United Player Ratings
S. Lammens: 7.1
L. Shaw: 7.2
A. Heaven: 8.0
N. Mazraoui: 6.9
D. Dalot: 7.1
K. Mainoo: 6.9
Casemiro: 7.3
M. Cunha: 7.4
B. Fernandes: 7.1
B. Mbeumo: 6.5
B. Sesko: 6.5
The ratings were generated by Sofascore's statistical engine.
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