- Manchester United beat Chelsea 4-1 at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
- Goals for Casemiro, Martial, Bruno, and Rashford put the hosts 4 goals up.
- The win sees United guaranteed at least a top-four finish this season.
Manchester United beat Chelsea 4-1 at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
Goals for Casemiro, Martial, Bruno, and Rashford put the hosts 4 goals up before Joao Felix got a consolation for Chelsea.
The win sees United guaranteed at least a top-four finish this season.
HOW THE GAME UNFOLDED
When the ball broke for Jadon Sancho inside the Chelsea area, the striker had an early half-chance, but his sloppy touch only gave Cesar Azpilicueta enough time to make the clearing.
After Victor Lindelof slipped, the visitors had a chance of their own in the third minute, but Chukwuemeka’s attempt was constantly soaring beyond the crossbar.
Then, in the fourth minute, Lewis Hall broke down the left before finding Mudryk with a fantastic ball, but the January signing inexplicably missed the goal from close range.
Instead, Man United scored in the sixth minute when the Brazil international headed a superb free kick from Christian Eriksen into the goal from close range. There was a close call on whether the goal was offside, but it was finally upheld.
Casemiro celebrates after opening the score. Photo/Manchester United
Conor Gallagher narrowly missed meeting a low cross from Kai Havertz inside the Man United box as Chelsea continued to have their chances. The Blues were able to create space in the wide areas.
The game was stopped for a while in the middle of the first half after Trevoh Chalobah’s hard challenge on Antony caused the Brazilian to fall to the ground and leave the pitch while in tears. Rashford then came onto the field as a substitute.
But in the closing minutes of the first half, Man United doubled their lead when Martial converted from close range following a superb cross from Sancho, who had been spotted by Casemiro near the Chelsea 18-yard box.
THE SECOND HALF
Martial celebrates. Photo/Manchester United
Following deft work by Lindelof and then Sancho, Fernandes sent a shot against the post in the 47th minute as the home team sought to defeat Chelsea.
In the 50th minute, David de Gea had to tip a low Mudryk shot wide of the frame, and then Man United had two excellent opportunities to add a third goal: Eriksen strangely missed a low Tyrell Malacia cross from close range, and Casemiro subsequently missed a shot just wide of the post.
Just before the hour mark, De Gea produced two deft saves, denying Hall before flying across his goal to save a deflected Mudryk shot.
Wesley Fofana’s hit at Fernandes within the penalty area earned the home team a penalty in the 72nd minute.
The English giants earned all three points and a spot in the Champions League for the upcoming season as Fernandes advanced for Ten Hag’s team and calmly finished into the bottom corner.
In the 77th minute, Rashford sent a shot just past the far post, but he soon added his name to the scoresheet by finishing on the second attempt after a bad pass from Fofana had placed his team in difficulty.
Alejandro Garnacho’s 84th-minute shot struck the crossbar, but the visitors still managed to give their supporters something to cheer about with Felix’s superb low strike that found the bottom corner.
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