Manchester United have faced a lot of tough opposition in their recent run of games, but have looked good during this period after pulling together a winning streak of six games that included wins over rivals Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City. Chelsea have also been hard to beat though as they come into the game with a six game unbeaten run as well. Chelsea know that they only need three wins from their last run of games, but United know that with a win they can leapfrog Arsenal into second place, leaving both teams with a pretty good incentive to win.
It was United that started the brighter of the two teams and had a good chance to take the lead within the first five minutes. The ball was played in behind the defence to Luke Shaw who was able to run past his defender without any difficulty. A few of the United forwards were in the box waiting for the cross and drew the Chelsea defenders with them. Shaw decided to cut the ball back to Wayne Rooney who was waiting on the edge of the box. His shot was very close to going into the goal, but it was inches wide of the post, causing some of the fans, and his goalkeeper, to start their celebrations a bit too early.
Chelsea did get an early chance as well when Cesc Fabregas got the ball into a dangerous position on the edge of the six yard box. The angle was extremely tight though, and he manages to keep the ball in play, but can only let his cross find its way onto the gloves of David De Gea. It was the only chance that Chelsea created for themselves in the opening half an hour though as they allowed United to play the ball around in front of them and keep possession as long as it was in front of their defence.
Shaw and Ashley Young were causing the Chelsea defenders throughout the first half. Shaw played the ball back to Ander Herrera, who was on the run towards the penalty box, but he felt like he had little time on the ball and took the shot on straight away and his shot went well wide of the left post. He could possibly have played in Juan Mata who was in a better position at the far post. Paddy McNair was allowed to make runs forward from defence as well, and he had the confidence to make a run directly towards the Chelsea box and his powerful shot took a deflection which stopped it from causing Thibaut Courtois any problems.
The home team were not being allowed any time on the ball and when they did try to push forward and release their forward players, they were making mistakes that wouldn't normally be associated with their team. Jose Mourinho was changing his shape around often to try and gain some control in the game, but they just couldn't handle their opposition. Eden Hazard was at the middle of most of the chances that Chelsea did manage to create and was able to cut out a pass from Antonio Valencia. He turned to run at the defence and put in a good ball to Fabregas in the box, but he had come back from an offside position which fizzled out the move.
The half an hour mark seemed to be a turning point for Chelsea and they finally looked settled in the game. Hazard was allowed some space when his team took a quick throw, but luckily for United, Chris Smalling got back to cover him. The resulting corner looked dangerous in the beginning but United blocked all of the shots that went towards their goal well. It took until the 38th minute for a bit of quality to produce the first goal of the game. The ball was slipped in to Oscar who back heeled the ball; it seemed without looking around him, into the feet of Hazard. He was left with a lot of room on the left side of the box and he kept his cool long enough to slip the ball between the legs of De Gea and into the back of the net. The goal went against the run of the first half, but Chelsea had been building up to it in the last few minutes.
For all the possession that United had in the game, it all seemed to be in front of the Chelsea defence as they tried to play their way into the box. The Chelsea defence have been one of the best throughout the season and they were proving this as United tried to break them down repeatedly, and failing. However, when the home team did get the ball on the counter attack they looked dangerous. Herrera needlessly gave the ball away in midfield to a Chelsea player whose first thought was to pick out Didier Drogba who didn't have any United players around him as he ran towards the opposition goal. He chipped the ball over the keeper who couldn't get his hand up to push the ball away, but the shot was heading wide of the target. Hazard was with him though and tried to turn the ball in with the outside of his right boot, but the ball was hit against the post and De Gea could collect it.
United were dominant throughout the match, which was reflected in the possession stats of the game. Chelsea were still sitting back, which allowed McNair to make another run from defence and take another shot which is well struck and did cause Courtois a problem this time, but he pushed it away from goal. They tried to play the ball out from the back, but Shaw, who had a great game, won back the ball and put in a dangerous cross which Mata was first to, but his shot was hit well over the bar. After another good cross from Shaw again, Marouane Fellaini was able to control the ball and play a short ball into Rooney whose shot was deflected just wide of the post.
Radamel Falcao tried hard to get his name on the score sheet as well as he is another player allowed time on the ball outside the box. He tried to direct his shot across goal to the far post, but slips just as he takes the shot and it swerved away from goal. Another great chance is presented to him minutes later after Fellaini brought the ball down from a throw in. Falcao was the only United player in the box and is the player to win the ball when Fellaini put it into the box. He takes the shot quickly and Gary Cahill, stood close to the forward, stuck out a leg which the ball rebounds off. His hat trick of chances ended after he turned Kurt Zouma and ran at the goal. The angle was tight, meaning he couldn't get the ball across the box, so he took the shot on but could only find the post. The chances were rounded off after Hazard created another chance for Chelsea, but the final shot didn't test De Gea.
United did have a very late penalty shout turned away by the referee, also resulting in a yellow card for Herrera who had been judged to have dived. Replays of this event prove that the midfielder did play for the foul and stuck his leg out so that be tripped by the defender in the box. This was the final call of the game, and also summed up United's afternoon. For all of their forward play they just didn't create enough clear cut chances that could possibly earn them any points from the game.
It was United that started the brighter of the two teams and had a good chance to take the lead within the first five minutes. The ball was played in behind the defence to Luke Shaw who was able to run past his defender without any difficulty. A few of the United forwards were in the box waiting for the cross and drew the Chelsea defenders with them. Shaw decided to cut the ball back to Wayne Rooney who was waiting on the edge of the box. His shot was very close to going into the goal, but it was inches wide of the post, causing some of the fans, and his goalkeeper, to start their celebrations a bit too early.
Chelsea did get an early chance as well when Cesc Fabregas got the ball into a dangerous position on the edge of the six yard box. The angle was extremely tight though, and he manages to keep the ball in play, but can only let his cross find its way onto the gloves of David De Gea. It was the only chance that Chelsea created for themselves in the opening half an hour though as they allowed United to play the ball around in front of them and keep possession as long as it was in front of their defence.
Shaw and Ashley Young were causing the Chelsea defenders throughout the first half. Shaw played the ball back to Ander Herrera, who was on the run towards the penalty box, but he felt like he had little time on the ball and took the shot on straight away and his shot went well wide of the left post. He could possibly have played in Juan Mata who was in a better position at the far post. Paddy McNair was allowed to make runs forward from defence as well, and he had the confidence to make a run directly towards the Chelsea box and his powerful shot took a deflection which stopped it from causing Thibaut Courtois any problems.
The home team were not being allowed any time on the ball and when they did try to push forward and release their forward players, they were making mistakes that wouldn't normally be associated with their team. Jose Mourinho was changing his shape around often to try and gain some control in the game, but they just couldn't handle their opposition. Eden Hazard was at the middle of most of the chances that Chelsea did manage to create and was able to cut out a pass from Antonio Valencia. He turned to run at the defence and put in a good ball to Fabregas in the box, but he had come back from an offside position which fizzled out the move.
The half an hour mark seemed to be a turning point for Chelsea and they finally looked settled in the game. Hazard was allowed some space when his team took a quick throw, but luckily for United, Chris Smalling got back to cover him. The resulting corner looked dangerous in the beginning but United blocked all of the shots that went towards their goal well. It took until the 38th minute for a bit of quality to produce the first goal of the game. The ball was slipped in to Oscar who back heeled the ball; it seemed without looking around him, into the feet of Hazard. He was left with a lot of room on the left side of the box and he kept his cool long enough to slip the ball between the legs of De Gea and into the back of the net. The goal went against the run of the first half, but Chelsea had been building up to it in the last few minutes.
For all the possession that United had in the game, it all seemed to be in front of the Chelsea defence as they tried to play their way into the box. The Chelsea defence have been one of the best throughout the season and they were proving this as United tried to break them down repeatedly, and failing. However, when the home team did get the ball on the counter attack they looked dangerous. Herrera needlessly gave the ball away in midfield to a Chelsea player whose first thought was to pick out Didier Drogba who didn't have any United players around him as he ran towards the opposition goal. He chipped the ball over the keeper who couldn't get his hand up to push the ball away, but the shot was heading wide of the target. Hazard was with him though and tried to turn the ball in with the outside of his right boot, but the ball was hit against the post and De Gea could collect it.
United were dominant throughout the match, which was reflected in the possession stats of the game. Chelsea were still sitting back, which allowed McNair to make another run from defence and take another shot which is well struck and did cause Courtois a problem this time, but he pushed it away from goal. They tried to play the ball out from the back, but Shaw, who had a great game, won back the ball and put in a dangerous cross which Mata was first to, but his shot was hit well over the bar. After another good cross from Shaw again, Marouane Fellaini was able to control the ball and play a short ball into Rooney whose shot was deflected just wide of the post.
Radamel Falcao tried hard to get his name on the score sheet as well as he is another player allowed time on the ball outside the box. He tried to direct his shot across goal to the far post, but slips just as he takes the shot and it swerved away from goal. Another great chance is presented to him minutes later after Fellaini brought the ball down from a throw in. Falcao was the only United player in the box and is the player to win the ball when Fellaini put it into the box. He takes the shot quickly and Gary Cahill, stood close to the forward, stuck out a leg which the ball rebounds off. His hat trick of chances ended after he turned Kurt Zouma and ran at the goal. The angle was tight, meaning he couldn't get the ball across the box, so he took the shot on but could only find the post. The chances were rounded off after Hazard created another chance for Chelsea, but the final shot didn't test De Gea.
United did have a very late penalty shout turned away by the referee, also resulting in a yellow card for Herrera who had been judged to have dived. Replays of this event prove that the midfielder did play for the foul and stuck his leg out so that be tripped by the defender in the box. This was the final call of the game, and also summed up United's afternoon. For all of their forward play they just didn't create enough clear cut chances that could possibly earn them any points from the game.
This leaves Chelsea only two wins away from their title now, even though this one was a narrow win. They do have to play Arsenal in their next game though, which could prove another challenge. Although, up to now, they have proved that they can handle these challenges well. United can leave Stamford Bridge knowing with positives that even though they didn't get anything out of the game, they played well enough to deserve it. They still sit in third, but with their recent form, they should be fine going into their last few games of the season.
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