Following Saturday’s defeat at Newcastle and, to a lesser extent, four media outlets being banned from attending the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Manchester United and Erik ten Hag needed a win.
In elite sport, this is the only way to control the message, whatever the PR strategy, and the task was accomplished thanks to Scott McTominay, who scored a Premier League double for the second time of the season.
Relating to: Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea: Premier League – live
Until his intervention in the 69th minute, United were heading for another bright start as their opening kick was canceled out by Cole Palmer’s finish.
If so, it would be a new chapter in the investigation into Ten Hag and his team. But this clash, in which the two heavyweights lost, resulted in United moving up to sixth place with 27 points (just three behind Manchester City) and Chelsea sitting in 10th place despite all their investment.
Ten Hag said: “We are heading in the right direction and will not let criticism distract us. We are pleased with the result and performance. We deserved it. We wanted to give this message to the crowd, but it’s also our style. “We did an excellent job on the field in the first 30 minutes.”
The manager said of McTominay: “He did a great job, scored two goals and could have done more.”
Six minutes into the match, United were awarded a penalty after Enzo Fernández stamped on Antony’s foot; Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot after VAR instructed the referee to consult the pitchside monitor.
It was an absolute boon for Ten Hag’s men but Bruno Fernandes stepped forward and saw his penalty saved by Robert Sánchez before Alejandro Garnacho blasted in the follow-up. It wasn’t what the struggling United needed and they soon almost capitulated.
Sofyan Amrabat passed directly to Nicolas Jackson, who played to Mykhailo Mudryk. As the angle narrowed, the Ukrainian hit André Onana’s right post.
There was an enjoyable pace in the competition under the floodlights. And the next United were especially delighted. Amrabat picked up a loose Chelsea ball, touched Fernandes, passed it to Garnacho and when the ball went in and Harry Maguire’s effort was blocked, McTominay came on and recovered to beat Sánchez to his left from close range.
United were performing as Ten Hag wanted, pushing the visiting players back and reducing their time on the ball. The comeback proved too much when Raheem Sterling fed Palmer and continued to run down the inside right channel. Silkier was a Garnacho pirouette that dizzyed the dark blue backline and allowed the winger to pass the ball past Rasmus Højlund’s hiding spot.
Kobbie Mainoo, Anthony Martial, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Marcus Rashford were included in United’s XI that lost at Newcastle on Saturday; which meant starts for Victor Lindelöf, Amrabat, Højlund and Antony.
Ten Hag’s choice was correct as United were as convincing as they have been this term. Sánchez’s direct hoof, like that of those who pinned Chelsea’s rearguard into the red corner, was as emblematic of their superiority as the goalkeeper’s fight to repel McTominay’s header – and follow-up – moments later.
But suddenly Sterling emerged clear, tied up Jackson and that certainly equalized. However, the slandered Onana’s reflexes were perfect. United should have been penalized when Mudryk scored and missed.
This suggested United needed to be more understanding or Chelsea would take advantage, and they did. It was easy: Palmer collected the ball, crossed it over the D, Lindelöf watched passively and the former Manchester City player curled his shot into Onana’s left-most corner, the goalkeeper perhaps misfooted.
In the second half, Ten Hag brought on Lindelöf to replace Sergio Reguilón and Mauricio Pochettino brought on Reece James to replace Marc Cucurella, and the Argentine manager’s change came close to paying immediate dividends.
In a corner, James stood up and shot towards Jackson, Jackson was supposed to score but his close header went wide. Luke Shaw partnered Maguire in place of Lindelöf in central defence, with Reguilón moving to left-back. The Spaniard flew down the wing and saw a cross hit the first defender.
The competition is balanced. Both sides investigated. Palmer then hit James, whose quick delivery caused Shaw to leg the ball and United ran away. As James did when a piledriver from Shaw flicked a hand down Chelsea’s area: it might not be a penalty but who knows these days?
McTominay’s winner was a classic midfield scheming shot that drifted into the area, Garnacho spied it, guided the ball in and the Scot headed the ball past Sánchez.
Old Trafford exploded with a cocktail of joy and relief and a few minutes later a hat-trick was scored but he slotted the ball wide. United sealed this win to leave Pochettino in decent form. “They deserved to win,” the Chelsea manager said.