Jesse Lingard winner sees Manchester United come from behind to sink Chelsea
Romelu Lukaku scores and assists in superb performance against Antonio Conte's side.
Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea
- Jesse Lingard headed home United's winner from Romelu Lukaku's cross.
- Lukaku had earlier wiped out out Willian's opener with a cool finish inside the box.
- United return to second in the Premier League table.
- Chelsea finish the weekend outside the top four after Tottenham's win earlier today.
Half a chance for Morata! Willian skips past a few challenges and threads a ball through for the Spaniard, who has sneaked inside Smalling to break into the box. De Gea thinks about coming for it, but decides against it with Morata a little too far wide to hit the shot first time. By the time he does have a crack, United have players back to make the block.
United are level! It's probably undeserved, but it is a well-worked equaliser. On the edge of the D, Sanchez prods a pass through to Martial inside a very congested six yard area, who slides a pass across to Lukaku. The Belgian adjusts his feet brilliantly in a very tight spot, finding room to slot a cool finish past Courtois.
There's a handful of players to blame for that goal. Pogba was far too weak challenging for the ball on the edge of his own box, McTominay failed to track Willian's run through the middle, Smalling was nowhere to be found and De Gea let the effort go straight through him - a rare error from the Spaniard.
Chelsea break the deadlock! Willian is on the score sheet again, starting and completing the move. Pogba is far too weak in an aerial challenge on the edge of his own box, with Moses winning the ball and knocking it down to Willian who surges forward. He finds Hazard on the left, who carries the ball upfield before threading an excellent pass through for the Brazilian who has continued his run into the box. He takes the shot on early, firing through David de Gea who is furious with himself for letting that through.
What a chance for Sanchez! It's brilliant from Martial, who takes on his man coming in from the left before sliding a precise pass into the Chile international, who has burst through unmarked in the box. Shooting first time looks like the best option, but he opts to take a touch first before trying to slot it past Courtois. He's unable to get the right purchase on his effort and it is an easy save for the Chelsea goalkeeper.
Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte haven't traded jabs for a couple of weeks now but their feud is still simmering after a few explosive exchanges at the start of the year. While we are waiting for kick-off, here's a recap of all their recent aggro.
Mourinho suggests Conte is "a clown"
When defending his own rather sombre behaviour on the touchline, Mourinho said: "Because I don't behave as a clown on the touchline, it means that I lost my passion," he said.
"I prefer to behave the way I am doing it, much more mature, better for my team and myself, I don't think you have to behave like a crazy guy on the touchline to have that passion."
Conte's response? The Chelsea boss suggested Mourinho might be suffering from "demenza senile", translating into senile dementia.
January 2018: Mourinho takes aim at Conte match fixing allegations
"What never happened to me - and will never happen - is to be suspended for match-fixing. That never happened to me and will never happen."
Conte's reponse? I think when there are these types of comments, comments where you try to offend the person and don't know the truth, then you are a little man," he said.
"In the past he was a little man in many circumstances, he's a little man in the present and for sure he will be a little man in the future. I consider him a little man and I consider him a man with a very low profile."
Quite the test for Victor Lindelof today. Eric Bailly has been named on the bench in United's last two matches with it now clear the Ivory Coast is still working towards full match fitness. Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo meanwhile are still injury absentees. The Swede had a relatively untroubled evening against Sevilla on Wednesday and does have big match experience as a United player, having started in the 3-1 victory over Arsenal in December.
That was part of a back-three however. It's fair to say today could be the biggest test of his United career to date.
4-3-3 enthusiasts rejoice; Jose Mourinho has opted for the formation many feel with bring the best out of Paul Pogba. United produced one of their best displays of the season using that system away to Everton in January where the France international was at his pulsating best; can he replicate it today? The sturdy presence of Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay should in theory give him license to roam and support the attacking three ahead of him.
Given the level of his performances against other elite Premier League opposition, this is a huge afternoon for Pogba. He has the bodies around him to do the dirty work, now he must deliver.
Antonio Conte has also made two changes to the side that drew with Barcelona. Spanish duo Cesc Fabregas and Pedro make way with Danny Drinkwater coming in to parner N;Golo Kante in midfield with Alvaro Morata offering Chelsea a more orthodox option up front.
The Spaniard is preferred up front to Olivier Giroud, who takes a spot on the bench.
Jose Mourinho makes two changes to the side that drew in Seville on Wednesday. Victor Lindelof comes in to start his first match in the league since 1 January, starting alongside Chris Smalling at the heart of defence.
Scott McTominay starts just his fourth Premier League match, coming in to form a midfield three alongside Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba. Will he be given the job of man marking Eden Hazard or will he hold his ground in the middle of the park, giving Pogba the freedom to roam forward? We shall see.
The trio of Alexis Sanchez, Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku form the attacking three and it looks like the France international might be starting on the left of that trident.
Predicted Chelsea starting XI
Eden Hazard started as a false nine against Barcelona midweek but could we see the return of his partnership with Alvaro Morata today? Leaving those two to cause havoc up front would allow Antonio Conte to pack his midfield, with Manchester United extremely susceptible to being overrun in the middle of the park.
Predicted Manchester United starting XI
If there is an issue lingering between Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho, it will have to be put to one side this afternoon with United short of midfield options. Both Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini are unavailable this afternoon and we would hazard a guess that Scott McTominay will be given the job of shadowing Eden Hazard this afternoon.
The timing of Ander Herrera's injury is pretty dreadful, given how effective he was last season. But could Jose Mourinho call on Scott McTominay to do the same job today? "Genius" and "fundamental" are just some of the terms the United boss has bestowed upon the United academy graduate in recent weeks; three of his seven starts this season have come in United's last five matches having turned in another adept performances against Sevilla on Wednesday.
It might not have been the swashbuckling midfield display many United fans have yearned for, but McTominay dutifully followed orders. If Mourinho does plan to deploy the same tactic to contain Hazard, he is unlikely to see a better candidate within his squad than the young Scot.
On an April afternoon at Old Trafford last year, Ander Herrera succeeded where so many others failed during Chelsea's 2016-17 Premier League winning-campaign. Eden Hazard was unable to escape the Manchester United midfielder's shadow that day, completely nullified by what was a complete man-marking job from the Spaniard who also went on to seal the 2-0 victory with a second-half goal – having also provided the assist for Marcus Rashford's opener.
That won't be happening today – Herrera is ruled out this afternoon with an unspecified knock with Jose Mourinho unsure as to how long he will be without the midfielder for.
While there is the small matter of the Carabao Cup final taking place this afternoon, we have a classic Premier League fixture to look forward to first. You can take your pick from the subplots running through Manchester United vs Chelsea. Romelu Lukaku playing against the club who tried to buy him back during the summer. Nemanja Matic lining up against his former club. And the simmering row between Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte threatening to take centre stage.
Stick around, all your team news and build up is on the way.