Romelu Lukaku still has much to prove to many around Old Trafford, but more performances like this and he will soon lose that ‘flat-track bully’ tag. The Belgian helped his Manchester United teammates recover from a timid start to score and set up the goals that would ultimately give them a valuable three points over Chelsea in their bid to finish as Premier League’s best of the rest.
Willian gave the visitors a deserved first-half lead shortly after the half-hour mark, finishing a quick counter after an excellent, adventurous start from the hosts. Just seven minutes later though, Lukaku scored his first goal against any of the top eight this season, his first career goal against Chelsea too, and from thereon Antonio Conte’s side wilted.
This was not a classic encounter and a game of few clear chances, but substitute Jesse Lingard found the edge United needed to claim maximum points in the closing stages of the second half, heading Lukaku’s cross past a stranded Thibaut Courtois.
Jose Mourinho, for his part, will be delighted to not only have claimed a worthy win but to have also taken the scalp of a personal rival. Conte, who described the United manager as a “little man” last month after a public feud between the two, looked humbled when the full-time whistle sounded and shook his conqueror’s hand.
The spat between the two managers began when Mourinho criticised Conte’s animated touchline behaviour, but it was the United manager who spent the opening stages waving his arms around on the edge of his technical area, as he attempted to arrest his side’s sluggish start.
Chelsea came out of the traps quickest and only Alvaro Morata’s erratic finishing prevented them from taking the lead after just four minutes. The Spaniard, preferred up front to Olivier Giroud, ended a flowing move from the visitors by volleying Marcos Alonso’s first-time cross against the bar.
Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte gesture from the touchline (Getty)
David de Gea could only watch the strike zip past him and bounce back off the woodwork, but he was able to tip over Eden Hazard’s follow-up from the rebound.
United were overran in these first few minutes and though Mourinho’s midfield gradually became more competitive, it was no surprise when Chelsea’s opener eventually arrived. The in-form Willian both started and finished the quick-flowing counter, exchanging passes with Hazard, slipping away from Scott McTominay and then slotting in at the near post.
It was an excellent finish but one you might expect the world’s most celebrated goalkeeper to stop, particularly after Wednesday’s heroics in Sevilla.
Just over half an hour had elapsed on the clock but things already appeared bleak for United, who had shown next to no guile or invention and needed to dramatically improve. Fortunately for Mourinho, their equaliser arrived only seven minutes later and came out of virtually nothing.
After battling well to win a knockdown on the edge of the box, Lukaku initiated a spell of quick interplay that cut through the middle of Chelsea’s cumbersome defence. After Anthony Martial just about managed to play the final delicate pass out of his feet, Lukaku – like Willian before him – finished what he had started and placed the ball past Courtois.
United hardly deserved to be level but with parity restored, their confidence grew and this suddenly became a more even contest. The hosts were the better side after the break and after the hour mark had passed Lukaku came close to establishing a lead, forcing Courtois into a save at full stretch after acrobatically volleying Alexis Sanchez’s lofted pass.
Clear-cut opportunities remained at a premium however, with neither defence appearing particularly uncomfortable. If there was to be a winning goal, it would come to whoever could make the most out of a half chance. Lingard, as on several occasions already this season, did just that.
Having replaced Martial as a second-half substitute, the winger ghosted in behind Andreas Christensen to meet Lukaku’s near-post cross and nod the ball home. The timing of his run deserved credit, but the goal owed much to Lukaku, who showed neat feet to dance around Pedro out on the right before delivering the well-placed centre.
United retreated for the final quarter of an hour and successfully protected their slender. Chelsea did not trouble a shaky De Gea once, even when Courtois came up for a late corner, and their attack was now a pale imitation of the flowing, vibrant unit that had started the game so well. Had they built on that early momentum, this could have been a very different story.