toptop

Chelsea put up a spirited show at the start of the post-Jose Mourinho era, but were sunk 2-0 by Manchester United at a rain-soaked Old Trafford.

Referee Mike Dean had a big influence on the match between the two title contenders as he sent off Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel after 32 minutes.

Carlos Tevez headed United in front with his first goal for the club in the third minute of injury-time at the close of the opening half.

Substitute Louis Saha then converted a 90th minute penalty after he exaggerated any contact from Tal Ben Haim in the box.

United were value for the win, but though Chelsea created little in the way of chances, there were no visible signs that the players are not behind Mourinho's replacement Avram Grant, despite rumours to the contrary.

The game turned first on Dean's decision to flash a red card at Mikel on 32 minutes after the Nigerian caught Patrice Evra with his studs and secondly when Tevez struck seconds before the half-time whistle.

Acrimonious past

Mikel and United have an acrimonious past. The midfielder signed for the Old Trafford outfit, posed in a red shirt and spoke about his desire to play for the club, only to then change his mind, getting involved in a protracted dispute which took a £12million payment from Chelsea to United to resolve.

The youngster, handed a start ahead of Salomon Kalou, could barely believe his eyes when he saw the punishment Dean decided to inflict for his challenge on Evra.

Having conceded a lot of possession and a number of half-chances to their hosts, the best of which Petr Cech saved superbly after Wayne Rooney had curled a shot towards the top corner in only the second minute, Chelsea adjusted well to their handicap.

Joe Cole, who might have conceded a penalty when he lunged in on Evra, dropped a little deeper, Andrei Shevchenko took up the role of willing lone striker and Claude Makelele stood firm in front of an obdurate Chelsea defence.

Positive

Indeed, Grant must have felt reasonably positive as he prepared to deliver his first half-time team-talk.

But all that changed in stoppage time as Ryan Giggs' corner was half-cleared to Wes Brown.

The full-back intelligently found Giggs with an instant return pass, offering the veteran Welshman enough space to drill over a low cross with the outside of his left foot.

Tevez anticipated Giggs' delivery, stole in front of Cech and steered home a fine header.

It was a hammer blow for Chelsea and without key men such as Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Ricardo Carvalho, they had little alternative other than to withdraw their 10 men behind the ball for long periods of the second half and hope something fell their way.

Laboured

For far too long, the hosts laboured in pursuit of a second. Giggs volleyed Michael Carrick's inspired cross-field pass over and Tevez curled a free-kick wide.

Amid all this, Rooney got involved in a running feud with Ashley Cole which saw him booked and then lectured for barging his England colleague as Steve McClaren sat watching in the stands.

Joe Cole was booked inside the final 20 minutes for a wild lunge on Cristiano Ronaldo, which was arguably worse than the challenge that brought a red card for Mikel.

Ronaldo, who was generally quiet, sent a free-kick bouncing into the goalkeeper's arms seven minutes from the end.

Saha settled lingering nerves a minute from time when, after going down in outlandish fashion under minimal contact from Tal Ben Haim, he drilled home the penalty.

Teams

Manchester United Van der Sar, Brown, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick, Giggs, Ronaldo, Scholes, Rooney, Tevez (Saha 79)
Subs Not Used Kuszczak, O’Shea, Pique, Nani
Booked Rooney, Brown
Goals  Tevez 45, Saha (pen) 90

Chelsea Cech, Ben Haim, A. Cole, Ferreira, Terry, J. Cole (Pizarro 76), Essien, Makelele, Malouda (Wright-Phillips 69), Mikel, Shevchenko (Kalou 59)
Subs Not Used Cudicini, Alex
Booked J. Cole, Terry
Sent Off  Mikel
Goals

Attendance 75,663

Referee  M. Dean