toptop
Manchester
United moved up to third and confirmed their place in next season’s Champions
League with a 4-1 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford.
Casemiro headed in Christian Eriksen's free-kick early in the game and Anthony
Martial added a second from close range in first-half stoppage time. In between,
Frank Lampard's side squandered a series of excellent chances and their
wastefulness was costly.
Bruno Fernandes won and scored a penalty before Wesley Fofana, the man who had
conceded the spot-kick, proceeded to gift the Portugal midfielder the ball for
the fourth, allowing him to set up substitute Marcus Rashford. It was wretched
from Chelsea.
Player ratings
Man Utd: De Gea (6), Wan-Bissaka (7), Varane (7), Lindelof (7),
Shaw (6), Casemiro (9), Eriksen (7), Antony (6), Fernandes (8), Sancho (7),
Martial (7).
Subs: Rashford (7), Malacia (6), Fred (6), Garnacho (7),
McTominay (n/a).
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga (5), Azpilicueta (5), Fofana (2),
Chalobah (5), Hall (7), Gallagher (5), Fernandez (5), Chukwuemeka (6), Madueke
(6), Havertz (5), Mudryk (5).
Subs: Joao Felix (7), Pulisic (5), Loftus-Cheek (n/a), Ziyech
(n/a), D Fofana (n/a).
Player of the match: Casemiro.
It is one win in 13 games for them now - 10 of them under Lampard. This was the
youngest Blues line-up in Premier League history. Neither that nor Joao Felix's
late goal provide much consolation. Where they lacked conviction, Casemiro and
the rest were decisive.
The only disappointment for United, who move above Newcastle, was a troubling
injury to Antony. But it was an otherwise good night for Erik ten Hag's team.
They needed one point to end Liverpool's hopes of catching them. They won all
three in style.
How Man Utd humbled Chelsea
It hinted at being a different game early on, Mykhailo Mudryk spurning the first
opening of the game, measuring his shot well wide of the far post after fine
play by Lewis Hall. Chelsea paid for their profligacy when Casemiro beat Fofana
to the jump at the other end.
The injury to Antony, on the receiving end of a robust challenge from Trevor
Chalobah, may scupper his involvement in the FA Cup final. But here it only led
to the introduction of the fit-again Rashford - and the stoppage time from which
United made it two.
It was Casemiro who was the difference in that move. Kai Havertz and Conor
Gallagher had both missed good chances but Martial could not miss when set up by
Jadon Sancho, himself the recipient of a delightful no-look pass by the
brilliant Brazilian midfielder.
Chelsea continued to push in the second half but it was all so loose and left
them vulnerable. Fernandes hit the crossbar and then won a penalty when tripped
by Fofana. He converted it himself and with any pressure off it was party time
at Old Trafford.
The hapless Fofana was their accomplice. His poor pass invited the fourth,
Rashford even skipping past him again before beating Kepa Arrizabalaga at the
second attempt. Fellow substitute Alejandro Garnacho was denied the fifth by the
crossbar. It was carnage.
The story of Chelsea's season, perhaps. Glimpses of individual quality -
underlined by Joao Felix's late strike - but ultimately humiliating and lacking
any kind of cohesion. Ten Hag and his team will hope that the best moments of
their season are still ahead.
What's next?
The final day of the Premier League season is on Sunday May 28 with every game
kicking off at 4.30pm. Free match highlights will be published across Sky
Sports' digital platforms shortly after full-time.
Manchester United end their first league season under Erik ten Hag with a home
game against Fulham. United then take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final at
Wembley on June 3.
Frank Lampard's final game as Chelsea caretaker manager will see them welcome
Newcastle to Stamford Bridge.
Teams
Manchester United De Gea, Lindelof, Varane, Shaw (Malacia 46),
Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Eriksen (Fred 70), Fernandes (c) (McTominay 86), Sancho,
Antony (Rashford 29), Martial (Garnacho 70)
Subs Not Used Butland, Maguire, Dalot, Weghorst
Booked Malacia
Goals Casemiro 6, Martail 45+5, Fernandes 73 (pen), Rashford 78
Chelsea Kepa, Chalobah, W. Fofana, Hall, Azpilicueta (c),
Gallagher (D. Fofana 82), Enzo, Chukwuemeka (Loftus-Cheek 82), Madueke (Ziyech
82), Mudryk (Pulisic 64), Havertz (Felix 64)
Subs Not Used Mendy, Silva, Koulibaly, Gilchrist
Booked Fernandez
Goals Felix 89
Attendance 73,561
Referee Stuart Attwell
VAR Michael Salisbury