A proud night for the home support as United make history but Chelsea fans were right

By -
Manchester United cruise to a 4-1 win over the underperforming Blues to seal passage into a 31st Champions League in emphatic fashion under the lights in Old Trafford, making the possibility of Liverpool reaching the next season's Champions League impossible.


The host took an early lead as Casemiro, who scored that late late equalizer in the reverse fixture in Stamford Bridge headed home a Christian Eriksen free-kick with less than six minutes played.

The goal is the fastest to have been scored in this Premier League fixture since a David Luiz's fourth minute own goal in October 2012.

It was to be the start of a long night for the visitors though they only have themselves to blame as multiple chances were squandered by the likes of Mykaylo Mudryk, Kai Havertz and even Conor Gallagher.

Despite dominating much of the half, Chelsea were made to rue those missed opportunities as Anthony Martial strike to double Manchester United's lead just before the break.

From there, it was already beyond them and Bruno Fernandes added a third from the spot after a needless challenge by Wesley on the Portuguese with 17 minutes of normal time to play.

Marcus Rashford was presented a gift to add a fourth for his 30th Manchester United goal of the season, becoming the first player to do so for the club since Robin van Persie in exactly ten years ago, as the host hit four in a Premier League game for the first time under Erik Ten Hag.

Substitute Joao Felix made a great run before firing a low shot from the edge of the area, which managed to beat David de Gea to deny the Spaniard a clean sheet while Alejandro Garnacho was denied by Kepa late on after he had hit the crossbar earlier.

The result sends United to third, ahead of Newcastle United before the final game of the season while the Red Devils also secure Champions League qualification for the 31st time, a record for English teams.

The highlight of the night was however Chelsea fans, who started to chant "You are not special, we lose every week" in the away end to take steam off United's jubilation.

A sixteenth league loss of the season for Chelsea is obviously no longer surprising for the traveling fans and the away end care less how their rival choose to celebrate what was at the time turning into a riot.

But as much as this does not alter the result on the night, there are reasons to worry for United, despite the big win as they were as underwhelming as can be before the break, and were let off by Frank Lampard minions' poor finishings.

Albeit a much better United emerged after the break, Erik Ten Hag has big work to do to improve his side, as fans will demand they level up next season.

Moments like those they allowed Chelsea will not be passed by many other teams in the league and that could spell trouble for their ambitions in the future.



Author : Kehinde Hassan Afolabi 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Another Newcastle defeat means time to go BIG on Eddie Howe might be about right

By -
Image
Eddie Howe's Newcastle United falled to a sixth defeat in seven games as Nottingham Forest sealed a 3-1 comeback win in the Saint James' Park, adding to their Champions League and Carabao Cup elimination in December while they continue to drop down the Premier League table. Credits to the Englishman, however, he is not in an elite level. A project like Newcastle United's is in a stage where you say thank you very much to Eddie Howe, a bid him farewell. It was a miracle, what the former AFC Bournemouth boss has done in his just more than two years at the helm of affairs in Tyneside and after the club failed to make the statement upon their UEFA Champions League qualification, the time couldn't be more right. Eddie Howe took charge of Newcastle United when the club was deep down the bottom of the Premier League standing and helped them become the first-ever to avoid relegation having not won a single game up until Gameweek 14 in the competition's history. Newcastle Un
Read more

Rasmus Hojlund; a pragmatic solution to Manchester United's needs despite likely consequences

By -
Image
Rasmus Hojlund has emerged as a real target for Manchester United as they look to secure a main goalscorer, who will lead the lines for the club on a long-term. Erik Ten Hag has opted for a different approach compared to previous managers of United in recent times, whom had all gone for players of different status. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Odion Ighalo, Edinson Cavani, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wout Weghorst are strikers the club has signed post Sir Alex Ferguson era, all of whom arrived at the club in their 30s. With Hojlund, United are looking to sign someone who just turned 20, though still has a lot more to learn to master the trade but at the same time, he has got the potentials to become one of the best around. The striker position has been a major issue for the club as many of those who had been signed has not lived up to expectations, while those who did ended up leaving due to their already ending careers. Cristiano Ronaldo and maybe Zlatan Ibrahimovic are the only two names who have m
Read more

Nigeria makes continental history as Osimhen and Oshoala win big in CAF awards

By -
Image
Victory for Nigeria at the CAF awards gala in Marrakech as Victor Osimhen and Asisat Oshoala won the major prizes on the night, making the country the first-ever to produce winners of both CAF Men's and Women's Best Players in the same year. Victor Osimhen crowned Africa's Best For the first time since Kanu Nwankwo 24 years ago, a Nigerian player has won the most prestigious individual accolade in African football with striker Victor Osimhen beating Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi to the CAF Men's Player of the Year award. Osimhen, who enjoyed a sensational year with Napoli, delivering their first Scudetto in 33years and helping them to a first-ever quarter final place in the UEFA Champions League was always front-runner for the award, moreso after Riyad Mahrez failed to make the final three. Aside his conquests with Napoli, the 24-year-old striker was also unplayable in the AFCON qualifiers, scoring ten goals in six games and finishing as top scorer of the qualificatio
Read more