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Score: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United
Scorer: Alvaro Morata (Cesar Azpilicueta assist)
Manchester United's late-late surge proved to be too little too late as an even first half melded into a second half that was dominated by Chelsea and Cesar Azpilicueta's peach of a cross, and Alvaro Morata's peach of a header proved to be the cherry on the cake as Antonio Conte walked away with a victory over his foe Jose Mourinho.
United had some chances early on (Rashford's header and Lukaku's shot spring to mind) and late on (Fellaini's exceptional effort that took all of Courtois' considerable skill to stop) but Chelsea overall deserved to walk away from the Bridge with three points.
Speaking of the Bridge...
#5 Manchester United's Stamford Bridge nightmare continues
Manchester United simply don't like playing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge... it's as big a boogeyman (boogey-club?) as you'd ever see in top-division football at the moment.
This does not make for pretty reading if you are a United fan, if you are a Chelsea fan, though....
In fact, since 2002/03, when the first inkling of what was happening at Stamford Bridge first emerged United have had a horrendous record there - playing 21 games, losing 13, drawing 6 and winning just 2.
On the night, they were out-passed and out-played by the home side and Manchester United really have to address this shocking record soon if they are to become the force of yore.
#4 N'Golo Kante dominates midfield, how Chelsea have missed him
How good was Cesc Fabregas today, eh?
The man-of-the-match pinged passes around the park with majestic ease, the kind of languid passing that makes your team purr while giving the team opposite you the mother of all headaches and he was at the heart of everything good the Blues did all day.
Oh, and how good was Tiemoue Bakayoko today?
Sure he may have the finishing skill of a right-footed blind man possessed of two left feet but his incessant running, his charges around, and into, United's hapless midfield and defence wrung the men in red out thoroughly. Just look at the way he created space for Morata for the Spaniard to get the freedom of United's box... it was brilliant and the kind of thing that Chelsea bargained for when they let Matic go to get the Frenchman from Monaco.
But this isn't about either of these two players. This is about N'Golo Kante.
The reigning PL Player of the Year was rushed back after a period out - a period in which, coincidentally, looked a touch a lost in the middle of the park - and he utterly dominated the park... not giving United the time of day in his third while freeing up his midfield partners to do as they will and stretch United out at the other end.
What a player that little man is, and how badly Chelsea has missed him
#3 Manchester United lack rhythm in transition. Oh, Paul Pogba... where art thou?
Speaking of French midfield maestros, Paul Pogba's absence has made Manchester United a shadow of the side that rampaged across the land in the early stages of the season. Without him, Matic and Herrera look a touch lost in the middle - especially when under the cosh - Lukaku and Rashford remain bereft of any real service and the connect between defence and attack is as wide a chasm as has ever been seen in a side sitting at no. 2 in the league.
While Henrikh Mkhitaryan's rapid, and alarming, decline in form is easily traceable back to the day Pogba pulled his hamstring.
It's not right that a side of United's calibre depend so on one individual - and Jose Mourinho has rightly not said much about it - but the truth is glaringly obvious. United Pogba to get back to full fitness, and they need him to do it as soon as humanly possible.
#2 Andreas Christensen proves Antonio Conte right
Antonio Conte surprised everyone when he threw David Luiz - no injury, no suspension - out of the squad. The argument that it was a tactical change holds thin when you consider the fact that, well, Chelsea made 0 tactical changes in defence... and the fact that a full-fit Luiz didn't even make the bench against Manchester United.
This was Antonio Conte stamping his authority on the squad, showing everyone who the boss is, and telling David Luiz in no uncertain terms that he better toe the line - however big a player he may be.
All this makes sense now that Chelsea kept a cleansheet. If the defence had crumbled, Conte would have been slammed for doing what he did.
Young Andreas Christensen, though, proved Conte right with a display of impeccable center-back play, muting Romelu Lukaku, nipping attacks whenever they somehow managed to crawl past Kante and passing the ball out from the back with impeccable precision.
The Dane is one of the most talented of Chelsea's bright youngsters and his performance today means Luiz has an uphill struggle awaiting him as he looks to win back a starting place.
#1 Alvaro Morata and Cesar Azpilicueta enjoying life together
You've heard of great striker-striker partnerships.
You've heard of great striker-playmaker partnerships
You've even heard of great striker-winger partnerships.
But Chelsea are enjoying the benefits of having one of the most unique teammate-teammate partnerships seen in top-level football. That of a striker and a center-back. That of Alvaro Morata and Cesar Azpilicueta.
Apart from the unselfish chest down in front of goal against Stoke, all of Azpilicueta's assists have had the same uniform tendencies... move out with the ball from right centre back, stroll into the middle of the park, curl in a ball into the box, find Morata there (unmarked, always) and sit back and admire as one of the most underrated headers fo our time finishes the move off in style.
They really are a unique partnership - something teams always get caught out by, no matter how prepared they are for it (Mourinho alluded to this in the post-match interview when he said he was disappointed that his team had conceded the way the did, saying that he, and they, had prepared for it thoroughly) and the Spaniards look like they are enjoying life with each other at the Bridge.
Oh, and this... No player has scored more headed goals in the big five European leagues since the start of last season than Alvaro Morata. He has 10.
See what I mean about underrated?
