Diego Costa scored an injury time equalizer to salvage a point for Chelsea after Jesse Lingard had given Manchester United the lead in the 61st minute. The draw leves United in 5th place, 6 points away from fourth placed Manchester City, while climb to 13th in the table on 30 points.
Both teams named an unchanged lineup, as Guus Hiddink and Louis van Gaal decide to continue with the same teams that have been a part of their respective upswings in form. This meanth that Eden Hazard started on the bench while Maroane Fellaini started in midfield for the Red Devils yet again.
Lineups:
Chelsea XI: Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta; Mikel, Matic; Willian, Fabregas, Oscar; Diego Costa
Man Utd XI: De Gea, Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Borthwick-Jackson, Fellaini, Carrick, Lingard, Mata, Martial, Rooney
First Half:
Manchester United started the game with confidence, on the back of their 3-0 win over Stoke City last time around. Chelsea were second best in the opening stages of the game, barely getting on the ball as the Red Devils dominated the opening 15 minutes with almost 70% of the ball, without creating a clear cut chance.
Anthony Martial had the best chance for United in the 18th minute, Thibaut Courtois pulling of a stunning save after the Frenchman had shot at goal from the edge of the box with the instep of his right foot. The game swung midway through the half as Chelsea grew into the game.
A slide rule pass sent Diego Costa clear on the right, but the Spaniard’s measured low effort across goal went narrowly wide. Oscar confirmed Chelsea’ emergence into the game as he blasted over from close range moments later. Willian tormented Borthwick-Jackson down the right and got past him in the 35th minute, sending in a low cross that Costa diverted towards goal, but De Gea was on hand to stop the effort from close range.
Chelsea had a strong penalty claim turned down in the final moments of the half, as Blind’s arm blocked a shot from John Terry that seemed destined for goal. The ball struck Blind from close range and only because he’d raised his arms in front of his face to block the shot. Perhaps that was referee Michael Oliver’s reasoning as he waved the claims away, which meant the two sides went level into the break with the score 0-0.
Second Half:
Manchester United started the second half much like they did the first, with Wayne Rooney testing Courtois with a low drive. The Belgian needed to be at his best minutes later, as he superbly stretched every sinew to make a one-handed save from Jesse Lingard’s curling effort. Hiddink responded to the pressure by bringing on Eden Hazard for Oscar in the 53rd minute.
The game suddenly came to a standstill with a very nasty injury to Kurt Zouma. The Frenchman went up to clear a ball, but landed quite awkwardly, with his right knee going behing him. His teammates immediately signalled for him to be substituted, with signals from the medical staff that he faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines. As Zouma was eventually taken off on a stretcher, Gary Cahill was sent on in his place.
The game’s pivotal moment came seconds later, as Wayne Rooney laid off a Borthwick-Jackson cross to Jesse Lingard. The winger had a lot to do with his back to goal, but produced a moment of genius, turning away from Azpilicueta and finding a yard of space, before rifling an unstoppable strike into the top corner, giving Manchester United a vital 1-0 lead in the 61st minute.
Chelsea responded immediately after, as Branislav Ivanovic forced David de Gea to make a great save from his left footed strike. The Spaniard saved United’s skin again with a save from Fabregas in the 71st minute, as the Chelsea man’s shot looked set to fly into the top corner.
Just as Chelsea were staring down the barrel of Guus Hiddink’s first defeat, up popped Diego Costa with a goal in the first minute of injury time. The Spaniard made a run towards the box as the ball bobbled towards him, but Borthwick-Jackson’s last ditch tackle could only move the ball a few yards away leaving De Gea stranded. Costa kept his calm and stoked the ball into an empty net from a tight angle to give Chelsea a valuable equalizer.
Wayne Rooney almost flipped the script with an audacious chip that nearly caught out Courtois. In a frenzied end to the game, Costa turned away from his marker and shot at De Gea, but the Spaniard got down well to make a vital save and preserve United’s point, as the game ended 1-1.
