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Chelsea fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United in the Premier League on Wednesday, December 6.
The Blues, on the other hand, secured two wins, two defeats and one draw in their last five games. Their last outing was a thrilling 3-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in which Conor Gallagher was sent off for the hosts.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino knew his team needed to regain their momentum and fielded a strong lineup for the game.
Chelsea made a slow start to the game and were nearly punished for it after just seven minutes as Enzo Fernandez fouled Antony inside the 18-yard box. However, Bruno Fernandes was unable to convert from the spot. Manchester United grabbed the lead after 19 minutes via Scott McTominay's smart strike.
Chelsea, on the other hand, needed to wait until late in the second half to grab their equalizer. Mykhaylo Mudryk assisted Cole Palmer as he slotted the ball into the bottom-right corner to make it 1-1.
The teams were tied 1-1 at the interval.
Much like the first half, Chelsea had the majority of the possession in the second, however it was nearly 60%. Despite having the ball for lengthy spells of time, the Blues could not muster worthwhile chances as they failed to hit the target with eight second-half shots.
Manchester United, on the other hand, attempted 10 shots with 41% possession. However, Scott McTominay doubled his tally with a sharp finish in to make it 2-1 in the 69th minute.
With a narrow one-goal lead, ten Hag's men navigated the closing stages of the game fairly well and secured a key win over rivals Chelsea.
On that note, let's take a look at the Blues' player ratings.
Chelsea Player Ratings
Robert Sanchez - 8/10
Sanchez made a crucial penalty save in just the seventh minute of the game. He made seven total saves and distributed the ball with 83% accuracy.
Marc Cucurella - 7/10
Cucurella put in a decent shift in the first half and was replaced by Reece James during the half-time interval. He won five of his six duels, making two tackles, two blocks and one interception.
Axel Disasi - 6.5/10
Disasi won just one duel and made one clearance. He passed the ball with 93% accuracy, including four long balls.
Thiago Silva - 6.5/10
Silva had a decent game in defence as he won one duel, making three clearances and two blocks. He also played four long balls.
Levi Colwill - 7/10
The Cobham academy graduate captained Chelsea and had a decent outing. He won seven duels, making three interceptions and two tackles. He also played one key pass and attempted two shots off-target.
Moises Caicedo - 6.5/10
Caicedo had a fairly decent game in midfield as he passed the ball with 89% accuracy, including two long balls. He also won seven duels, making six tackles in the process.
Enzo Fernandez - 6.5/10
Fernandez passed the ball with 81% accuracy, including five long balls. He also won seven duels, making two tackles and one interception. However, he was dribbled past thrice.
Raheem Sterling - 6.5/10
Sterling had a rather low-key affair as he failed to register a single attempt. He won three duels and played two key passes.
Cole Palmer - 7/10
Palmer had a decent game and even put Chelsea back on terms late in the first period. He won three duels, played two key passes and completed two dribbles.
Mykhaylo Mudryk - 6.5/10
Mudryk had a rather dull outing as he passed the ball with 69% accuracy, including two key passes. He also attempted three shots which were all off-target.
Nicolas Jackson - 6/10
Jackson misfired for Chelsea as he missed two big chances to score.
Substitutes
Reece James - 7/10
James replaced Cucurella at the half-time interval and played well. He won his only duel and made two clearances and one interception. James also played two key passes.
Armando Broja - 6/10
Broja came on for Chelsea late in the contest and was unable to make an impact.
