Manchester United 4-0 Chelsea: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis

#3 Manchester United take their chances, Chelsea don’t

Manchester United clinically took their chances

The game at Old Trafford ebbed and flowed beautifully through the first half. The visitors started on the front foot and carved out numerous openings. The likes of Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham looked sharp and their off the ball movements were a sight to behold at times. However, the Blues lacked the killer instinct in the final third, allowing United to grow into the game.

In the first half alone, the away side wasted quite a few promising opportunities with the aforementioned Abraham and Mount guilty of spurning those. Additionally, Ross Barkley looked indecisive going forward and always seemed to take a touch too many. Pedro, meanwhile, couldn’t conjure the end product one usually associates with him, meaning that the Blues trailed at half-time, despite battering the hosts for a major chunk of the period.

United, on the other hand, were clinical whenever accorded chances in front of goal. Rashford set the ball rolling with a brilliant penalty while Anthony Martial popped up in the right place at the right time to prod over Andreas Pereira’s cross.

Rashford notched his second of the evening after his run dovetailed superbly with Paul Pogba’s clipped through ball, with the former showing exemplary composure to dispatch the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga.

To pile further misery on Chelsea, Daniel James got on the score-sheet courtesy a deflected shot in the 81st minute.

Thus, the match, like a game of football so often does, was decided by the cutting edge both teams showcased in the offensive third. While the Blues did everything but score, the hosts grabbed whatever came their way with both hands.