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Manchester United started their new season by hosting Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday. The two clubs had ended last season on contrasting notes; while the Blues finished third in the Premier League table and also won the UEFA Europa League, the Red Devils were sixth in the table and had not won anything for the second year running.
Chelsea had appointed club legend Frank Lampard as their manager ahead of the new season, but it was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who was under pressure ahead of the game. United might have won all 6 games in pre-season, but the club’s average performance in the transfer market had left fans in disarray. Solskjaer, though, was confident that he was satisfied with his team and he had two debutants in the eleven he set out against Chelsea.
The Norwegian started with David De Gea in goal, who also wore the armband for the first game of the season. The back four consisted of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, and Luke Shaw. In the midfield, Solskjaer opted for Scott McTominay alongside Paul Pogba, while Andreas Pereira operated in the No. 10 role. The front three consisted of Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, and Marcus Rashford.
It was Frank Lampard’s boys who started the game brighter, pushing United back and even hitting the upright in the opening minutes. However, United grew in stature as the game progressed and went ahead when Marcus Rashford scored from the spot. The first half ended with the score 1-0.
The home side hit a higher gear in the second half, doubling the lead through Anthony Martial before Rashford scored his second of the night. Young Daniel James came on late into the game and found the back of the net to make it 4-0 and ended the night on a high.
While the entire team was impressive, Solskjaer will be delighted with the efforts of these 5 men who helped win the game.
#5 Daniel James
The youngster came on in place of Andreas Pereira in the 74th minute, as Solskjaer looked to utilize the Welshman’s pace in the dying minutes. Daniel James had an immediate impact in the game, driving at the opposition defense and tracking back to help out Wan-Bissaka. And in the 81st minute, when Pogba stormed into the opposition third, the youngster was in position to receive his pass.
Even though it initially looked like he had missed the window to score, James did find the back of the net, albeit with a fortuitous deflection. His goal ensured United had a comfortable grip on the game.
The Welshman went on to win free-kicks in dangerous positions and stretched the game until the last minute, helping United secure all three points.
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#4 Anthony Martial
The Frenchman was selected to lead the line on the night, but Anthony Martial struggled at the start of the game to find his footing. However, the Frenchman was brilliant with his pressing and closing down. Sometimes he resembled an entirely different player on the pitch, because Martial was not previously known for his workrate.
There seems to be something that Solskjaer had said and done which caused a wonderful change in attitude and that was evident against Chelsea.
Martial did have a few half chances to score early in the game, but the Frenchman failed to grab the opportunities. But he carried on his off the ball duties and also switched places across the front three with ease.
Soon, he had the reward for all his hard work. At the end of another swift counter attack, Pereira sent in a good ball into the box. Martial arrived ahead of his marker and slotted the ball into the net from close range. It justified Solskjaer’s decision to play the Frenchman as a No.9 and helped United ease the tensions around Old Trafford.
#3 Paul Pogba
They say even on off days, champions can turn a game with touches of individual brilliance. Perhaps the same fits for Paul Pogba against Chelsea. The Frenchman was having an average game in the first half, failing to pick up the final balls, losing possession and making unforced errors.
But Pogba has the world-class ability to make a telling impact on the game even on nights when he is not at his best. It is what makes him such a champion and it is also what makes him indispensable for United.
The first came courtesy of a long ball from within his own half, as he unleashed the speed of Marcus Rashford onto the hapless Chelsea defense. It was a counter that defined the United style of play and as the Englishman scored his second goal of the night to make it 3-0, Solskjaer would have been a highly satisfied man. However, Pogba was hardly done.
The Frenchman then went on a driving run from deep within his own half, drilling through the Chelsea team and setting up substitute Daniel James to score the 4th goal of the game. He racked up two assists on the night and was the pick of the midfielders once again.
#2 Harry Maguire
The Englishman started in his familiar position as the left center-back, a role he had excelled in at Leicester City. Harry Maguire started the game a tad slower than the rest of his teammates, having to rely on Victor Lindelof to take the responsibilities in the opening stages.
However, Maguire grew in stature as the game went on, learning to trust his teammates and finding his feet alongside a new defensive partner. And soon, he was bossing the United defense.
Maguire looked composed with the ball at his feet and was assured with his positioning. He blocked off Chelsea attacks comfortably and did not put a foot wrong at the back. He stepped up, intercepted Chelsea’s play and he calmly guided the back four, helping the team withstand Chelsea’s pressure.
The Englishman was the leader at the back that United craved for and he certainly brought his A-game to Old Trafford on the night. Maguire helped United end the night with a clean sheet against a dangerous Chelsea attack. The Red Devils might have spent a massive amount of money on his signature, but against Chelsea, it looked like money well invested.
#1 Marcus Rashford
The Englishman started on the left side of the attack, with Anthony Martial leading the line. Marcus Rashford looked lively from the start but had little effect on the game in the opening stages as Chelsea piled on the pressure on the home team.
He was also guilty of misplacing passes and gave the ball away cheaply on a couple of occasions. But the Englishman improved as the game went on, and looked especially dangerous on the counter-attack.
Rashford pressed high up on the field and closed down the opposition whenever United lost the ball. And in the 18th minute, he stamped his authority on the game. Picking up a pass from Andreas Pereira, Rashford ran into the Chelsea box with intent. His quick feet troubled Kurt Zouma, who brought him down illegally in the penalty area. United won a spot-kick, which the Rashford dispatched himself and gave United the lead.
In the 67th minute, the Englishman gave a glimpse of his speed and finishing when he was superbly picked up from deep by Pogba. Rashford still had a lot to do but finished confidently to make it 3-0. It was a goal that gave United breathing space and broke Chelsea's spirits.
