Jadon Sancho netted for the second game running as Manchester United picked up a point against leaders Chelsea following a solid display at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The hosts – who had gone into the match as undoubted favourites – unsurprisingly made the brighter start, with United once again reliant on David De Gea to bail them out of trouble, the Spaniard notably turning Callum Hudson-Odoi’s effort round the post.
Caretaker boss Michael Carrick had opted to leave talisman Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench in favour of a more pragmatic approach, with the visitors spending much of the first-half camped on the edge of their own box in the hope of avoiding another league drubbing.
As for the Blues, they saw an Antonio Rudiger speculative effort strike the crossbar, while Hudson Odoi also fired an effort straight at De Gea after a slack, cross-field pass from Bruno Fernandes.
The away side’s ploy appeared to be to play on the counter, with that almost coming to fruition as Fred brilliantly played in Sancho, only for the summer signing’s poor touch squandering the potential opening.
The former Borussia Dortmund man made up for that missed chance by handing the Red Devils the lead after the break, picking the pocket of Jorginho from an initial Chelsea corner and racing clear to cooly slot past Edouard Mendy for his second goal this week.
The Italian midfielder atoned for that error after converting from the penalty spot following a foul by Aaron Wan-Bissaka on Thiago Silva, although the United man recovered well to then thwart Timo Werner, who had earlier lashed an effort wide.
In a frantic end, Fred wasted a potential chance for a winner after having been gifted possession by Mendy, while the European champions almost grabbed a winner in the final minute of stoppage time, yet Rudiger could only blaze over at the back post.
Speaking after that match, long-serving stopper De Gea insisted that United are ‘improving’ after stopping the rot under Carrick this week.
”We already improved against Villareal, we won, qualified and now we played a very good team away from home,” De Gea told Sky Sports.
”The effort of the team was very good. They had the best chances. For me it is not enough, a draw. We are in a tough moment. I am proud of the effort of the team.
“On the pitch, in the goal, I was feeling danger for nearly the whole game. We defended well, they missed big chances and the one they give us a chance we score. It is not enough to draw but at the moment it is a big point.
“The last games before we were conceding three or four goals. We are improving. This is just two games. At least now we are defending well. We are fighting for every ball. We are a team.”
It remains to be seen whether it will be Carrick or incoming interim boss Ralf Rangnick in the dugout when Man United are next in action at home to Arsenal on Thursday, before they take on Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Sunday.
dynamic and devastating partnership of ‘Robbery’ that inspired their greatest nights.
