Match Report (P): United 2 - 0 Chelsea
GOALS: Tevez (45) Saha (89)
Goals from Tevez and Saha gave Sir Alex a rare victory over an off-colour Chelsea and started the new era of Avram Grant in the manner he must have dreaded.
Chelsea came to Old Trafford with a good recent record against the champions. Under Mourinho, the blues had lost just one in 11 meetings with United. But the Special One has gone and so too perhaps, the Stamford Bridge hex over United.
Certainly United began the match with every intention to go for the visitors’ throat and deepen the disarray that has engulfed Chelsea all week. With only a minute of play gone, Rooney tested Petr Cech with a wonderful curling shot which the keeper did well to palm aside.
United continued to take the game to Chelsea and should have taken the lead on 16 minutes when refree Mike Dean overlooked a blatant penalty when failing to penalise Joe Cole’s illegal challenge on Patrice Evra as the leftback burst into the Chelsea penalty area.
Chelsea threatened to make the game a real contest with some of their approach play. But the team performed with little of the verve, organisation and creative method that had been the hallmarks of the Mourinho regime. The absence of Lampard and Drogba were important but the players looked and played as though they were disheartened. The dismissal of Obi Mikel for an ugly studs-up challenge on Evra on 31 minutes, not only handed United a numerical advantage but reflected a poor afternoon’s work by most in blue.
United were suitably encouraged and on the stroke of half-time were rewarded for their endevour with a well-executed goal. A Giggs corner was blocked but when the winger recovered the ball and flighted over a centre from the right with the outside of his foot, Carlos Tevez was there to meet the cross before Cech with a neat near post header. The Argentine had waited nearly 500 minutes to register his first league goal in United’s colours and celebrated accordingly.
The second half was an ugly affair principally because of Chelsea’s willingness to compensate for their lack of numbers with some over-physical play. United had no reason to press forward and contained the opposition allowing Chelsea to claim more of the ball than in the first period. Chelsea were reduced to speculative long shots and rarely troubled United’s defensive composure.
By contrast, United threatened danger whenever they moved forward with pace and menace. On 57 minutes, Carrick flighted a wonderful pass to Giggs bearing down on the left flank. The winger connected beautifully but fired his fierce shot high over the bar.
A dreadful challenge by Joe Cole on Ronaldo on 73 minutes led to much touchline shouting from the red dugout. United took legitimate revenge two minutes before time. Rio Ferdinand delivered the pass of the match when his flighted lob from defence found substitute Louis Saha in Chelsea’s penalty area. The Frenchman’s instant control befuddled defender Ben Haim who hacked the striker to the ground. All Old Trafford rose to applaud Saha when his penalty rolled into the net.
Sir Alex will take many pluses from this game, not least the goals from his strikers and the returning form of Rooney and Ronaldo. For Avram Grant, was this match the beginning of his goodbye?
TEAM:
Van der Sar, Brown, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic; Carrick, Giggs, Ronaldo, Scholes, Rooney, Tevez (78 Saha)
Subs: Kuszczak; Pique; O’Shea; Nani
POST SCRIPT
Sir Alex: “I think we were the better team. Our football in the early parts of the match was outstanding. We could have been two or three up early on. Petr Cech made a great save from Wayne Rooney right at the start and we were dominant at that point. We should have had a penalty kick [for Joe Cole’s foul on Patrice Evra] in the first half, I think the camera’s clearly show that.
“I’ve seen the sending off and it was maybe a bit harsh, but there was intent there. It could have hurt the boy (Evra) but a lot of referees would have let it go. When you see Joe Cole’s tackle in the second half on Cristiano Ronaldo, that should have been a straight red card. It was right down the achilles which is happening repeatedly to Cristiano. He got a yellow card, but it should have been red. I think the referee was perhaps balancing it out.
“I think the real turning point was the goal just before half time. It was a real blow to Chelsea. At that point we had complete control of the match.
“In tight games like that, the referee has to make big decisions quickly. He can get it wrong. But I don’t think it affected the result of the match.
“In a way we got some of our confidence back today. There was style and tempo to our play. I was delighted with that. Tevez and Rooney are getting more games and Saha is coming back. We are looking more like ourselves
“The foul on Louis Saha for the penalty was a bit harsh, but I think that cancels out the one we should have got in the first half.”
Avram Grant: “There were too many strange things happened today. The sending off was not, the referee says two minutes added time and they score after three minutes, and then the penalty. Maybe it’s a coincidence, maybe I’m naive a little bit.
“His decisions affected the result. First, we needed to play in the first half 10 against 11, then they scored a goal after time, then the penalty, so it affected the result, even though I’m very happy for my guys.
“I can say only one thing. I’m very proud of what the players did this week, how they behaved, how they trained, how they behaved in the hotel. I’m very happy with the spirit. If we continue like this we will be okay.”
