Chelsea 0, Manchester United 0
Manchester United ended another game 0-0 against a top six rival – drawing a blank at Chelsea after a controversial VAR review.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe home side have gained a reputation of being hard to breach since Thomas Tuchel took over at Stamford Bridge this this week.
But Chelsea somehow survived an early pitch side review for an handball penalty claim against Callum Hudson-Odoi by referee Stuart Attwell.
Attwell was asked to check the replay by VAR and decided that there was no penalty to the confusion and frustration of many of the United players.
Perhaps this moment informed the rest of the game as neither side could afford to lose and patchy form for the Reds had seen them drop to 13 points behind City in second place.
And United’s poor record against the so-called ‘big six’ this term continued with their 5th 0-0 draw to add to two defeats – with just one goal in seven games to show for their efforts.
It was the first time that both league meetings between the sides had finished 0-0 since 1921-22 although the Reds will be pleased to extend their current unbeaten Premier League run away from home to 20 games.
Both sides made attacking substitutions but on-field intensity didn’t change as the half chances piled up without either side actually having a golden chance to take the lead with Bruno Fernandes off the pace at Stamford Bridge.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was fuming at the penalty decision after the game, he said:
“100 percent it was a penalty. It’s taken two points away from us.” He said of referee Stuart Attwell’s decision to deny the Reds a spot kick.
He added: “There’s lots of talk about us getting penalties when there’s no doubt in them and now we have what happened today.”
But the Norwegian could not fault his side’s application without the ball, saying: “Defensively, application, energy, pressing… spot on.”
“With the ball – not good enough. We’re not scoring enough goals.
“If we score at the end on that breakaway 4v2 it’s a perfect performance.”
With the Reds needing more goals, Solskjaer explained the absence of Anthony Martial until late in the second half.
He said: “You can see why Dan James played – absolutely top performance – but Anthony will keep playing for us and scoring goals.
“But a point isn’t good enough so at the end we were pushing players forward.
“We have had loads of clean sheets against the top sides but not a goal – we need that goal to open them up.”
Controversial VAR review ends in no penalty for Manchester United as Callum Hudson-Odoi appears to handle the ball
Mason Greenwood was handed the centre forward berth as Marcus Rashford came in for Anthony Martial on the right side of the United attacking trident while Scott McTominay was declared fit to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
In all, United made five changes from the side that drew 0-0 against Real Sociedad on Thursday.
David De Gea, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, McTominay, and Marcus Rashford came back into the side while Dean Henderson, Eric Bailly, Alex Telles, Nemanja Matic, and Anthony Martial stepped down.
And the Reds attacked Chelsea from the start with both sides opting for aggression and movement in an energetic opening spell.
Rashford had the first chance of the game with a 30 yard free kick which was palmed away by Edouard Mendy while Hakim Ziyech tested De Gea.
But play was brought back after a VAR check where Stuart Attwell inspected the pitch side monitor and determined that Hudson-Odoi had not conclusively handled the ball in clearing the earlier rebound from Mendy’s save.
Olivier Giroud was wasteful with a couple off chances that came his way as Chelsea remained on top for much of the first half – blazing over a decent chance as the game quickly settled down from the earlier fireworks to a much lower level.
Giroud threw himself at a Hudson-Odoi cross and hurt his back on landing against the post as the ball evaded him in the increasingly tactical battle.
Hudson-Odoi was replaced by Reece James at half time – the winger was spotted sporting a bandage on his leg after doing off.
Ziyech and Reece James both tested De Gea soon after the restart with the Spaniard blocking the Moroccan’s first shot after Ben Chilwell’s cross from the left while Shaw blocked the rebound effort from James after directing the ball away from Ziyech.
Daniel James then won a corner off Andreas Christensen to set up a United corner which Giroud headed away to start a counter attack for Chelsea.
It was the Blues who improved after the break following the tactical tweaks by Tuchel while United waited poised for the counter attack – Greenwood whipped a ball wide of the post when Daniel James slipped him through after an hour.
And a minute later McTominay forced a save from Mendy after Luke Shaw carved open a chance with a cut back from the left touchline while Rashford’s tame shot shortly afterwards was an easy take for Mendy.
Mason Mount exchanged passes with Ziyech and ran down on De Gea’s goal but was thwarted by a block from McTominay.
The ineffective Giroud was replaced by Christian Pulisic in the 65th minute – the American went up front.
Fred went close with a long range effort which curled just wide as both sides elected to remain on the front foot but the quality of the final ball remained low – Mateo Kovacic and Ziyech’s long range efforts were never going to beat De Gea with 15 minutes to go.
Mendy lost Daniel James’ cross with Greenwood bearing down on his but rescued the loose ball before Fernandes, who was having an off-day – could reach it.
Chelsea brought on Timo Werner for Ziyech with 12 minutes to go while Martial came on for Greenwood as both sides rolled the dice again.
Victor Lindelof beat Werner to a Reece James cross as Chelsea looked to snatch victory in the final minutes while the German also tested De Gea with a low rasping drive from wide on the left and Pulisic blazed over.
With time running out both sides eventually settled for the point which left United a point clear of Leicester in third place but still 12 behind league leaders Manchester City while Chelsea ensured they could not be overtaken by Liverpool tonight but remained a point behind West Ham in fourth.
MATCH STATS – Chelsea 0, Manchester United 0
Chelsea: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Hudson-Odoi (James 46), Kante, Kovacic, Chilwell, Ziyech (Werner 78), Mount, Giroud (Pulisic 65)
Chelsea subs not used: Arrizabalaga, Alonso, Jorginho, Zouma, Havertz, Emerson
Booking: Chilwell 62 (foul on Mason Greenwood)
Man Utd: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, James, Fernandes, Rashford, Greenwood (Martial 78)
Man Utd subs not used: Henderson, Bailly, Diallo, Telles, Matic, Williams, van de Beek, Tuanzebe
Booked: Fred 50 (foul on Mason Mount); Maguire 79 (foul on Christian Pulisic)
Referee: Stuart Attwell