Man Utd crush weak Chelsea to secure emphatic Champions League return – 6 talking points

Man Utd crush underpowered Chelsea to secure emphatic Champions League return – 6 talking points

MAN UTD 4-1 CHELSEA: Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford all scored to send Manchester United back into the Champions League and add further misery to Frank Lampard

Manchester United will return to the Champions League next season with a sensational 4-1 win at home against Chelsea.

Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford each scored once to condemn Frank Lampard to his eighth loss in 10 games as interim boss of the Blues. United scored twice before the break despite Chelsea threatening throughout the first half, failing to score through the likes of Mykhaylo Mudryk and Kai Havertz

Fernandes’ penalty and a sloppy goal from Rashford then secured a fourth-place finish for the Red Devils, who sadly lost Antony to serious injury in the early stages, ruining his chances of taking part in Manchester’s FA Cup Final. END. Danger. For Lampard’s side, who rallied a late consolation goal courtesy of mercenary Joao Felix, the season cannot end soon enough.

Here are six talking points from Old Trafford. 1. Mudryk punished by Casemiro

These have been difficult months for Mykhaylo Mudryk. After joining Chelsea in January for £88.5m, the Ukrainian prodigy failed, and badly.

Without a goal in his first 16 appearances for the Blues, he may not have had a better chance to break his duck than he got after four minutes at Old Trafford. As young left-back Lewis Hall charged up the wing and fired a perfectly weighted ball across the United penalty area, Mudryk somehow failed to make decent contact and fired a tame shot over the post from a relieved David de Gea. Two minutes later, the 22-year-old winger regretted his superiors even more when Casemiro emerged to nod from a Christian Eriksen free-kick and gave the Red Devils an early lead that should have belonged to Chelsea. The powerhouse midfielder managed to land headers near the post in his first season and Frank Lampard’s Blues were his latest victim.

2. Antoine’s agony

As Erik ten Hag’s side fared well and launched another attacking attempt, United’s No.21 fell after a quick but fair attack on Antony by Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah. At first it looked like another melodramatic foul, but when referee Stuart Attwell allowed play to continue, Anthony’s screams didn’t stop.

The Brazilian winger, who is progressing slowly in his first season in English football, suffered a serious injury due to Chalobah’s good defence. A stretcher was soon fitted and so was Marcus Rashford to replace him.

Antony was in tears as he walked through the tunnel thinking he would miss out on Saturday’s Manchester derby FA Cup Final. Ten Hag certainly has other options on the right wing, but none are as natural as the man he bought from Ajax for £85m last summer.

3. Golf in class

If you lit up at half time and saw the scoreline ‘United 2-0 Chelsea’ you’d be better off assuming that the Red Devils dominated the first half. But it was more about the visitors wasting one chance at a time, a practice familiar to Stamford Bridge supporters from the start of a miserable campaign.

Chelsea remained hopeful at 1-0 but when Casemiro played a brilliant covered pass to Sancho, United winger Anthony Martial saw himself free to pocket it at the back post and the Frenchman cleverly concealed it. It was superb attacking play from the hosts who showed the difference between these sides tonight was one of quality in the final third, but manager Ten Hag was unhappy with the Red Devils’ general neglect in allowing the Blues to continue to come in behind.

4. Hall a real handful

There have been few bright spots for Chelsea of ​​late, but Lewis Hall’s rise is something to savor. Unable to feature in the ongoing World Cup in Argentina with England’s Under-20s, the Blues academy graduate had to wait for his chance before left-backs Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella were injured. After being brought down by Lampard for the third straight season, Hall caused United’s defense problems all night with crosses and a powerful shot that was blocked by De Gea. After Mudryk failed to convert the teenager’s pass in the opening minutes, Kai Havertz did the same after Chelsea fell behind. Hall, who was just 18, has shown signs the new – although unconfirmed – manager will love Mauricio Pochettino and has been described by Gary Neville as “really impressive”.

5. Rashford celebrated his 30th birthday

Marcus Rashford is nearing the end of his all-time season and had no easier goal than United’s fourth of the night in what made for a tumultuous end to the game from Chelsea’s perspective. After losing their temper and causing aggro after Fernandes’ coldly converted penalty, the Blues quickly conceded another goal for their hosts. 6. Next stop: Champions League

Thursday night football is no more for United, at least until 2024. The Red Devils are back in the Champions League with victory, a draw is enough to ensure a return to Europe’s top competition.

One of Ten Hag’s major objectives in his first campaign at the helm may have taken longer to achieve than the Red Devils would have liked, with Liverpool close to catching but the job is done. A win over Fulham on Sunday would also secure third place, while Chelsea know they will face embarrassment from a bottom half.