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Nov 04, 2024

Manchester United vs Chelsea highlights and reaction as Caicedo wipes out Fernandes opener - Manchester Evening News

Manchester United have now won just one of their last six Premier League matches after drawing 1-1 with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. A low-quality game sparked into life inside the

Manchester United have now won just one of their last six Premier League matches after drawing 1-1 with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

A low-quality game sparked into life inside the final 20 minutes when Rasmus Hojlund was clattered inside the penalty area by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, resulting in Ruud van Nistelrooy's side being awarded a penalty.

Bruno Fernandes stepped up and sent Sanchez the wrong way, claiming his first Premier League goal of the season. However, it didn't last long.

Chelsea got themselves back on terms just four minutes later when Moises Caicedo fired in an excellent volley after United failed to clear a corner. Caicedo was one of the best players on the pitch and was worthy of his goal.

United, as a result, are now winless in their last two league games, and end the weekend 13th in the table, seven points above the drop zone and six points shy of the top four.

Scan through the live blog below to see how events at Old Trafford unfolded...

We're calling time on our coverage here, folks.

As ever, we really appreciate you choosing to tune into the live blog. Continue to check out the MEN website for more reaction and analysis to United's 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

Bruno Fernandes said there was a 'lot of disappointment' inside the United dressing room following their 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford.

After taking a 70th-minute lead via Fernandes' first Premier League goal of the season from the penalty spot, United were pegged back just four minutes later through a wonderful effort from Moises Caicedo.

Fernandes told Sky Sports:

"Everyone knows how much I wanted the goal to come. I need to help the team with goals and assists. It's been one of the most disappointing things this season - but I got some in the cup. Now scoring in the Premier League. It was a lot of disappointment in the dressing room. We could have won the game."

Click here to read more.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has now attended seven Premier League matches involving United since he became a minority shareholder. They have not won one of them.

Ratcliffe will have to venture to Suffolk in three weeks if he is to witness a visibly and pleasingly unrecognisable United. It is now three wins in ten Premier League games. Only Crystal Palace and Southampton have scored fewer goals than 13th-placed United.

There were bound to be parallels aplenty with the Dutch-managed United of last month. United's shape was forlorn, as it usually is against the Premier League's big hitters, their play was devoid of strategy, largely absent of quality and reliant on the counter-attack.

Click here to read to Samuel Luckhurst's match report in full.

United have now won just one of their last six Premier League matches after drawing 1-1 with Chelsea at Old Trafford this afternoon.

Moises Caicedo earned the visitors a point with a brilliant volley, cancelling out Bruno Fernandes' opener from the penalty spot.

Here is a flavour of how Samuel Luckhurst rated United's players out of 10...

Andre Onana

His kicking was iffy at times amid Chelsea's pressing and Moises Caicedo’s strike was not quite in the corner. 6

Diogo Dalot

Another sub-par performance accompanied by a deserved booking for a deliberate and cynical foul. Calmer in the second half but had no influence. 5

Matthijs de Ligt

Executed a good block to thwart Cole Palmer early in the first half. Showed good leadership at times with United often under pressure. 6

Click here to read Samuel's ratings in full.

The full-time whistle goes here at Old Trafford and it finishes 1-1.

Caicedo earns Chelsea a point, brilliantly volleying home the leveller, after Fernandes had earlier given United the lead from the penalty spot.

It is now just one win in six in the Premier League for the Reds.

Martinez earns a yellow card after chopping down Palmer. VAR had a look at the possibility of a red card, but the original decision stands.

United still have 11 men.

There will be a minimum of four minutes at the end of this game.

Garnacho lets fly and fires over the bar from inside the box. It was a good effort from the youngster.

Fernandes then smashes an effort miles over the bar when he should have hit the target at the very, very least. They were two great chances.

Van Nistelrooy makes two changes;

ON: Lindelof, Zirkzee

OFF: Ugarte, Hojlund

Zirkzee will soon be introduced by Van Nistelrooy from the bench.

The contest has entered the final 10 minutes here at Old Trafford and this could still go either way.

Chelsea have their tails up now. Jackson lays the ball off for Fernandez and he puts the ball over the top with Onana out of his goal. That was a good chance.

Chelsea are back on terms and it is a wonderful volley from Caicedo, who fires past Onana with a low and hard effort.

Game on.

Van Nistelrooy makes his first change, bringing Amad on for Rashford.

No mistake from Fernandes, who sends Sanchez the wrong way!

United hit the front and Van Nistelrooy goes running down the touchline and jumps into the air.

United are awarded a penalty after Sanchez clatters Hojlund inside the box.

Rashford joins Dalot and Ugarte in the referee's notebook. He is yellow carded for reacting furiously to a decision.

That was as good a chance as United have had so far. Fernandes gets into the penalty area, cuts the ball back for Garnacho, who holds his position well, and takes a first-time swing at the ball, putting it straight at Sanchez.

He didn't connect with it with any sort of conviction. It was a wasted chance.

We're now into the last 30 minutes here at Old Trafford and United are still yet to have a spell of dominance in the game.

Van Nistelrooy needs to soon start thinking about turning to his bench and possibly calling on Amad.

Rashford takes aim after receiving a short corner from Fernandes and it is easy for Sanchez. It was United's first shot on target in 35 minutes.

Neto drives an effort just wide of the target for Chelsea. That was close. Very close.

Van Nistelrooy turned to the dugout a moment ago and Amad stood up but he is not warming up. Rene Hake joined Van Nistelrooy in the technical area.

United have limited options as they have three substitutes yet to make their debut. Amad for Rashford or Hojlund would be the logical switch.

The second half is only five minutes old and already Amad has been told to warm up by Van Nistelrooy.

The winger has had a positive impact from the bench in each of the last two games.

We are back under way here at Old Trafford.

Chelsea have made an alteration, bringing on Cucurella for Gusto.

Both sets of players have returned from the dressing rooms and the second half will get started any moment now.

Here is how Samuel Luckhurst has rated United's players out of 10 following the first 45 minutes at Old Trafford...

Onana

Some iffy kicks. 6

Dalot

Sub-par half. 4

De Ligt

Vital block from Palmer. 6

Martinez

Improved back at centre back. 6

Mazraoui

United's best player. 7

Ugarte

Bossed by Lavia and Caicedo. 5

Casemiro

Often floundering. 5

Rashford

Hit the bar. 5

Fernandes

Trying without succeeding. 5

Garnacho

Quiet. 5

Hojlund

Began bullishly but regressed. 5

The half-time whistle goes at Old Trafford and the game is still goalless. Rashford had the best chance right at the end of the first 45, hitting the woodwork.

It hasn't been a classic up to now.

There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Dalot has just joined Ugarte in the book.

Ugarte picks up a yellow card for a shove in the back on Palmer. The Chelsea ace glided through United's players far too easily there.

The free-kick is taken by Fernandes it goes straight into the wall. That was a waste.

Hojlund is denied by Robert Sanchez, but the whistle had already gone to award Manchester United a free-kick. There would have been uproar had that gone in. United a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Referee Robert Jones is looking out of his depth. He should have got his card out a couple of times in the last few minutes but let Chelsea off the hook. Then when he did it wasn’t a booking.

It has not been a high quality game. Chelsea’s approach play has been slick at times but they have hardly had an attempt at goal. That greediness from Palmer just then has typified their performance. There have been gaps aplenty in United’s defence

Van Nistelrooy has overseen an in-game tactical switch, moving Garnacho to the left and Rashford to the right.

Two abysmal pieces of play from Hojlund, who started so bullishly. He had to play the ball far earlier for Garnacho, his teammate for over a yea, before the linesman’s flag went up. They looked like strangers.

Hojlund is starting to get out-muscled, too, and the disappointment of not getting a free kick a few moments ago won’t help matters. It didn't help him release the ball promptly for Garnacho on the other side. Some United fans sounded annoyed but their ire was soon drawn on the referee.

Van Nistelrooy speaks Spanish to Casemiro and whatever Spanish is for "tighter", he may have just uttered it. He gestured to Casemiro to be more compact with Ugarte. The midfield's positioning has been a glaring issue not just today and it’s something of an admission of defeat. Lavia and Caicedo have dictated this game and will continue to.

It was three against three just there and Garnacho had to do better with his shot. It was weak and straight at Sanchez. His finishing was poor in the defeat to West Ham and although he was on the scoresheet in midweek, it's something he must work on. Although it's been an open game so far, the quality in the final third from both sides has been lacking.

That is better from United. Rashford drives into the box, cuts the ball back, which is parried by Sanchez, and Fernandes cannot turn it home.

Wow. Onana attempts to play the ball out from the back to Casemiro, who is surrounded. He never wins the pass and Chelsea fire over. That was a massive let off.

United look very open when Chelsea transition and Ugarte and Casemiro need to maintain a tighter connection. Fernandes might also have to drop back further than he wants to because there is too much space in the centre of the pitch, but how often have we said that when discussing United? We're approaching 20 minutes and Chelsea have marginally been the better team.

Van Nistelrooy just applauded Mazraoui for his recovery run there and he won’t be thanking fellow full back Dalot for dithering on the ball up the other end.

Chelsea have been the more assertive side, which is not a surprise when they've had their head coach in the building for months and Van Nistelrooy has been in charge for days.

United are attempting a pressing quartet at times without ever looking like nicking the ball. Chelsea just keep it patiently, pick the gap and they are invariably on their way. There is a reason why Casemiro looked very good against Leicester's reserves.

Caicedo has done a number on United a few times with Brighton and that touch for Lavia just then was exquisite. Chelsea moved from their own third into United's swiftly and it came from Caicedo's flick. And it almost led to a Chelsea goal.

United have looked so vulnerable to aerial balls this season and De Ligt does not appear capable of taking ownership, despite his physique.

A big let off for United. A corner from the right is sent in by Palmer and Madueke connects with it, heading against the post. Big chance.

Chelsea have had some joy bypassing the United midfield a couple of times already. United are going to have to plug that gap at some point.

Hojlund has started very authoritatively against some physical centre halves on Colwill and Fofana. Van Nistelrooy just instructed Dalot to keep tabs on Palmer when Chelsea had a throw-in in their own third. If ever a player can change a game in the blink of an eye, it's Palmer. As he did against United in April.

Casemiro was at fault for that Chelsea chance. His ball into midfield was far too casual and Palmer was sent into the box, only to be denied by a block from De Ligt. The Dutch defender was stumbling and it looked like Palmer was going to get the better of him - but he recovered nicely.

We're only into the first few minutes of the game but it's been a fluid attacking line so far. Rashford was playing as the No.10 just there and Fernandes was on the left. Having a fluid attack keeps the opponent guessing and there seems to be room in behind Chelsea's defensive line to exploit.

Good start from Hojlund, who used his body well there to win an early free-kick. Hojlund often struggles to make the ball stick and it’s an area of his game that can be improved. Chelsea cleared the subsequent free-kick with minimal fuss and Fernandes thwarted their counter-attack.

The rendition of 'Take Me Home' was louder and aired with greater gusto than before. That's down to the change of manager and the choice of interim.

Ruud van Nistelrooy will have approved of that hold-up play by Hojlund, not always the most dependable with his back to goal.

Away we go at Old Trafford! United are attacking the Scoreboard End in this first half.

Whoever employs Ruud van Nistelrooy as their next manager will be making a smart move. He may only be at United for one more week but, as was evident during the Leicester victory, he is savouring the experience and he has possibly gone even higher up in the lofty estimation of United supporters. He has conducted himself impeccably this week but this is the biggest test.

The two sets of players are now making their way out of the Stretford End tunnel. It has the feeling of a big game, this.

United are looking to make it two wins out of two under Ruud van Nistelrooy.