FOOTBALL – Manchester United won 1-0 at Chelsea yesterday to take a big step towards Champions League football next season.
Matheus Cunha fired home from a pinpoint Bruno Fernandes cross with United’s first shot on target in the 43rd minute. The visitors resisted waves of Chelsea attacks with the home side hitting the woodwork three times.
The result lifted United to 58 points in the Premier League ahead of Aston Villa on 55 and Liverpool on 52 but it severely dented Chelsea’s chances of reaching the Champions League.
Their fourth Premier League defeat in a row without scoring left them sixth four points adrift of the top five and 10 points behind United.
Chelsea went into the match after another protest against the club’s ownership, with more than 500 supporters chanting against the regime as they marched alongside fans of French club Strasbourg, part of the same multi-club group.
On the pitch, Chelsea started brightly but soon ran into an increasing problem: scoring goals.
This latest defeat means it has been almost six and a half hours since Chelsea last scored, in the 4-1 win at Aston Villa.
In the Premier League, Chelsea have lost five of their past six games, have not won at home in five matches and have won only one of their past eight matches.
It is their sixth home defeat in the league this season, including three in a row, and only in 1994-95 have they lost more games at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have failed to score in each of their past four defeats, their joint longest such barren run since 1912.
Regular starting striker Joao Pedro was ruled out before kick-off with a minor quadriceps injury, while Estevao being forced off compounded the difficulty.
Those called upon have struggled for form, and again failed to deliver in what was close to a must-win match for Chelsea if they were to maintain realistic hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.