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Sunday, October 23, 2016

Live Commentary: Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United


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Welcome to IB live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.


United boss Jose Mourinho returns to his former hunting ground this afternoon, aiming to get one over on the Blues after being sacked last December just seven on from lifting the title.

Antonio Conte is now the man in place in West London and he has made a solid enough start to life in the English top flight, recovering from a recent mini slump to guide his side into fifth place - two point ahead of the Red Devils.

Follow all of the action as it unfolds with our extensive updates below.

OFFICIAL LINE-UPS

CHELSEA: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Pedro, Diego Costa, Hazard

CHELSEA SUBS: Begovic, Aina, Terry, Chalobah, Oscar, Willian, Batshuayi



MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Smalling, Blind; Herrera, Fellaini; Lingard, Pogba, Rashford; Ibrahimovic

MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Romero, Darmian, Rojo, Carrick, Mata, Young, Martial

48 min A shot from the edge of the box takes a couple of deflections and falls into the path of Costa, who picks out the top corner. The Spaniard was quite clearly offside, though, and the flag was up before he opted to take on the shot.

46 min RESTART! We are back under way at Stamford Bridge, where there is news of one change. Manchester United have brought on Juan Mata for Marouane Fellaini, who was poor in the first half. Rashford now paired with Ibrahimovic in a 4-4-2.


Chelsea take a two-goal lead into the break, which is well deserved on the balance of things but United did have chances of their own. On the whole it was a hugely entertaining first half, in what has been a complete contrast to the bland affair we saw at Anfield six days ago.


45+2 min HALF TIME: CHELSEA 2-0 MANCHESTER UNITED

45 min Herrera constantly being left exposed in front of the United back four in these opening 45 minutes; Fellaini playing in a far more advanced roll just off Ibrahimovic. It was Herrera who unleashed potentially the last shot of the half, which was blocked aside.

43 min YELLOW CARD! An absolute shocker of a challenge from Luiz on Fellaini. The Brazilian goes in boot high and meets his opponent's knee clean on, earning a yellow from the referee when a red would have been more suitable.

41 min Mourinho watching on from the sidelines as Hazard receives some treatment. Might just be a case of seeing the half through now as far as the Portuguese is concerned, with changes to surely come at the midway point.

39 min United definitely looking brighter in attack now, as Pogba so nearly picks out the peeling run of Rashford. Mourinho may be tempted to play the Englishman through the middle, but that would mean a switch in formation.

37 min A good spell from United now, as they are being allowed to knock the ball around on the edge of Chelsea's box. It is eventually worked to Valencia who is in plenty of space, but his cross is helped on before a red shirt could meet it.

35 min Chelsea' front three looking very fluid at the moment, much in the style of Liverpool's. Pedro causing damage and both Hazard and Costa also sprinting around the attacking third. United, meanwhile, have just a stationary Ibrahimovic.

33 min Mourinho may be pondering a first-half change, but more likely - as witnessed against Man City last month - he will wait until the break. Similarities between that game and this one, though the Red Devils did pull one back prior to the interval against their rivals.

31 min Just waiting for this game to slow down, because it continues to be all-out attack at Stamford Bridge pretty much. The next goal in the match really will be vital - a lifeline for United if they find it; game over if they don't.

29 min YELLOW CARD! Bailly is shown a yellow for pulling back on Costa, who was looking to burst in behind. Two goals in the opening third of this game but we could have seen four or five. United with chances yet it is Chelsea who look far more dominant.

27 min SAVES! We have seen games like this between the Premier League big boys so often this season - explosive first halves full of goals. Costa spins and sees his shot saved by De Gea, while up the other end Courtois was needed to deny both Lingard and Herrera. What a game!

25 min CHANCE! United are so disjointed at the back at the moment, as Chelsea close in on a third. Blind, rested on Thursday night, is caught out by Pedro who is in behind and with time and space on his side. He looks up but sees his cutback stopped by De Gea, with the loose ball running clear - just!

23 min That second goal is unlikely to be the last of the game. Chelsea just saw a two-on-two break collapse following a disappointing final pass, while up the other end Rashford's side-footed attempt was blocked aside.

21 min Chelsea have themselves a second goal of the afternoon, courtesy of a Gary Cahill strike from close range. Pogba's header just moments ago ran right through to Courtois, but on this occasion the second ball was met by a player in blue as Cahill blasted past De Gea and the man on the line.

20 min GOAL! CHELSEA 2-0 MANCHESTER UNITED (GARY CAHILL)

18 min United win themselves a corner which Pogba does well to win. The Frenchman could no generate enough power to test Courtois and the ball rather trickled through to the Chelsea stopper in the end. Red Devils giving a better account of themselves now.

16 min The game has yet to truly settle into a rhythm, which is great for the neutral compared to that borefest at Anfield to round off last weekend's fixtures. Moses finds Costa who is so close to picking out Hazard with a back-heel.

14 min Pedro was actually booked for his celebration inside the opening minutes - a shocker of a decision but one that officials have to give. Chelsea looking very bright when they get bodies forward, while United are nowhere near as solid as they were six days ago.

12 min SHOT! Pedro should have been flagged for offside, with the officials missing that one, and from that attack Costa won his side a corner. It was a pre-arranged one; the ball being worked to Hazard just inside the box to shoot wide completely unmarked.

10 min That Ibrahimovic chance does at least show that United are now growing into things. No chance of 'parking the bus', as the expression goes, with the Red Devils now forced to attack in search of a leveller over the next 80 minutes.

8 min CHANCE! A great cross from the right leaves Ibrahimovic one-on-one with Azpilicueta in the air - only one winner, surely? The United man did indeed leap highest, but his header across goal looped over the bar when he should have been scoring.

6 min Well that goal is officially going down as 30 seconds into the match - the fastest in the English top flight this season and only the sixth Man United have conceded inside the opening minute of a Premier League game.

4 min The Blues dominating possession since edging ahead from the game's first attacking move, but United now finally venturing forward through Lingard who is dispossessed in the box. Mourinho stunned by that early Pedro strike, just 30 seconds in.

2 min Chelsea lead after just 30 seconds at Stamford Bridge - incredible! Considering how well they were drilled defensively last week, this is a shocking goal for the Red Devils to concede. Blind failed to track his man and a ball around the back was latched on to by Pedro, who had the simple task of rounding a stranded De Gea and rolling the ball home.\

1 min GOAL! CHELSEA 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED (PEDRO)

0 min KICKOFF! We are up and running at Stamford Bridge! Draws for Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Arsenal this weekend, each of whom are locked on points at the summit, so a real chance for these two teams to capitalise.

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