Chelsea and Manchester United faced off at Old Trafford on Thursday night but unlike most clashes between the two clubs late in a season, there was very little on the line here. United's hopes of a top-four finish have all but gone after a poor run of results, while the main purpose of the Premier League for Chelsea now is to build momentum for the FA Cup final.
It was a game that Thomas Tuchel's side had the better off for much of the first-half, with Kai Havertz spurning a number of chances before Marcos Alonso finally volleyed them into the lead after half-time. But, as he has done so often this season, Cristiano Ronaldo rescued the Red Devils, firing viciously past Edouard Mendy to make it 1-1.
And that is how it finished in the North West in a game that is unlikely to live too long in the memory. But who impressed the most from the Chelsea side? With that in mind, football.london rates the players.
Edouard Mendy
The Senegal international produced a couple of early saves but enjoyed a relatively quiet first half. That continued in the second period until Cristian Ronaldo's blasted equaliser. The former Real Madrid striker was denied with a fine save later in the half. 6.
Cesar Azpilicueta
A solid outing from the Blues captain who changed positions once again and showed his quality. Showed the anticipation to intercept the ball early when required and brought the consistency that has been his hallmark for the last decade. Unfortunately, he was the figure to play Ronaldo onside for his equaliser. 6.
Thiago Silva
The Brazilian still defies belief, even when against an opponent that shares his age in Cristiano Ronaldo. The 37-year-old rarely looked under pressure as he timed his interceptions perfectly and led the defence. 7.
READ MORE: Manchester United vs Chelsea LIVE: Full-time as Cristiano Ronaldo cancels out Alonso opener
Antonio Rudiger
Some strong words, speculative shots, and good defending marked Rudiger's return to the starting XI in a display that showed the standard Chelsea need to find next season in whoever replaces Tuchel's talisman. Picked up a yellow card late on and perhaps a little too tempted to pick up another but rode the line. 6.
Reece James
The England international was back on the right flank and immediately in the thick of Chelsea's attacking action. There has been much talk over where James is best suited, with thought given to putting his body under less demand, but there's no doubting he adds another dimension to the Blues' attacking play. Hit the post in the latter stages, but there is no doubt Chelsea need him at wing-back. 8
N'Golo Kante
While the Frenchman has endured some sub-par form of late, he started his night at Old Trafford in a busy fashion, buzzing around the pitch to keep the ball moving in Chelsea's possession. The midfielder played a penetrating pass to Kai Havertz in the 25th minute and looked to have set him up once again moments later but his teammate could not provide the finish. A better performance from the World Cup winner, but had some fault in Manchester United's goal. 7.
Jorginho
A steady performance from the Italian who showed some good flashes in attacking moments but was less convincing in his defensive efforts. 6.
Marcos Alonso
The Spaniard started his night with a very tidy touch with the outside of his boot towards Kai Havertz and in the second half surpassed it following a poor header from his teammate. Alonso produced another good strike from a foray into the box to give Chelsea the lead as the hour passed. Showed once again what he can add despite his critics. 7.
Mason Mount
It was a quieter evening for one of Chelsea's premier attacking talents but Mount's movement was still able to generate plenty of space for James. Perhaps slightly fortunate not to be substituted when Tuchel freshened up his options. The former Derby loanee perhaps produced the touch of the match when his Cryuff-style lay-off found James, however. 6.
Kai Havertz
The 22-year-old will be disappointed that he didn't do better in the opening period as Kante slipped him through twice, and only once effort tested David De Gea, much to Tuchel's dismay. A rare failure with his head followed in the 36th minute as the former Bayer Leverkusen ace continued to find chances. 5.
Timo Werner
The German forward was in inspired form during his warm-up, repeatedly hitting the back of the net during his warm-up drills. The 26-year-old couldn't quite replicate it during the match but it was another solid outing from the German. 6.
Substitutes:
Romelu Lukaku: Limited impact from the Belgium international following his introduction. 5.
Christian Pulisic: The USA star had little impact on the game but Mount seemed to perk up after he got on the pitch. 5.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek: Not much time for the midfielder to make an impact. 5.
