The wait goes on for an Old Trafford win for Chelsea. It's nine years now without success for the Blues at the home of Manchester United. And let's not forget, this isn't Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United. The current side especially is a poor imitation. Sure they play in red, and they have Cristiano Ronaldo wearing the number seven shirt, but beyond that, there's little to strike fear in opponents.
And Thomas Tuchel's side didn't play with angst or concern in Manchester. For much of the contest, they bullied their illustrious hosts. Reece James chief tormentor. N'Golo Kante lead enforcer. It all worked rather well, perhaps that is because ten of the side that started at Old Trafford began last season's Champions League final win over Man City. There was familiarity across the pitch.
Yet the problem with the team last season was profligacy. Too often the Blues dominated games, created countless goalscoring opportunities, but lacked the ruthlessness required. Inexperience in the attack was, on occasion, blamed. It's why Chelsea went out and broke their transfer record to bring in what they felt was a sure-fire thing. The missing piece of the puzzle. The most flat-track of all bullies.
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Chelsea paid £97.5million to bring Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge from Inter Milan. At Old Trafford, against the club that packed him off to Italy in 2019, he was on the bench. And perhaps most damning of all, nobody was surprised. The Belgian has started just one Premier League game in the last two months. He hasn't scored in the top flight in 2022. It's difficult to see a way back for him.
The situation is in stark contrast to that of Ronaldo. He too returned from Serie A last summer. He too completed a much-welcome homecoming. Yet while the Portuguese has managed to drag his side to victory – or as was the case tonight, a scarcely-deserved draw – Lukaku has watched on.
The harsh reality is that Tuchel's side functions better without Lukaku in the attack. That was evident during the opening 45 minutes at Old Trafford, in which Chelsea were at their best and worst. The football was free-flowing and chances were created aplenty. Yet the clinical edge that the Blues have lacked throughout the Tuchel era – and even under Frank Lampard – proved problematic.
David de Gea saved early from James, who was exceptional back on the right flank, and also was worked early on by Timo Werner. N'Golo Kante was then denied as Chelsea wrestled control of the contest away from United and Cristiano Ronaldo, who looked over for direction from Ralf Rangnick. Little came.
Kai Havertz then began his personal battle with de Gea. The German was put through by a sumptuous pass from the unexpectedly revigorated N'Golo Kante but found the United goalkeeper in his way. It was a chance he should've scored – and Tuchel certainly thought so as he went ballistic on the sideline with the Blues forward. Havertz was again thwarted soon after.
There were many who had an inkling Lukaku would start ahead of the contest. The Belgian back at Manchester United, the narrative was there. That Havertz was selected once more was yet another indication of Tuchel's lack of faith in the man signed for almost £100million.
Unfortunately, Havertz didn't quite prove why he was in the side and wasted another glorious opportunity after Chelsea broke three-on-two. The 22-year-old waited. And waited. And waited. Kante and Werner were both on for passes but the German international made the wrong choice, the ball was intercepted, and Werner was left frustrated.
For the grand total of two minutes, it didn't appear as though Chelsea's wastefulness would cost them. Just before the hour mark, a cross into the United penalty area was misjudged by Havertz, whose attempted header bounced off his shoulder. Fortunately, it dropped into the path of Alonso and the Spaniard lashed a volley beyond de Gea.
Chelsea's players celebrated passionately in the corner in front of the travelling away support. Alonso yelled into the television camera thrust towards him and James thumped the badge on his chest. It was a reminder of the bond that the wing-back shares with the Blues, the club he joined at six years old, and why fans can rest easy amid Real Madrid reports Real Madrid will try to lure the academy graduate away from Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel's side had United on the ropes, but with one punch the Reds hauled themselves back into the contest. Nemanja Matic, a two-time title winner with Chelsea, lifted a ball over the Blues backline and Ronaldo, being played onside by Cesar Azpilicueta, lashed his shot beyond Edouard Mendy.
It was a moment that encapsulated why Chelsea are not in the title hunt; Tuchel's side have to be defensively perfect too often to ensure victory. More is required from those in the final third on a consistent basis, it can't be left to centre-backs and wing-backs to score key goals. James came close to doing so admittedly – he curled a left-footed effort agonisingly against the post.
Come the full-time whistle, Tuchel and his Chelsea players were left frustrated. Ronaldo had foiled them with one moment of instinctive, clinical finishing. If only Chelsea's own Ronaldo, their own superstar signing, could have had a similar impact. Lukaku did play the final stages but didn't threaten. And that is a story that has played out far too often this season.
