At first there was no hint of panic from Manchester United. They played it well after this bewilderingly ragged game ticked into eight minutes of added time. They seemed to be in control of the situation, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount calmly running down the clock by guarding possession on the left flank, Chelsea’s frustration building as they edged closer towards a 3-2 defeat that would have been entirely of their own making.
Ultimately, though, there is nothing secure about Erik ten Hag’s United. The initial composure faded, the shape disappearing, Noni Madueke given one last chance to run at Diogo Dalot on the right. A slip, a tumble, a blow of the referee’s whistle and suddenly the mood changed. Cole Palmer, nerveless from the spot, made it 3-3 with his second penalty of the evening. United were going to have to settle for a point.
Only, on a night when chaos was the enduring theme, there was still time for United to push, for Chelsea to counter, and for Mauricio Pochettino to end up marching round the pitch long after full time, hugging anything that moved, whirring his arms at a public that cannot exactly be described as adoring, basking in the madness after seeing Palmer’s deflected shot whizz past André Onana.
This could, of course, be the turning point in Chelsea’s season. This 4-3 win lifted them into the heady heights of 10th place, five points below United with nine games left, although it is worth maintaining a sense of perspective. There is a reason why Pochettino had looked so tense and irritable before the dramatic turnaround, even when his side were 2-0 up inside 19 minutes. After all, how would you feel if you were in charge of the Premier League’s silliest and most illogical team? Would you relax if you had to watch Axel Disasi’s attempts to pass out from the back? Would you be full of the joys of life after seeing Moisés Caicedo, your £115m midfielder, gift a wounded United hope by passing straight to Alejandro Garnacho?
Chelsea, who have conceded at least twice in each of their past six matches, did their best to lose. Two-nil became 2-2 before half-time, Garnacho halving the deficit after Caicedo’s error, Bruno Fernandes equalising after a counterattack. Chelsea, so vulnerable defensively, were a mess at times.
United’s second goal was hilarious. Marc Cucurella, Chelsea’s left-back, was on the right when Dalot crossed. Benoît Badiashile was marking two at the back post when Fernandes headed past Djordje Petrovic. Chelsea, so poor without the ball, had six back when United broke. It was still not enough.
Pochettino still has problems to solve. At one point Disasi lost possession to Rasmus Højlund, who almost scored. At times, as the game lurched from end to end, Chelsea appeared to be playing without a midfield. Then, with 67 minutes on the clock, they were 3-2 down after Badiashile’s slack pass allowed Antony to send in a beautiful cross for Garnacho to head home.
But what would it have meant if United had held on for a win that would have boosted their hopes of beating Tottenham and Aston Villa to a Champions League place. This was Antony’s first assist in the league this season and he still had to use the outside of his left foot to come up with it. His right foot remains an irrelevance and that makes him predictable. Not every team will find marking the Brazilian winger this daunting.
At least Antony showed courage to recover from conceding the penalty for Chelsea’s second goal with a trip on Cucurella. But United were dreadful during those early moments. They were behind when Kobbie Mainoo lost possession, Enzo Fernández released Malo Gusto and Conor Gallagher’s shot beat Onana too easily.
Chelsea were good during those first 30 minutes, the intensity high, Gallagher’s pressing crucial. United were at the other end of the spectrum. It is generally agreed that running is important at this level. The best teams have robust spines. United, who have no idea how to press, play at a pace more suitable to a Legends Game.
This is why their opponents have so many shots on goal (Chelsea had 18 here). Nobody protects the defence. Mainoo is 18. At one point Casemiro produced a moment of stunning anti-athleticism, trundling near Nicolas Jackson and looking not so much a Premier League footballer, more a fan who had paid for a premium VIP ticket granting him the right to watch from a safe distance as the Chelsea forward surged through the middle.
In that context the late collapse was not a surprise. Ten Hag has been in this job for almost two years. United are no nearer the elite than when they hired the Dutchman. Ten Hag cannot complain if the new ownership decide to look for another manager this summer.
