Chelsea vs Manchester United Report

Scorers: Cucurella 71’

Marc Cucurella’s second-half header secured a narrow 1-0 victory for Chelsea over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, boosting the Blues’ hopes of UEFA Champions League qualification and extending their unbeaten home league run in 2025 to 10 matches.

First Half – VAR Saves Chelsea, Woodwork Denies James

With the UEFA Europa League final looming, Ruben Amorim made a bold decision by naming a strong United starting XI, and his side looked sharp early on. Harry Maguire thought he had put the Red Devils ahead with a sublime sliding finish from a Bruno Fernandes cross, only for VAR to intervene and rule the effort out for a marginal offside.

Chelsea had chances of their own, as Noni Madueke missed a sitter from close range and Reece James struck the post with a thunderous long-range drive. Cole Palmer also saw a powerful shot saved by André Onana, capping off an end-to-end opening period with the score still goalless.

Second Half – Cucurella Delivers, Chelsea Dig Deep

The urgency ramped up for Chelsea in the second half, especially after news of Aston Villa’s 2-0 win over Tottenham filtered through. United remained dangerous on the break, with Mason Mount and Amad Diallo combining well before Fernandes fired over from distance.

There was drama midway through the second half when Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Onana collided with youngster Tyrique George. However, VAR again came to United’s rescue, overturning the decision upon review. The breakthrough finally came with just over 15 minutes to go, as James produced a moment of magic on the right and delivered a pinpoint cross for Cucurella to head past Onana, sparking wild celebrations at the Bridge.

The hosts should have made it 2-0 minutes later, but Madueke wasted another clear chance when put through by Palmer. Amad remained a threat for United and nearly snatched a late equaliser, only to be denied by Robert Sánchez at the near post.

Conclusion – Chelsea Edge Closer to UCL, United’s Woes Continue

Chelsea’s resilience saw them through a tense finale to claim a crucial three points that lifted them into fourth place. Enzo Maresca’s men remain on course for a top-five finish and European qualification on multiple fronts.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s eight-match winless run in the Premier League is their worst in the competition’s history. All attention now turns to Wednesday’s Europa League final against Tottenham, where redemption – or further humiliation – awaits.

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Chelsea v Man Utd, 2024/25 | Premier League