Manchester United’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season are all but ended after a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at home on Thursday night.
The hosts owe it to David De Gea to not trail at halftime, as the Spanish goalkeeper was in fine form to keep Chelsea at bay. In the 28th minute, he denied Kai Havertz, who had been passed through on goal but had his shot deflected by De Gea.
Havertz put De Gea to the test again moments later when he got on the end of Reece James’ cross, but the header was palmed away. For the duration of the first hour, Thomas Tuchel’s side controlled, and they ultimately broke through midway through the second half.
Another James cross was flicked on by Havertz into the path of Marcos Alonso, who volleyed the ball into the bottom corner. Manchester United, on the other hand, was suddenly level just after two minutes.
Man Utd’s record against Chelsea at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson retired:
DDDWWDWDD
Rafael Benítez was the last Chelsea manager to win there. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uqW6rC1KPl
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) April 28, 2022
In the 62nd minute, Nemanja Matic chipped the ball over the defence and Cristiano Ronaldo took one touch before slamming past Edouard Mendy.
Ronaldo has scored five goals in United’s previous five games, but it wasn’t enough to spark a late comeback, leaving United in the sixth position, five points behind Arsenal.
Chelsea is still in third place, and their place in the top four is becoming fixed.
Our Three Points from the match:
1. Manchester United loses the chance to pressurize Arsenal
Manchester United will not be competing in the Champions League next season, barring an unfortunate change of circumstances. With only three games remaining in the 2021/22 season, the draw with Chelsea has left them five points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.
To have a chance, Ralf Rangnick’s team would have to win all of their games, but with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur both having two games in hand, United’s chances appear to be slim.
The Red Devils have only two wins in their previous nine games, and their poor record has pushed them out of contention for a spot in the top four. Since the middle of January, they’ve only won once at home, and their season has turned into a nightmare.
Following last season’s runner-up performance and the summer arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, and Raphael Varane, there will be a thorough analysis of what caused this huge gap in class.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo delivers when no one else can
Although the judgment is yet out on whether Ronaldo’s signing was a success, there can be no doubt about the striker’s current form.
The 37-year-old has scored five goals in a row for United, and his finish tonight was superb. Nemanja Matic’s chipped pass was intercepted by a lethal first touch, and the Portuguese forward smashed the ball beyond Edouard Mendy.
It was the hosts’ lone moment of brilliance, but Ronaldo also showed the correct attitude in the game.
The Portuguese striker’s running and work rate while telling his teammates to join him in putting pressure on his opponents were obvious, but the trouble for him was that his teammates were not following his instructions.
Ronaldo currently has 23 goals in all competitions.
3. Thomas Tuchel will not be happy with Chelsea’s finishing
Chelsea will be scratching their heads as to how they didn’t win this game after dominating possession and having numerous chances to do so.
While Mason Mount and Timo Werner lacked the finishing touches, David De Gea was on hand to consistently deny Kai Havertz. N’Golo Kanté and Jorginho’s classic midfield dominance was on display again today as the duo ruled the Old Trafford pitch.
Only three opposition sides have had 20+ shots in a Premier League game at Old Trafford since 2016/17:
◎ 22 – Tottenham (2020)
◉ 21 – Chelsea (2022)
◎ 20 – Watford (2019)Somehow Chelsea didn't win. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/wGCtUqliCJ
— Squawka (@Squawka) April 28, 2022
While Havertz made an impression as the key player of Chelsea’s attack, he is still developing into a full-fledged centre-forward.
But it was again another illustration of Chelsea’s lack of a killer instinct in attack, as the squad drew for the ninth time this season, the second-most among the top six teams.
Tuchel must find a way to convert those draws into wins if they are to remain in contention for the title next season. This issue could have been solved if Lukaku could have stepped up after his transfer from Inter Milan.
