Chelsea won the game by a winning goal from Joe Cole.
Sir Alex Ferguson: Manchester United can beat Chelsea without injured Wayne Rooney
Joe Cole and Didier Drogba handed Chelsea a title tonic with Carlo Ancelotti’s side sealed an impressive 2-1 win at Old Trafford. After Cole’s 20th minute opener, Drogba stepped off the bench to score a controversial winner for the Blues.
Chelsea won the game by a winning goal from Joe Cole.
| FT | It’s all over – Mike Dean’s whistle sends the travelling Cheslea fans into raptures and their team back to the top of the Premier League by one point. | ||
| 903 | 90+3 | Free kick to United. Neville to swing it in from deep. Van der Sar sprints forward into the Blues box! | |
| 901 | 90+1 | Four minutes of Fergie time… I mean injury time to go! | |
| 900 | 90 | Berbatov! That was his chance – a volley on the penalty spot after Neville’s cross found him unmarked. But the shot is straight at Cech and lacks power. Could that be United’s last opportunity? | |
| 880 | 88 | Nani sends hearts into Chelsea mouths as he jinks his way across the 18 yard line, but his pass is weak and finds no-one. | |
| 870 | 87 | Chelsea break with menace again before a clueless Kalou turns into trouble when a simple pass would have released Drogba. United have gone quiet at just the wrong time. | |
| 850 |  |
85 | Last throw of the dice from Fergie: Fletcher off, Gibson on. Five minutes left – can they complete the comeback? |
| 840 | 84 | Arguably the best defensive header seen all season from Vidic clears Zhirkov’s cross away from Drogba’s head as Chelsea press for another. This is thrilling stuff. | |
| 820 | 82 | Lampard blasts just wide from distance. | |
| 810 | |
81 | Ballack on for Deco. |
| 800 |  |
80 | Maybe it isn’t over! United refuse to lie down and strike straight back. Nani beats Zhirkov down the left and crosses low across the six yard line. It’s palmed away by Cech… but straight into the onrushing FEDERICO MACHEDA. The ball loops off the Italian youngster and into the net. It’s fortunate but they all count. |
| 790 | 79 | A terrific finish from the Ivorian – who justifies the presence of Sven Goran Eriksson in the crowd – blasted in a very similar style to Zlatan Ibrahimovic against Arsenal on Wednesday night. But get this… replays show he was way, way offside. | |
| 780 | |
78 | But that’s game over now! Chelsea score their second as Kalou slips a deft pass through to DIDIER DROGBA, who takes his time before smashing into the roof of the net from just inside the area. |
| 750 | 75 | There’s no settling for the one goal from left back Zhirkov, who leads a counter attack down the left. His cross beats everyone, including the lurking Drogba, and skims across the six yard line. A single touch towards goal and that would have been game over. | |
| 720 | 72 | HANDBALL! Almost 80,00 voices scream an appeal at Mike Dean as the ball strikes Malouda’s shoulder. No penalty, and rightly so. | |
| 720 | |
72 | Kalou replaces today’s potential match-winner, Joe Cole |
| 710 | |
71 | Double change for United: Park and Scholes off, Nani and Macheda on. |
| 710 |  |
71 | Cole sees yellow for time-wasting. |
| 700 | 70 | Time is running out for United. Time for Ferguson to show his hand? Evra wins a corner with yet another burst down the left. He’s got some lungs on him, has the Frenchman. | |
| 690 | |
69 | Deco goes into the book for a cynical kick at Giggs |
| 680 | |
68 | And here he is. Anelka makes way. |
| 670 | 67 | Chelsea are preparing a substitute- it’s almost Didier Drogba time… | |
| 660 | 66 | Neville crunches Zhirkov deep in the Chelsea half… the crowd absolutely love that! But still no breakthrough for the champions. | |
| 640 | 64 | Eleven Blue shirts sit behind the ball but United are picking the gaps at the moment. Neville crosses from the right and a towering Berbatov flicks a header towards the far post but misses the target. These are tough chances for the Bulgarian but he needs to test the goalkeeper soon. | |
| 620 | 62 | It’s pinball in the Chelsea box as Park tries to crack a shot at goal. The Blues defence swings legs at the ball but can’t get it away. The pressure is piling onto Ancelotti’s men and they can’t get out of their own half. | |
| 600 | 60 | Evra bounds down the left before drifting a teasing cross over the flailing dive of Cech but United can’t get a shot away at the empty goal. Desperate defending from the Blues. | |
| 590 | 59 | Berbatov goes close! Terrific far post header flies just wide with Cech beaten. It’s game on now! | |
| 580 | 58 | The home side are really pressing now! The crowd are lifted for the first time United slipped behind and roar their approval. Giggs causes havoc with a dummy that beats three men. His pass to Park is hacked clear by Zhirkov | |
| 570 | 57 | Much better from United! Fletcher, who has had one of his quitier games in a long time, pierces the Chelsea midfield with a direct run before slipping in Park. The Korean turns into space and grabs a clear sight at goal from 18 yards, but his shot is way, way wide. And pretty high too. Not his best effort, that. | |
| 550 | 55 | United win a free-kick within shooting range. Giggs shapes to shoot before deftly flicking a pass to the back post and towards the unmarked Berbatov. The Bulgarian slips as he tries to meet the ball, however, and the chance goes begging. It would be harsh to blame the striker for that though | |
| 540 | 54 | One again, it’s that man Malouda terrorising the United backline with a mazy run. The ball is worked wide to Cole, whose cross is deflected into Van der Sar’s arms. | |
| 520 | 52 | Evra crashes a volley marginally wide but it was a highly ambitious effort from wide outside the box and never threatened to spoil Cech’s clean sheet | |
| 500 | 50 | Thumping challenge from Vidic high up the pitch puts Giggs in a dangerous position down the left, but the veteran is flagged offside | |
| 480 | 48 | 2-0, surely?! No, Ferreira prods just wide. Neville was caught napping as Cole played the overlapping Portuguese full back in down the right. Ferreira closed in on goal and stabbed a shot-cum-cross past Van der Sar but the ball trickles just wide of the post and out of the reach of the onrushing Anelka. What a chance | |
| 470 | 47 | Ancelotti resumes his position on the touchline chewing the cud. He’s had a haircut – it’s very short and he looks like he means business | |
| 460 | 46 | No twitches on the United bench just yet. Berbatov desperately needs some help up front though. Not long until Nani makes his entrance, surely. Second half is underway. | |
| 456 | HT | Chelsea are in total charge at the break. A moment of magic from Malouda and Cole gave them the lead, and their skill in possession and threat on the break should have been rewarded with a penalty after Neville clumsily toppled Anelka. United, meanwhile, are struggling. The Red Devils have created next to nothing and the loss of the livewire Rooney has created a large hole in their game. Changes must be afoot in the second half. | |
| 450 | 45 | Berbatov is bundled over on the edge of the box by Terry and the Old Trafford crowd roar in mock pleasure at Dean’s decision. Giggs whips in a teasing ball to the far post but the last chance of the half is repelled. The half-time whistle sounds and the United fans greet it with muted boos. | |
| 440 | |
44 | Gary Neville goes into the book after a foul on Malouda. |
| 430 | 43 | Big chance for Berbatov! The Bulgarian finds himself in space in the box after a smart pass from Park, but the striker tries to turn instead of shooting and is robbed by Lampard. He cries foul but Dean is again unmoved. rightly so – Lampard got the ball. | |
| 400 | 40 | Carlo Ancelotti is doing a very passable impression of Sir Alex Ferguson on the touchline, pacing his technical area, doing his best to appear cool but actually looking like he’s about to explode with excitement, while frantically chewing a poor stick of gum into obliviion | |
| 380 | 38 | The set piece drops for Fletcher at the far post, but his shot on the turn is blocked | |
| 370 | 37 | A searching crossfield pass from deep by Scholes releases Evra on the left, and the cross is nodded out for a corner by Alex | |
| 350 | 35 | Malouda’s run was very nearly halted by a scything challenge from that man Scholes. The United midfielder is very, very lucky that Malouda was skillful enough to skip over the reckless lunge rather than get caught, otherwise he’d have been off, no question about it. | |
| 330 | 33 | Malouda continues to terrorise the home defence with another storming run. But Anelka can’t get his shot away in time and Ferdinand blocks. | |
| 310 | 31 | Was Mike Dean evening up the rejected penalty appeal from Park? | |
| 300 | 30 | Now that DID look like a penalty! But again, Mike Dean says no! Gary Neville charges into Anelka, gets nothing of the ball, but nothing doing from the man in black. | |
| 270 | |
27 | Stop press: Paul Scholes in yellow card shock. The ex-England man picks up a booking after a poor tackle on Deco. |
| 260 | 26 | Replays show the Korean had a very good case for a spot kick there. There was clear contact from Zhirkov as the midfielder made his way into the area, but the theatrical way in which he fell probably influenced the decision. The tackle was not strong enough to stop Park reaching the ball. | |
| 250 | 25 | Huge shout for a penalty! All eyes on that man Mike Dean, he likes to give them… but this time he tells Park to get up. | |
| 230 | 23 | The crowd are almost silenced. United are rocking. They aren’t creating anything and the Blues’ pace on the counter and technical skill in possession are controlling the game. | |
| 210 | 21 | Chelsea attacking with real menace now, Deco and Anelka are two-on-two and in space, but the midfielder’s cross is overhit. | |
| 190 | |
19 | There’s the breakthrough, out of nothing! Malouda surges into the penalty area, attracting three men before crossing low to the near post. The lurking JOE COLE finishes with a touch of class, flicking home through his legs with a backheel. |
| 180 | 18 | Chelsea meanwhile are cool and calm on the ball, with Lampard and Cole pulling the strings. But there’s not much space in which to work | |
| 170 | 17 | Lots of hustle and bustle from United but they aren’t enjoying much possession. And when they do there’s no way through the wall of Blue shirts. | |
| 150 | 15 | More rabid boos for Terry. He doesn’t seem a particularly popular chap in these parts. | |
| 140 | 14 | Evra combines with Giggs to cut through Ferreira and Cole. The left back takes on Alex and bounds towards goal but his low shot is straight at Cech. | |
| 130 | 13 | Now it’s Cech’s turn to get all in a fluster as the Chelsea keeper hacks his clearance straight out of play… | |
| 110 | 11 | Again it’s Ferreira down the right stretching United’s backline. His cross is headed away but Vidic then makes a nervy attempt at a pass and plays United into trouble. Joe Cole cannot capitalise as his shot from 18 yards is weak and easily kept out by Van der Sar. | |
| 90 | 09 | Zhirkov, not known for his robust defending, goes shoulder to shoulder with Valencia and bounces straight off, landing flat on his posterior. The Ecuadorian winger crosses for Berbatov, whose header flies over the top. It was a tough chance though – the ball was slightly behind him as he twist ed to meet it. | |
| 70 | 07 | Chelsea look fluid and comfortable in possession but United respond with rough and tumble in the middle of the park, Darren Fletcher at the centre of it all | |
| 50 | 05 | It’s both side’s right backs that look the most potent threat so far. This time Gary Neville surges down the touchline and crosses dangerously. | |
| 40 | 04 | Berbatov’s first touch is promising as the striker beats Ferreira with some silky skill down the left. His cross is intercepted though. | |
| 20 | 02 | Ferreira makes an early foray down the right touchline and whips in a super cross. Brave near post header from Ferdinand saves United | |
| 10 | 01 | Chelsea kick off as Park hares after the ball.. they’re clearly psyched up for this. John Terry has the dubious honour of knowing what it’s like to have nearly 80,000 people boo your every touch… Deco cracks an early shot wide. | |
| 1 | - | No exchanges between skippers Gary Neville and John Terry as the pair fix stares on the light at the end of the tunnel before leading their teams out onto the pitch amid a cacophonous din. As they like to sing at Old Trafford, this is the one… | |
| 1 | - | …and United have won just one of the last six meetings between the two sides. | |
| 1 | - | And if you’re looking for omens in the form book, here’s one even Gregory Peck couldn’t ignore: Manchester United have never beaten Chelsea at home in successive seasons in the Premier League. Last term United ran out 3-0 winners… | |
| 1 | - | The man in the middle this afternoon is attracting rather a lot of controversy. Mike Dean tops the list of penalty awards among the men in black this season. It’s not even close either. Dean has pointed to the spot a total of 16 times. His nearest rival, Alan Wiley, has given just seven. | |
| 1 | - | David Haye, clearly not all that bothered about tonight’s world heavyweight title bout against John Ruiz, is merrily talking to the TV cameras at Old Trafford. Nutter. | |
| 1 | - | United, by contrast, line up as expected. All eyes are on Dimitar Berbatov, who will lead the line in Rooney’s absence. Will the fabulously gifted striker finally justify his £30m-plus transfer fee and prove he’s the man for the big occasion? If you’re sceptical then consider this: Berbatov has actually scored more goals against Chelsea than Rooney has, the Bulgarian netting four times in his Premier League career to Rooney’s two. | |
| 1 | - | In other team news for Chelsea, Joe Cole and Deco line up in midfield with Salomon Kalou and Michael Ballack benched. | |
| 1 | - | Drogba is indeed back for Chelsea today after sitting out last weekend’s 7-1 thumping of Aston Villa… but the big team news today is that the Ivorian only makes the bench. Carlo Ancelotti has been talking up Drogba’s chances of starting all week, but it looks like he’s pulled a fast one. Those who dare to toy with Sir Alex Ferguson, the master of the mind game, usually end up looking rather silly. But when your second choice striker is the prolific Nicolas Anelka, you probably have little to fear, even by leaving out Drogba.. | |
| 1 | - | Afternoon everyone, I know you’re tired of waiting but there’s not long to go now… Football is of course no stranger to bouts of outrageous hyperbole but today’s match between Manchester United and Chelsea surely merits the ‘title showdown’ treatment. A Chelsea win today will haul them back to the top of the table while a United victory would all but end the Blues’ title challenge. And, of course, Sir Alex Ferguson’s men will have to do it all without a certain Wayne Rooney, while the Londoners are boosted by the return of star striker Didier Drogba. Hands up who’s excited |
