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27 November 2006, by Sean Gillen

Magnificent Carvalho earns Chelsea deserved draw in intense encounter

Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea

Ricardo Carvalho scored a second-half equaliser as champions Chelsea earned a point against Premiership leaders Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday. The Portuguese defender cancelled out Louis Saha’s earlier strike for the home side, as the Blues rallied after the break in what was a game of two halves.

The game was played at a typically frantic pace, and clear-cut goalscoring chances were rare throughout the afternoon. United have often started strongly this season, and after an even first ten minutes, the home side began to look the more dangerous side.

Wayne Rooney flashed an early header wide, while Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo looked bright on the flanks for the Reds. Ronaldo then hit a trademark 25-metre free-kick, which forced a good save from Chelsea’s Italian goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who pushed the ball over the bar.

The deadlock was broken on 29 minutes, and it was a swift break from United after Michael Carrick won possession inside his own half. A move involving Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney led to Saha receiving the ball 20 metres from goal, and with Carvalho standing off him the Frenchman placed a superb low finish into the bottom left corner.

United continued to improve after the goal, and the match became increasingly one-sided, with Saha and Ronaldo both using every opportunity to run at the Chelsea backline.

Chelsea’s first real threat on goal came after 37 minutes when Geremi’s powerful shot was pushed away by van Der Sar. The pace of the game did not let up, and United may fee they failed to make the best of some good attacking situations involving Giggs and Ronaldo before the break.

Mourinho switches

Jose Mourinho made a significant change at half time, with Dutch winger Arjen Robben replacing Geremi and Michael Essien reverting to full-back. United started the second period well, and Ronaldo had already threatened down the right, before the Portuguese came within inches of connecting from close range after a superb Rooney run and cutback.

However, Chelsea soon began to play their way into the game. The Blues enjoyed spells of good possession and fine football, and United began to drop deeper as the half progressed.

Despite the pressure, the visitors were struggling to turn possession into chances, and United looked dangerous on the counter attack, again going close as the ball just ran away from Ronaldo and Saha inside the box after excellent work on the left from Gabriel Heinze.

Giggs then forced Cudicini into a comfortable low save, and Frank Lampard tried to find his range with several efforts from outside the box as the game became stretched. Ronaldo, meanwhile, was offering a great outlet for United, but often found himself crowded out or lacking in options when in the final third.

Carvalho bullet header

Chelsea equalised with twenty minutes remaining, and it was a typically well-executed set-piece from the champions. Lampard’s corner was met with a thundering header from Carvalho, and United goalscorer Saha’s attempted headed clearance on the goal-line ricochet in off the underside of the bar. Frustratingly for United, van Der Sar appeared to have the path of the ball covered before the Frenchman’s intervention.

The pace of the game began to fade after the equaliser, and there were few chances of note in the remainder of the game. Worryingly for United, Ronaldo and Saha were forced off with knocks late on, and substitutes John O’Shea and Darren Fletcher restricted their attacking potential. For Chelsea, Paulo Ferreira provided some fresh legs in place of Michael Ballack.

The game drew to a close, with neither side feeling too disappointed with a result that sees United retain their three-point lead at the top of the League. Both will have to recover quickly as Chelsea travel to Bolton and United entertain Everton on Wednesday.

Jose Mourinho (Chelsea manager):

“Ricardo Carvalho was man of the match, for me. I want to dedicate this good result to my medical department, because they did an unbelievable job with Ricardo. Ricardo was in big trouble after the last game and they did an unbelievable job to recover him for this game.”

“I think the game is easy to comment on. In the first half Man United was the better team; in the second half Chelsea was the better team. They scored in the first half because they were the better team, and Chelsea scored in the second half because we were the better team.”

“We didn’t play well in the first half, they were stronger than us. They put some pressure on us and we couldn’t play our football. In the second half it was exactly opposite. Our team went up, controlled the game, pressed very well, played good quality football and we deserved the goal. I think the result is fair.”

“I think it’s a better result for Chelsea than Man United. If I was in their place I would be disappointed because it was a big chance, at home, to open a gap but they couldn’t do it.”

“This is the Premiership. This is what people around the world have to see – that the Premiership is the best league in the world. Two great teams, a lot of good players and a lot of respect.”

Alex Ferguson (Manchester United manager):

“It was a big opportunity for us but they got the break. It was an own goal by Louis Saha. It just touched the top of his head, and I think Edwin had it covered. I think you just need that little bit of luck, and we didn’t have it today.”

“No doubt that it’s a much better point for Chelsea. We were the better team, no doubt about that. We made the most chances, played the most incisive football; we played with great enthusiasm throughout. It was just that period when we stood off them. To lose a goal from a corner kick, an own goal, tells you everything.”

“But Chelsea do take credit because they never stop fighting. They were more determined in the second half. Not purely in football terms, but making the game suit them – fouls, a lot of free-kicks, stopping the rhythm of the game, which they’re good at. We spoke about it before the game, that we must not allow them to stop the rhythm of the game, and for the most part, particularly the first half, we did it.”

Man Utd:
Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo (Fletcher 86), Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saha (O'Shea 86)
Yellow Cards: Carrick

Chelsea:
Cudicini, Geremi (Robben 46), Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Essien, Makelele, Ballack (Ferreira 90), Lampard, Shevchenko (Joe Cole 75), Drogba
Yellow Cards: Makelele, Drogba, Ashley Cole

Goals:
[1-0] Saha, 29
[1-1] Carvalho, 69