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24 September 2007, by Sean Gillen

Manchester United first to benefit from missing Mourinho

Manchester United 2-0 Chelsea

Chelsea’s first match without Jose Mourinho ended in defeat as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United won their fifth match in a row and moved into second in the Premiership.

Mourinho’s departure may have been sadly received by most at Stamford Bridge, but fellow Portuguese Paulo Ferreira was recalled to the starting line-up by new manager Avram Grant, having fallen well down the pecking order under his former Porto boss.

United started with a great intent, and having already had a corner in the opening minute, went close through Wayne Rooney’s superb curling shot, which forced Petr Cech into a save reminiscent of van Der Sar’s from Liedson against Sporting in midweek.

However, after the initial pressure from United, Chelsea settled well and passed the ball confidently, although the Blues were perhaps lucky to escape giving away a penalty when Jose Cole appeared to bring down Patrice Evra.

Red card

It would be the first of several major refereeing talking points during the afternoon, with the next being a red hard issued to John Obi Mikel. The Nigerian lost control of the ball and lunged in on Evra, leading to Mike Dein sending the 20-year-old off immediately.

The ten men of Chelsea contested the game well after Mikel’s departure, but United were always on top and found the breakthrough with what was almost the last kick of the half thanks to Carlos Tevez’s first goal for the club.

A corner was cleared out to Wes Brown, who headed the ball out wide for Giggs to deliver a perfect centre across the face of the Chelsea goal, with Tevez diving in at the near post to head past Cech.

Chelsea rarely threatened after the break. Indeed, the visitors did not have a single effort on target in the entire match, yet United’s continuing difficulty in finding the back of the net meant that the Blues remained in the game.

Ronaldo rough treatment

Ronaldo had few notable chances on goal, but the Portuguese rarely wasted possession and kept the Chelsea defence busy at all times with his constant movement, while Joe Cole was fortunate to escape a straight red card for the worst of several late challenges on the former Sporting man.

Chelsea threw on Wright-Phillips, Kalou and Pizarro, but United always looked the more likely to score again and so it proved in the final minute. Louis Saha, who replaced Tevez, made the most of slight contact from Ben Haim inside the box and United were awarded a penalty.

Saha received the full backing of Ronaldo (the team’s first choice penalty taker) to seize the chance to clinch the game, and the Frenchman stepped up and coolly placed the ball down the middle as Cech dived to his right.

The result was United’s fifth win in a row, while Chelsea slip down to 7th in the Premiership and have won just three of their opening seven games.

Man Utd:
van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Tevez (Saha, 79), Rooney
Yellow Cards: Rooney, Brown

Chelsea:
Cech, Ferreira, Ben-Haim, Terry, Ashley Cole, Makelele, Essien, Obi, Joe Cole (Pizarro, 76), Shevchenko (Kalou, 59), Malouda (Wright-Phillips, 69)
Yellow Cards: Joe Cole, Terry
Red Cards: Mikel (32)

Goals:
[1-0] Tevez, 45
[2-0] Saha, 90 (pen)