Chelsea stun United to blow Premiership race wide open

Chelsea 2-1 Manchester United

Chelsea ensured that the Premiership title race will go down to the final day after beating champions Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.

Ricardo Carvalho’s error looked to have cost the Blues dear when the Portuguese’s mistake allowed Wayne Rooney to cancel out Michael Ballack’s opener, but a late penalty saw Chelsea take all three points and move level at the top with United.


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The home side were much the better team in the first half, with an early injury to Nemanja Vidic unsettling an already weakened United side which was missing Cristiano Ronaldo, Patrice Evra, Paul Scholes and Carlos Tevez. Nani was selected from the start, however, but the former Sporting man had a disappointing afternoon on the right flank.

Chelsea’s dominance of possession and direct approach saw them create several good opportunities, the best coming when Joe Cole rattled the post from inside the area, but the Blues did take a deserved lead just before the break when Michael Ballack headed in a Didier Drogba cross.

United emerged from the break a far better side, and forced the usually dependable Carvalho into a rare mistake twelve minutes after the re-start. Paulo Ferreira took a quick free-kick inside his own half to put Carvalho under pressure, leading to the former Porto man playing a blind backpass, which Rooney raced onto and beat Petr Cech with a superb low finish.

Ronaldo enters fray

It would, however, prove to be one of Rooney’s last contributions, as the forward was forced off with a hip injury. Ronaldo was his chosen replacement by Alex Ferguson, who then had to withdraw Anderson, who looked to be struggling with a knock, with John O’Shea replacing the Brazilian.

In desperation to atone for his error, Carvalho regularly made forays into the United half, registering two efforts which both missed the target. Drogba’s free-kick also drew a save from van Der Sar, but United remained a threat on the break, although Ronaldo was largely quiet during his time on the pitch.

The match looked to be heading towards a draw, which would have hugely favoured the visitors, but Chelsea were gifted the chance of a winner five minutes from time when Michael Carrick was adjudged to have intentionally handled Essien’s cross. Ballack stepped up to smash the ball past van Der Sar, sending the home fans into delirium.

There was still time for a late onslaught from United, with Nani cutting the ball back for Ronaldo to force Ashley Cole into a goal line clearance, before substitute Andrei Shevchenko then hacked Darren Fletcher’s goal-bound effort off the line to give the Blues real hope of what was previously an unlikely title challenge.

Chelsea:
Cech, Ferreira (Anelka 66), Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Obi, Essien, Kalou (Shevchenko 81), Drogba, Joe Cole (Makelele 87)
Yellow Cards: Ballack, Mikel Drogba

Man Utd:
van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic (Hargreaves 14), Silvestre, Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson (O'Shea 65), Nani, Rooney (Ronaldo 63), Giggs
Yellow Cards: Brown, Van der Sar, Ferdinand, Hargreaves

Goals:
[1-0] Ballack, 45
[1-1] Rooney, 57
[2-1] Ballack, 86 (pen)