Manchester United took a massive step towards Champions League qualification with a 1-0 win away at top-five rivals Chelsea on Saturday evening. Matheus Cunha’s first-half goal ensured the Red Devils moved 10 points clear of the Blues in sixth with only five games of the Premier League season remaining.
United ought to have found themselves behind just after the half-hour mark when Enzo Fernandez ghosted away from makeshift centre-back Noussair Mazraoui before firing past the post when one-on-one with goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Chelsea had the ball in the net soon after when Lammens parried another Fernandez shot into Cole Palmer’s path, squaring for Liam Delap to tap in, but the offside flag was raised.
Against the run of play, United took the lead on 43 minutes. Fernandes did well to scamper to the byline and grab his 18th Premier League assist of the season, cutting back for Cunha to thump into the top corner.
The Red Devils survived further scares after the break when Delap and Wesley Fofana both headed Pedro Neto crosses onto the bar, but that was as close as Chelsea came to an equaliser during a tense second half.
GOAL rates United’s players from Stamford Bridge…
