MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER Jose Mourinho masterminded a brilliant and unexpected 2-0 home victory over former club Chelsea to breathe new life into the Premier League title race.
Mourinho gambled by resting Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera’s goals gave United a win that leaves Chelsea just four points above Tottenham Hotspur with six games to play.
Victory also lifted United to within four points of fourth-place Manchester City, on whom they have a game in hand, ahead of the derby at the Etihad Stadium on 27 April.
It was a personal triumph for Mourinho, who saw his side thrashed 4-0 at Chelsea in October and was branded “Judas” by fans of his old club during last month’s FA Cup defeat at Stamford Bridge.
A wet, cold Manchester afternoon was the setting for United to end a run of 12 games without victory against Chelsea, stretching back to a 3-2 away win in October 2012.
Chelsea have now lost twice in four games, having gone down 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace earlier this month, which will give in-form Spurs fresh hope that the Blues may yet collapse as the finishing line nears.
The top two meet at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals next weekend in what now looks a significant test of Chelsea’s mettle.
United, meanwhile, will approach Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg at home to Anderlecht, which is poised at 1-1, on the back of their best display under Mourinho.
Chelsea were without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois due to an ankle problem, while Marcos Alonso succumbed to injury in the warm-up at Old Trafford, bringing Asmir Begovic and Kurt Zouma into their usual first XI.
Mourinho set United up to stop Chelsea, with Herrera and Matteo Darmian tasked with the responsibility of tracking dangermen Eden Hazard and Pedro wherever they went.
But despite Herrera’s chief role as a stifler, he created United’s seventh-minute opener, albeit in contentious circumstances.
He seemed to block Nemanja Matic’s pass with his right hand, but referee Robert Madley played on, enabling Herrera to split the Chelsea defence with a sublime through ball for Rashford.
The 19-year-old raced in behind David Luiz before clipping a shot past Begovic for his ninth goal of the season.
With Chelsea striker Diego Costa spending more time provoking his opponents than taking shots at goal, David de Gea was a virtual spectator between the posts for United.
Costa became embroiled in penalty-box tangles with United centre-backs Eric Bailly and Marcos Rojo and was booked for a late challenge on Paul Pogba.
With the willing Jesse Lingard playing in support of Rashford, United looked far more lively going forward.
Ashley Young twice spurned presentable shooting opportunities from the edge of the box, while Rashford saw a cross headed onto the roof of the net by Gary Cahill.
Short of a 25-yard drive by Costa that flashed wide in stoppage time, the half-time whistle sounded without Chelsea having offered anything in attack.
Any hopes the visitors had of masterminding a turnaround vanished within four minutes of kick-off in the second half as Herrera doubled United’s lead.
Zouma’s tackle on the burrowing Young sent the ball rolling into Herrera’s path and his drilled effort flicked off Zouma to fly past the grounded Begovic.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte sent on Cesc Fabregas for Victor Moses, with Pedro moving to wing-back, but still the league leaders toiled, Pedro twice curling shots over De Gea’s bar.
At the other end Rashford remained a constant menace, teeing up Lingard to bend a shot over and twice going close himself, ruffling the side-netting and testing Begovic at his near post.
When he departed in the 82nd minute, with Ibrahimovic taking his place, he was accorded a richly deserved standing ovation.
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He’s like a piece of Iron, In BOD we trust.
Good man Brian!
Brian O Driscoll is a legend. Irish Rugby wont be the same when he retires.
The best and most professional player ever to play in a green shirt. He is right too.
What an absolute legend this man is! Good on ya Drico, that you weren’t born in Limerick or Cork is all I ever disliked about ya!
Its a shame his success at international is been hindered by a poor coaching ticket.
A great player no doubt and a great ambassador for the game. is he past his prime, in my opinion yes. He is. Ronan, do you think that’s valid? would you rather not have an opinion and merely comment on the opinions of others. A whole…….
I agree he had a good game against Edinburgh. He may not have the pace of when he was younger – but his try against Treviso showed he reads a game like no one else. It has been a privilege to be able to watch him over the years.
Hope you help to deliver a third Heineken cup in a row in Landowne Road in May BOD!
He’s the Javier Zanetti of rugby!
Terrible against edinburgh. He knows well enough it’s over for him this season.thanks for the memories. Dignity is important.
The punishment that man’s body has taken is incredible. He’ll finish up in a wheelchair if he doesn’t give it up shortly.
U either didnt watch the game or ur clueless (or trolling).
Of course hes past his prime – but still has a lot to give. U said he was terrible against edinburgh. Which he clearly was not.
Yawn
Your obviously clueless or a Munster fan
He was about the only decent performer against Edinburgh. De Luca did nothing all game
The headline does not in any way reflect what O’Driscoll actually said, have just listened to the interview on Newstalk!
First few lines say that BOD has “given his strongest indications yet that he would love to stick around for another crack at World Cup success.”, but further down the man himself says: “We’ll deal with the November Series first and, hopefully if I’m still in the mix, the Six Nations next year. After that is still too far away to be considering.”
Any chance you could reconcile that a bit Patrick, because it’s fairly misleading I think?
he should do what the likes of d. o’callaghan and others do. retire. but keep playing for ireland
“Brian O’Driscoll rules out retirement and targets World Cup success.” What does success mean, daddy? Well, son, it means: 1. Qualifying. 2. Not losing to Georgia. 3. Beating England. 4. Going out at 1/4 final stage but taking heart from the fact that we have “learned a lot from this experience” and being on a “steep learning curve.” But does success not mean winning, daddy? Ah no, son. Only if you’re from New Zealand.