Chelsea and Manchester United shared the points in a disappointing top match on Sunday evening: 0-0. Both teams were unable to live up to the high expectations and ensured that Manchester City came one step closer to the title without playing. Hakim Ziyech started for the first time in six league games in the base and was taken to the side by Thomas Tuchel ten minutes before time, while Donny van de Beek remained on the bench at United for the entire game. The deficit of United on leader City is twelve points due to the draw. Chelsea occupies fifth place.
After a somewhat tentative start by both teams, Marcus Rashford fired at Chelsea’s goal for the first time after fifteen minutes of play. The attacker suddenly decided to shoot a free kick of about thirty meters on target, but hit the fists of Édouard Mendy. The team of trainer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer then pushed through and seemed to receive a penalty after an alleged handball by Callum Hudson-Odoi. The Chelsea attacker seemed to touch the leather with his arm in a duel with Mason Greenwood, but referee Stuart Attwell refused to accept it after being called to the screen by the video referee.
The same Hudson-Odoi attacked David de Gea’s goal halfway through the first half. The shot seemed dangerous, but eventually went a few meters wide. Ten minutes later he was the principal and put the ball from the right side of the field on a silver platter for Olivier Giroud, who showed up at the first post. The striker had the ball for the header, but saw his effort go past. After the break, both teams were unable to provide more spectacle, when Ziyech became dangerous for the first time. The former Ajax player shot De Gea from close range five minutes after the break and saw United save the final post.
The best chances were in the second half for United, which provided the first moment of excitement for Mendy’s goal via Greenwood. The winger tried with a placed shot, but was inaccurate in rounding off and saw his shot go just wide. Fred also missed Chelsea’s goal by a hair. When Ziyech then went to the side for Timo Werner, the German almost ensured the victory on behalf of Tuchel’s team in the final phase. The attacker pulled the trigger, but was stopped just in time by a good intervention by Victor Lindelöf, who threw himself in front of the ball. As a result, the encounter at Stamford Bridge remained scoreless.