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MANCHESTER, England: Manchester United remain winless at Old Trafford in the Premier League this season after they were limited to a disappointing 0-0 draw at Chelsea on Saturday (October 24).
United, who had lost their first two home games of the season, have seven points from five games and are ranked 15th, while Chelsea are sixth with nine points from six games.
Given both teams’ defensive woes of late (United’s last outing at Old Trafford was a 6-1 win by Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea’s previous Premier League match ended in a 3-3 draw with Southampton), perhaps it was understandable that both coaches made a cautious decision. Getting closer.
Paul Pogba started on the bench for the third straight league game for United, which was solid in midfield and back, where Harry Maguire returned from injury.
However, Dan James, accompanying Marcus Rashford in attack, struggled and Bruno Fernandes struggled to create many opportunities.
Rashford produced the first real effort on goal in the 35th minute when he found himself into space on the right, but his low shot was well saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s outstretched right leg.
Mendy was in action again, six minutes later, as he dived to push a Juan Mata snapshot off the post.
Looking for a spark to spice up the game, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought in Pogba and Edinson Cavani in the 58th minute.
Uruguayan Cavani, who made his debut at United, was about to score from his first touch with an ingenious pass from a Fernandes cross that crashed into the side net.
Chelsea offered little threat and it was United who came closest to a winner, in the 90th minute with Mendy at full throttle to avoid a curly, well-hit effort from Rashford.
Solskjaer said his team had made it through the match.
“Their goalkeeper made two fantastic saves from Marcus, they were the two brightest moments and they were great saves. If there was a winner, it should have been us,” said the Norwegian.
Chelsea captain César Azpilicueta admitted his team could have done more, but felt that the VAR should have reviewed a penalty appeal in which Maguire grabbed him when he was contesting a header.
“I felt arms around my neck and shoulders. The referee can make the decision, the VAR is there (to help). In any situation the referee makes the main decisions and the monitor is there to help him. It was 50-50.” so why not take 20 seconds to review it? ” he said.
