"El Pinguino" pushes Chelsea to the edge of UCL!

The first half at Stamford Bridge ended in a stalemate, but the 0-0 scoreline doesn’t tell the full story of an eventful opening 45 minutes filled with near-misses, a disallowed goal, and end-to-end action.

Chelsea started brightly and looked to apply pressure early on. In the 5th minute, Noni Madueke had a golden opportunity to open the scoring after being afforded too much space inside the United box. However, his shot lacked composure and sailed harmlessly over the crossbar, letting the visitors off the hook.

Manchester United gradually grew into the game and thought they had taken the lead in the 16th minute. Bruno Fernandes whipped in a precise ball into the box, where Harry Maguire rose to meet it and directed a low header past the keeper into the bottom left corner. The visitors wheeled away in celebration, but the joy was short-lived. After a VAR review, the goal was disallowed for offside, keeping the match level.

Chelsea nearly responded in spectacular fashion in the 25th minute. Reece James, seeing an opening from the edge of the box, struck a powerful low shot that beat Onana but crashed off the inside of the left post. The Blues came within inches of taking the lead, as the ball bounced out and was eventually cleared by the United defense.

The match continued at a high tempo with both sides pushing forward, though clear-cut chances became fewer as the half wore on. Chelsea had the final opportunity just before the break. Cole Palmer took a shot from outside the area which took a wicked deflection, forcing Andre Onana to react sharply and parry the ball away from the top right corner. Enzo Fernandez latched onto the rebound and blasted it over the bar from close range, though the assistant's flag had already gone up for offside.

The second half kicked off with Manchester United looking to break the deadlock, and they nearly did just that in the 52nd minute. Amad Diallo threaded a smart pass through to Mason Mount, who found himself one-on-one with the keeper. However, his shot rolled agonizingly wide of the left post, squandering a golden opportunity for United.

Just a few minutes later, in the 56th minute, Bruno Fernandes tried his luck from the edge of the area after a composed buildup. Unfortunately for the visitors, his effort sailed well over the bar, drawing a frustrated reaction as another promising chance went begging.

The match took a dramatic turn in the 61st minute when Chelsea’s forward George latched onto a ball played behind the United backline and was brought down by goalkeeper Andre Onana. Initially, the referee pointed to the spot, awarding Chelsea a penalty. However, after a VAR review and a trip to the pitchside monitor, the decision was reversed – replays showed Onana had managed to get a crucial touch on the ball. United breathed a huge sigh of relief as the score remained level.

But Chelsea wouldn't be denied for long. In the 71st minute, Reece James delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, where Marc Cucurella rose highest to meet it with a powerful header into the top right corner. It was a beautifully executed goal and gave Chelsea a 1-0 lead. You can see the goal HERE!

The Blues nearly doubled their advantage just two minutes later. Noni Madueke, who had looked lively all evening, connected with a pass from Cole Palmer and fired a shot just inches wide of the left post. It was another close call for Manchester United, who were beginning to look vulnerable.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 37

Friday

Aston Villa - Tottenham 2-0 (0-0)

/Konsa 59, Kamara 73/

Chelsea - Manchester United 1-0 (0-0)

/Cucurella 71/

Sunday

14.00: (1.42) Everton (5.00) Southampton (8.00)

16.15: (2.80) West Ham (3.25) Nott.Forest (2.60)

17.00: (1.95) Brentford (3.75) Fulham (3.70)

17.00: (2.35) Leicester (3.50) Ipswich (3.15)

18.30: (2.00) Arsenal (3.70) Newcastle (3.85)

Monday

22.00: (2.75) Brighton (3.50) Liverpool (2.50)

Tuesday

22.00: (2.30) Crystal Palace (3.35) Wolverhampton (3.15)

22.00: (1.55) Man.City (4.20) Bournemouth (5.90)

***odds are subject to change***