Manchester United stand proud again after riveting draw with Chelsea
Chelsea (0) 1 Manchester United (1) 1
As well as a bottle through the window of their bus, Manchester United took pride and a point back home from Stamford Bridge. Although frustrated that Salomon Kalou eventually equalised Ji-sung Park’s goal, the champions can take heart that they reminded everyone in the country of their class and their character. The title will not be surrendered without a fight, not with Sir Alex Ferguson motivating United’s players so stirringly.
As well as another magnificent advertisement for the people’s soap opera that is the Premier League, a riveting 90 minutes revealed certain truths for United. Dimitar Berbatov, the lord of languidness, and the all-action Wayne Rooney still need time to develop their partnership, although the rich potential was thrillingly in evidence here. Cristiano Ronaldo also requires games to bring his form and fitness back to last season’s Himalayan heights.
Apart from the point and the gutsy display, Ferguson can take other positives from the Bridge, notably an assured performance by Jonny Evans alongside Rio Ferdinand, a buccaneering contribution from Patrice Evra and sweat-soaked shifts from Owen Hargreaves and Darren Fletcher.
For Chelsea, a confident start to the season cannot mask the reality that Didier Drogba must return to the starting fold. Nicolas Anelka again failed to impose himself, and missed a chance presented by Joe Cole that could not have been more gift-wrapped had it come with ribbons and a card that began “Cher Nicolas’’.
In keeping with the celebratory mood, assorted balloons were blown on to the field, prompting Ferguson’s No 2, Mike Phelan, to stamp on one. “I wish he had burst it under Mike Riley because it might have woken him up,’’ quipped Ferguson. The Yorkshire referee actually handled the game well, allowing advantage when possible, mainly stopping only to book four United players for fouls and three more for dissent. If Riley erred, it was in ignoring an outrageous piece of simulation by Ronaldo, a swallow dive so preposterous that Frank Lampard burst out laughing.
Occasional subterfuge and tirades aside, United impressed. Their hunger was palpable. Ferguson had ensured his players were in the right, determined mood. So had the stadium announcer, welcoming the champions to the Bridge with a cheeky, “Here’s the 14th team in the Premier League’’. United’s impatience for the opening whistle quickened.
In hounding Luiz Felipe Scolari’s players all over the pitch, United did to Chelsea what Liverpool had done to the champions eight days earlier. Scarcely two minutes had crept on to the clock when both Paul Scholes and Park had clattered Joe Cole. A familiar intensity characterised the fray. Even Berbatov, so relaxed he looks like he should be playing in a smoking jacket, deigned to win a tackle. Until he tired badly in the second half, Berbatov was influential, knitting together moves, helping Rooney create a shooting opportunity for Ferdinand that would have brought reward but for Petr Cech’s reflexes.
Berbatov and Rooney played significant parts in United’s goal. When the lively Evra broke down the left and played the ball inside to Berbatov, Rooney was alive to the move’s possibilities. Berbatov’s lay-off drew a superb response from Rooney, who guided the ball first time down the inside-left channel, picking out Evra’s continued run. He raced on, but then cut the ball back to Berbatov. As Scholes dummied, the Bulgarian unleashed a shot that rattled into Cech’s midriff, gifting a sitter for the unmarked Park. As Ferguson celebrated, little details leading to the goal will have incensed Scolari. His full-backs, such a force going forward, were caught out badly. Jose Bosingwa failed to deal with Evra’s run. The Portuguese international has proved a marvellous addition, giving Chelsea real strength down the right, but he needs to tighten up defensively.
Over on the left, Ashley Cole had shuffled across to deal with unfolding problems in the middle, allowing Park the space to score. Liberated by Scolari, encouraged to raid upfield, Cole’s primary duty must always be to track his winger and he let Park go. Otherwise, the England international enjoyed an afternoon of non-stop endeavour that confirmed him as one of the leading left-backs in the world.
With Cole and Bosingwa quick to push up, Chelsea hit back, responding to the urging of their fans. Chances came and went. Joe Cole’s shot deflected over. The Matthew Harding Stand then screamed for a penalty when Edwin van der Sar caught Florent Malouda. United’s keeper was clearly going for the ball, his momentum carrying him into Malouda, injuring his knee in the process. The Bridge was in ferment, the fans in uproar, the players storming forward time and again in pursuit of an equaliser. John Terry, leading by example, charged 40 yards, taking the game to the champions. Then Joe Cole glided into the box, bringing an unconvincing stop from Van der Sar. Ferdinand moaned at his keeper, tapping his head as if to question the Dutchman’s mental state. Ferdinand’s stance quickly softened on realising the keeper was struggling. Tomasz Kuszczak leapt from the bench and into the fray.
The tempo never dropped. When Scholes clipped Michael Ballack’s heels, the German squealed like a ballerina who had been trodden on, making sure Riley was aware of the offence. Scholes escaped sanction that time but soon kicked the ball away, making his inevitable entrance in Riley’s bad book. More worryingly for United, they were dropping deep, dangerously so, inviting Chelsea on. They also stood off Alex, allowing the Brazilian to let fly from 25 yards. Kuszczak fumbled, Ferdinand cleared. Not for the last time. Ferdinand’s fuse was burning, the defender raging at a linesman. “There’s only one England captain,’’ sang the John Terry fan club.
Enmity filled the air. When Hargreaves fell over by the hoardings, a couple of Chelsea supporters bent over to deliver some west London witticisms. Bonhomie broke out only during the interval when Team GB’s successful Olympic sailors performed a lap of honour that drew a standing ovation.
Chelsea urgently needed someone to take the wind out of United’s sails. Scolari acted. Malouda was hooked and Drogba unleashed, entering like a favoured gladiator, intent on inflicting damage. Wary of Drogba’s threat, United pulled even further back, almost permanently to the edge of the box. When Lampard and Joe Cole conjured up some magic, Evans intervened.
For defenders like Evans, binoculars were required to see United’s attack. The gap was huge, but fortunately Rooney shuttled back and forth, carrying the ball to Berbatov, making a mockery of those who questioned the Merseysider’s fitness. The only thing heavy about Rooney is his heavyweight talent.
But he needed assistance. Ronaldo arrived and, the dive apart, produced some decent moments, although the force remained with Chelsea. When Kuszczak failed to hold a Joe Cole shot, Ferdinand again cleared and again complained about the marking, the officiating, the weather, the price of ciabatta bread. Still a tide of blue rolled towards Ferdinand and company. When Joe Cole drove the ball across, Anelka missed woefully. Rooney almost punished such profligacy, turning the Ronaldo’s exceptional cross into the side-netting.
Surrendering possession needlessly moments later, Rooney received a curt reminder from Ferguson of the need to keep control of the ball. It was a pity he did not throw in a caveat about self-control. Rooney subsequently flew in on Ashley Cole, who commendably jumped up immediately, but the damage was done. To United.
As well as the booking for Rooney, the champions had a free-kick awarded against them, 30 yards out, to the left of centre. As John Obi Mikel lifted the ball in, United focused most on Terry’s movement with Ferdinand shoving the Chelsea captain over. Unnoticed amidst the pushing and pulling, Kalou ghosted in to equalise. Chelsea had their point. United had also made their point.
FlashPoint1...
The bad feeling that marred last season’s match between Chelsea and Manchester United boiled over again as Rio Ferdinand stormed from the field after clashing with Didier Drogba.The pair had been involved in a challenge on the edge of the United penalty area just as referee Mike Riley blew the final whistle of a bad-tempered affair.
FlashPoint2...
The United team bus was attacked as it departed from Stamford Bridge following the match. A bottle was thrown and left a crack on one of the windows. Police arrested one man. It is understood that no United players or officials were hurt. “There was an incident but the matter is now in the hands of the police,” a United spokesman said.
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho (Alex 12), Terry, Ashley Cole, Obi, Joe Cole, Ballack (Kalou 74), Lampard, Malouda (Drogba 46), Anelka.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Bridge, Belletti, Ferreira.
Booked: Obi.
Goals: Kalou 80.
Man Utd: Van der Sar (Kuszczak 32), Neville, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Fletcher, Hargreaves, Scholes (Ronaldo 55), Park (O'Shea 75), Berbatov, Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Brown, Giggs, Nani, Tevez.
Booked: Scholes, Ferdinand, Neville, Berbatov, Rooney, Evra, Ronaldo.
Goals: Park 18.
Att: 41,760
Ref: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).
BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Manchester United's Ji-Sung 7.11 (on 90 minutes).
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