Manchester United moved one step closer to getting back into the Champions League after being out of it for two years. Matheus Cunha scored the only goal in a 1-0 triumph over Chelsea yesterday.
According to AFP, United’s win puts them 10 points ahead of Chelsea in sixth position, with only 15 points remaining to play for this season.
Next season, the top five teams in the Premier League will get to play in the Champions League.
Chelsea’s prospects of being back among Europe’s best teams next season are ruined with a fourth straight league loss, and Liam Rosenior is under a lot of pressure just three months into his reign.
Chelsea complained again about not having a clinical striker after they couldn’t get past a patchwork United defense that was hurt and suspended.
Michael Carrick had to pick a defense that included three full-backs and 19-year-old Ayden Heaven.
But they held out to help the former England midfielder’s case to obtain the position at Old Trafford after this season ends.
Chelsea’s top scorer, Joao Pedro, was hurt and couldn’t play. Liam Delap, who was once a target for United, didn’t take his moment to shine in front of goal.
Rosenior brought back Enzo Fernandez after the Blues suspended him for two games for saying he would be open to a summer move to Real Madrid.
Fernandez had everything to prove and came so close to scoring the first goal when he curled it just wide.
In their first game in three and a half weeks, United lost to Leeds 2-1. They looked rusty.
But Carrick’s team fixed what they had done to hurt their prospects of getting back to the Champions League next season.
Cunha scored the first goal two minutes before the break with a perfect finish from Bruno Fernandes’ 18th Premier League assist of the season.
Chelsea played better after the interval, but they still lost again, which raises questions about Rosenior’s future with the team.
Delap’s header hit the wall, then Noussair Mazraoui turned a dangerous cross onto his own bar while being pushed by Wesley Fofana.
Moises Caicedo, who had signed a new seven-year deal, almost saved a point for the home team.
But when the final whistle blew, there was a chorus of boos. The Club World Cup winners seemed resigned to playing in the Europa League next season at best.
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