The champion’s visit to Manchester after an impressive winning streak of hosts in advance acquired the status of the main New Year’s match. Gaining momentum, “Manchester United” was preparing to crush organized, but not so impressive guests.
The victim of the first foul in the match predictably became Cristiano Ronaldo. The author is Michael Ballack. The attacking midfielder of Chelsea in this match fouled the most, without creating dangerous moments at the opponent’s goal. And thus, it clearly did not correspond to the role of the upper corner assigned to him in the diamond scheme Mourinho chose for the season. However, the slipping of one gear did not stall the entire Chelsea game mechanism, and the "aristocrats" adequately paid off the debut fuse of Manchester United.
However, the first attacks of the Mankunians did not pose a threat, although they were marked by passion. The first dangerous moment was the blow to Cristiano Ronaldo from the free kick into the hands of Cudicini firmly standing on his feet. The rest of the attacks of the “red” choked in the viscous midfield of Chelsea. For the first time, the three-tower redoubt from Essien, Makelele and Lampard passed the wards of Alex Ferguson only by the end of the half-hour game. Rooney sent Saa on a seemingly disastrous date with Ricardo Carvalho and Terry, but the Frenchman, having braked in front of a vis-a-vis, shot through the penalty box into the near corner.
Three minutes later, the midfield of Manchester United, despite Drogba lying on the field, led Saa out to the gate again, but he preferred to kick the ball in the direction of the attacking Rooney and missed the point. Angry Drogba, falling off his own, preferred to settle scores with the help of his elbow and Vidich's face, which earned the “mustard plaster”. However, the Chelsea countermeasures did not stop at the Ivorian irritation. “Blue” opened fire from the penalty area: first, Jeremy with a long-range shot tried to win the laurels of the last round again, and then Lampard let the ball jump in the defensive orders of “MJ”. But both attempts gave up the spirit in the hands of van der Sarah.
More important than a quick goal back was the demonstration that Chelsea could take control of the game at any time. Another bold outing of the “MU”, in which the runaway Giggs jumped over the spreading Carvalho, but shot in Terry, looked like a classic counterattack. But by no means the consequence of the attacking game of the first number. Having scored, the hosts lost their undeniable motivation to move forward, which was the reason for the transfer of the initiative into the hands of Lampard and his comrades.
The beginning of the second half confirmed Mourinho's ambitions. The guest coach let Robin go instead of Jeremy, giving all of his right edge to Essien. And he did his best - there were no more dangerous episodes with Giggs. But on the other flank the duel was gaining momentum, which became the main intrigue of the match - Cristiano Ronaldo against Ashley Cole. The Portuguese even managed to make three marks in one attack - a cross from the flank, a miss on the ball from a killer position, a sharp pass by the heel, but the last word in the episode invariably remained with Cole. This confrontation became the mirror of the whole match: having flashed a class of players, Manchester United ultimately saved before the well-established team game of Chelsea.
It is not surprising that the guests got a draw in the classical way - having played the standard. Lampard's canopies and the central defenders' header play are among the eternal values of the football of the “aristocrats." This time the pitch was turned into a goal by the curly head of Ricardo Carvalho, who was more to blame for the conceded goal than others. Bash on bash.
In the long run, the Manchester state of affairs is causing more concern. The attacking extravaganza of Manchester United, powered by the energy of the restless Ronaldo and the awakened Rooney, may someday end. And the Chelsea clockwork, even if they were beaten yesterday only once, requires only periodic replacement of parts. But will Mourinho decide on this if Ballack and Shevchenko turn out to be extra details? One way or another, a draw is in favor of Chelsea. Order beats the class.
MANCHESTER UNITED - Chelsea - 1: 1 (1: 0)
Goals: 1: 0 - Saa (29), 1: 1 - Ricardo Carvalho (69).
MANCHESTER UNITED: van der Sar, G. Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Cristiano Ronaldo (Flatcher, 86), Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Rooney, Saa (O'Shea, 86).
Chelsea: Cudicini, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, E. Cole, Njitap (Robben, 46), Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Ballack (Paulo Ferreira, 93), Shevchenko (D. Cole, 75), Drogba.
Warnings: Makelele (21), Drogba (36), Carrick (55), E. Cole (85).
November 26th. Old Trafford, 19.00.
Judge : Howard Webb (Yorkshire).