First and second in the Barclays Premier league table meet on Sunday, with fans hoping the game will be half as entertaining as last year’s match, which was a classic. Here is a look at that 3-3 draw and four other Chelsea Manchester United enthralling encounters.
Chelsea 3 Manchester United 3 – United come from three down to rescue a point.
Despite being dominated for the opening 20 minutes, Chelsea opened the scoring via a Jonny Evans own goal. That was the only strike on the board come half-time, and the second half is where the fun really began! Chelsea trebled their lead through a Juan Mata volley and a deflected David Luiz header. But write United off at your peril, and two penalties in ten minutes got the Red Devils back into the game, with Wayne Rooney converting them both comprehensively. The Manchester United onslaught came, and a beautiful Ryan Giggs cross was headed home from Javier Hernandez to draw the sides level. Late on in the game the much maligned David De Gea produced a world-class save to stop a Mata free-kick from stealing the spoils.
Manchester United 0 Chelsea 3 – Chelsea thrash United at Old Trafford.
Manchester United had started their title defence poorly and things went from bad to worse on a day to forget at Old Trafford. Mario Melchiot headed the Blues in front from a Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink corner. Chelsea then went on to miss a hatful of chances, with many thinking they’d be made to pay, but that wasn’t the case as Hasselbaink doubled his sides lead after being put through by Eidur Gudjohnsen. A fifth defeat in their opening 14 games for the champions was sealed when Gudjohnsen got on the score sheet himself with just three minutes of normal time left.
Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1 – Hernandez and Vidic all but seal title.
After losing to Arsenal the previous week, Manchester United let Chelsea back into the title race, however they’d need a win at Old Trafford otherwise the title was all but United’s. Javier Hernandez opened the scoring after just 36 seconds with a stereotypical calm finish from the Mexican international. United had swarmed all over Chelsea, and their lead was doubled on 23 minutes when Ryan Giggs beat Salamon Kalou and chipped a cross just asking to be finished, which captain Nemanja Vidic did in style. Chelsea came into the game more in the second half and Frank Lampard halved the deficit with a back post header, but United weren’t to be denied. The win left Sir Alex Ferguson’s side needing one point from their last two games to win the title back from Chelsea, the point duly arrived away to Blackburn the following week.
Chelsea 3 Manchester United 0 – Chelsea win title after beating closest rivals.
Chelsea won their second consecutive Premier League title in comprehensive fashion as they thrashed their closest rivals Manchester United 3-0. Needing just the point to regain their crown, Jose Mourinho’s side got off to the perfect start as William Gallas headed Chelsea in front just five minutes in. United didn’t really threaten an equaliser let alone the two goals they needed to keep their title dreams alive, and Joe Cole doubled Chelsea’s lead with a superb solo goal. Chelsea had won the title at this point, but they rubbed salt in the Manchester United wound as Ricardo Carvalho made it 3-0 late on.