Chelsea never really parked the bus here but they did get caught on a double yellow. When Branislav Ivanovic was dismissed for a second bookable offence three minutes into injury time, Manchester United seized the moment, equalising through Robin van Persie, sparking euphoric scenes spiced with relief.
The draw stopped Chelsea accelerating six points clear at the top of the Premier League but they stay in the driving seat, remain the best side in the land, remain unbeaten and – to no great surprise – have found a useful understudy goalscoring centre-forward in Didier Drogba in the absence of the injured Diego Costa and Loïc Rémy.
Making his 350th appearance for Chelsea, Drogba seems to be reliving his first Chelsea era in reverse, converting a penalty against Maribor last week in an echo of the 2012 Champions League final shoot-out, and now scoring with a flicked header from a corner, again reviving memories of his equaliser in Munich.
Chelsea ultimately paid the price for the mounting number of cautions, numbering seven by the denouement, including Ivanovic’s two bookings, one for dissent following a foul on Ángel Di María and the second for that injury-time trip on the Argentine. This was hardly indicative of a cynical concerted strategy from Jose Mourinho’s side as some United fans suspected, more individuals making snap-decisions to stop opponents in the heat of the moment.
As well as Ivanovic’s two offences, Drogba illegally stopped Juan Mata breaking upfield, Nemanja Matic prevented Van Persie advancing, Cesc Fabregas fouled the dribbling Mata, Oscar caught Chris Smalling as the defender moved forward while Eden Hazard went in forcefully on Rafael. Phil Dowd administered three yellow cards to United for Rafael pulling back Hazard, Marouane Fellaini fouling Hazard and then that infuriating sanction of a booking for a player removing his shirt in celebrating a goal. Not that Van Persie will worry.
Dowd’s refereeing strayed into the realms of controversy only in the first half when he failed to punish some wrestling antics by United players at a Chelsea corner that would have had Michael Oliver donning a black cap.
Oliver awarded Swansea City a penalty a week ago after Stoke City’s captain, Ryan Shawcross, pulled over Wilfried Bony. It was the correct decision but inevitably demanding other officials follow suit to be consistent.
When Fabregas curled a free-kick in, Marcos Rojo hauled down John Terry while the wrestling match intensified with Smalling pulling Ivanovic away from the incoming ball. Dowd saw nothing wrong. Ivanovic was incensed, appealing almost manically.
The next conversation that Stoke City’s manager, Mark Hughes, has with Mike Riley of Professional Game Match Officials Limited should be lively. So should Mourinho’s.
Whatever Mourinho’s frustrations, and he just about managed to resist venting his spleen afterwards, Louis van Gaal’s side deserved this point.
It was honours even between the two friends and coaches. Mourinho was greeted by a warm, almost emotional embrace from Van Gaal and a tribute in the programme in which the Dutchman described his former assistant coach at Barcelona as now a “great” manager.
Such is Mourinho’s kudos that taking a point off him is often considered a feather in a coach’s cap.
Those questioning Van Gaal’s ability to turn United around will note that the team are a point worse off after nine games than under David Moyes, who endured a tougher opening run of fixtures, and Van Gaal’s side have to travel to City next weekend. Yet the Dutchman’s vaunted pedigree guarantees him the time to work on reviving United. He has enjoyed success all over, building and organising sides, although he probably requires at least one more major transfer window here to address the defence.
A point can become a turning point for United only if Van Gaal can drill the defence better, instilling greater organisation and powers of concentration. There were positives in defence including Smalling, a quick, composed presence in replacing the injured Phil Jones, and Luke Shaw, who got forward well and executed one exceptional tackle on Willian. David De Gea continued to impress.
Yet Rojo resembles a bemused tourist struggling with a new language; the Argentine earned many good reviews at the World Cup and will surely come good with more practice, and United having a more settled back-line. Rafael was spooked early on by Hazard, booked, and never fully recovered.
After that, the first-half sparring contained occasional other noteworthy incidents. Di María blazed over. Adnan Januzaj threaded a fine pass down the inside-left channel to Van Persie. The Dutchman’s first-time shot would have beaten a lesser keeper but Courtois anticipated brilliantly, racing out and blocking. Chelsea’s goalkeeper then held another effort from Van Persie.
Mistakes continued to scar parts of United’s play. When Rojo gave the ball away cheaply, Willian ran through and only Smalling’s pace and awareness rescued United.
Chelsea began fuming at Dowd over his inability or unwillingness to get to grips with the grapplers.
Yet the sense that Chelsea were quietly building continued. As the first half closed, Oscar ran through, ignoring Hazard’s progress to the near-post, and cutting the ball back to Drogba, whose strong shot was saved athletically by De Gea.
Six minutes into the second period, United’s keeper denied Hazard who had played a high-speed 1-2 with Drogba. The danger never ebbed, Chelsea punishing lax marking at the ensuing corner. As Fabregas swung the ball towards the near-post, Drogba made his move, flicking the header powerfully goalwards. The ball clipped Van Persie and flew in. It was horrific defending by United, particularly the inexplicable thought process that had little Rafael tracking mighty Drogba. Rafael is 1.73 metres, 15 centimetres shorter than Drogba. It was a total mismatch, and the inevitable long and short of it all was that Drogba easily won that duel.
Just as Drogba, 36, revived memories of past glories with his powerful header, so United rolled back the years with a late flourish worthy of the Sir Alex Ferguson years. They still had to survive further scares. Chelsea almost added a second, Ivanovic shooting wide.
Mourinho tried to lock the game down, sending on John Obi Mikel for Oscar, then André Schürrle for Hazard and the centre-half Kurt Zouma for Willian.
United fought their way out of the straitjacket. Van Persie turned Gary Cahill but his shot was saved by Courtois. United were getting frantic, even Ryan Giggs sprinting from the dug-out down the line to collect a loose ball.
And then came that mistake by Ivanovic, tripping Di María. As Ivanovic made the short walk to the tunnel in front of a crowing Stretford End, Di Mara swept the ball across, Courtois thwarted Fellaini but Van Persie reacted best, firing the ball left-footed in to spark a wild celebration.
Mourinho was left shaking his head, having a quiet word with the fourth official, Chris Foy, before seeking out his old mentor, Van Gaal, for another embrace and handshake.
Chelsea departed annoyed at the late lapse but they continue to dominate the high ground of the Premier League. United still have a lot of climbing to do.
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