Chelsea now have one hand on the Premier League trophy - and used the other to fend off an irrepressible Manchester United who were desperately unfortunate to lose this encounter which put a brake on their own resurgence.
There was no champagne football from Jose Mourinho's side apart from the brilliance of Eden Hazard - this was park-the-bus, get-the-job-done- but the corks will soon be popping. A 10-point lead at the helm of the table with six games to go appears insurmountable and with it a third league title under Mourinho even if they would appear set for a more formidable challenge from this developing United side next season. But that is for the future.
The fear was that with injuries and depletions a stalemate could evolve which would suit both sides, but that danger was swept away inside four minutes. Wayne Rooney should have scored. It came as Luke Shaw, recalled with left-backs injured, overlapped down the flank and cut the ball back to Rooney.
Unmarked, with time and space, the United captain steadied himself and slotted his shot wide. Not that far wide – David de Gea even celebrated in the United goal believing his team-mate had scored – but wide enough. Rooney knew he should have hit the target.
• Chelsea vs Manchester United: as it happened
But it signalled United’s intent and soon afterwards Shaw’s low shot was blocked by Nemanja Matic. There did not appear to be a period of adjustment for the visitors, buoyed through their recent string of restorative victories, even if they had shuffled their pack with Rooney deployed more deeply in midfield although it was Ander Herrera who took the holding role.
Eden Hazard celebrates scoring the opener against Man Utd
Chelsea also strove. A chance opened up for Cesc Fabregas – pushed into the No 10 role as Mourinho shored up his midfield to counter the threat of Marouane Fellaini by using Kurt Zouma – but De Gea saved his poked shot with his legs. From the corner Didier Drogba headed over.
The game crackled with intent and it was United who began to take a degree of control. They began to dominate possession; were winning the challenges and recycling the ball and looked to press home their advantage.
Chelsea’s frustrations grew. The dominant chant came from United supporters goading Mourinho. “Jose Mourinho, you wanted the job,” they sang.
Drogba was struggling to lead the line and Chelsea could not gain a foothold as Herrera and Rooney conducted matters through the United midfield. Such was their dominance that United surely had to press home their advantage. They did not. It was Fellaini who had to be alert, as Chelsea broke, to steal in ahead of Oscar inside the six-yard area after a clever back-heel by Fabregas. That move also involved Eden Hazard – and where there was the Belgian there was hope for Chelsea.
Mata was making his first return to Stamford Bridge
They broke again, from a poor United free-kick, with Branislav Ivanovic bravely heading on to Oscar, who crossed deep. The ball dropped on the edge of the penalty area and was cleared by the onrushing De Gea – with his hand, just outside the area. De Gea had kept his arm down but certainly used it although that was only clear through replays. The assistant referee was unsighted by the covering Antonio Valencia. De Gea could, indeed should, have been sent off.
United did not escape, though. Soon afterwards Falcao was too easily shrugged off the ball by John Terry – Van Gaal protested that it was a foul – and Oscar eventually back-heeled into the path of Hazard, whom Herrera failed to track. Hazard ran on and easily slipped the ball between De Gea’s legs into the net. Chelsea, improbably, were ahead.
Just before half-time Falcao almost stole in, after fine build-up by United, but Thibaut Courtois was alert to flick the ball away for another corner.
It capped a miserable half for the Colombian who had also tussled with Terry by the touchline after another challenge but he emerged, early, along with the rest of the United team for the resumption. Mourinho also took his seat early. He will have been pleased with the stickability shown by his players and the edge given by Hazard.
And it was Hazard again surging forward from his own half, evading Rooney’s lunge – fortunately for Rooney - and lifting his team again as Chelsea attempted to increase their lead and United attempted to work their way back into contention.
Falcao started, but failed to impress
But then it was almost over. Herrera, horribly, drove the ball straight to Matic who immediately released Drogba. Not so long ago the striker would have sprinted away but Chris Smalling scampered back. Even then Drogba lifted the ball over De Gea and there was Hazard. The angle was tight but he still nudged the ball against the post before it was hacked away.
Ivanovic tripped Shaw and from the free-kick the ball was pulled back to the United defender whose side-footed shot was deflected away. Paddy McNair then forced a block from Courtois with a powerful, swerving drive, with Matic beating Fellaini to the rebound, before Shaw again surged forward, again surged around Ivanovic only for Juan Mata - who had endured a frustrating return to Stamford Bridge - to struggle to keep his effort on goal under control. It bounced onto the roof off the net.
Once more the pressure increased. Again Shaw cleverly stepped forward to pick out Fellaini who chested the ball down to Rooney. Again the shot was deflected narrowly wide before Falcao drove an effort past the post and Rooney failed to get enough elevation in a chip to drift the ball over Courtois. Still the visitors persevered and Gary Cahill was quick enough to block Falcao's first-time shot.
Van Gaal acted. He changed both his wide attackers although he resisted the temptation to push Rooney further forward given that United continued to dominate in midfield. Finally Falcao did wriggle free, superbly turning Zouma, only to strike the angle of post and cross-bar. It just would not happen for Falcao or for United with Herrera booked for a dive as he sought a penalty.
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