Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United: Marc Cucurella header seals essential win in Champions League race

Chelsea held their nerve within the race for Champions League qualification as Marc Cucurella’s second-half header secured a 1-0 win over Manchester United to ship them fourth.

The strain was on for Chelsea after Aston Villa beat Tottenham, a end result which might have moved them above Enzo Maresca’s facet had they dropped factors however, after a tense anticipate the breakthrough, captain Reece James arrange Cucurella with a advantageous flip and cross.

Though Ruben Amorim went with a powerful line-up forward of the Europa League remaining, if Chelsea had slipped up in opposition to this United facet, sixteenth and now winless for a file eight Premier League video games, questions would have been requested.

Chelsea will at the least be within the prime 5 after they go to Nottingham Forest of their remaining sport of the league season on Could 25. Victory on the Metropolis Floor would assure a return to the Champions League after two years away.

United have now misplaced 18 video games within the league this season and are but to hit 40 factors, normally the goal for groups to keep away from relegation, with only one sport left in opposition to Villa. Every little thing is using on Wednesday’s Europa League remaining in opposition to Tottenham.

The damning Man Utd stats

This was Manchester United’s 18th league defeat of the season, their most in a season since dropping 20 in 1973-74 within the final season through which they had been relegated.

United have gone eight league video games with out a win (D2 L6) for the primary time since an 11-game stretch between December 1989 and February 1990.

This was Ruben Amorim’s second run of dropping three consecutive Premier League matches with Manchester United (additionally doing so in December), just one fewer run of three consecutive defeats than Sir Alex Ferguson had throughout his 810 video games within the competitors (3).

Because the begin of April, United have gained fewer factors than another Premier League facet (2), drawing two and dropping six of eight video games in that point.

United have failed to attain within the first half of 26 Premier League matches this season, their most in a single marketing campaign. No facet has failed to attain in additional first halves this season (relegated Leicester additionally on 26).

Chelsea one step nearer to Champions League

There was a celebration ambiance after the full-time whistle blew for the ultimate time at Stamford Bridge this season. Chelsea’s house owners are only one win away from their first Champions League qualification after greater than £1bn spent and three coaches sacked.

Behdad Eghbali, co-founder of Clearlake Capital, and co-sporting administrators Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley had been on the pitch having fun with the second with gamers and employees after the win was sealed. How totally different it might need been if there was one other slip.

Chelsea didn’t discover it as straightforward others had in opposition to United within the league and, with out suspended striker Nicolas Jackson, it was not all the time clear had been the breakthrough would come from as Tyrique George, 19, struggled up entrance in his first league begin.

Pressure had constructed across the stadium – and solely grew when Villa’s victory over Spurs was confirmed – till the skipper got here up with the second of brilliance required to interrupt the impasse, having struck a put up with an beautiful strike within the first half.

Seventy minutes had handed when James pirouetted on the sting of the field earlier than selecting out Cucurella free within the field. His seventh purpose of the season, a advantageous header again throughout purpose, has a case for being his most vital. Win at Forest and it’s mission full.

Maresca can be as relieved as anybody. Chelsea had been the higher crew for a lot of the sport, however the wait made life uncomfortable. The implications of falling quick might have seen attentions flip to him. As an alternative, Eghabli’s presence on the pitch was only a footnote.

James: Chelsea belong in Champions League

Chelsea captain Reece James to Sky Sports activities:

“I knew I had space and time. I knew I put the ball in a good area, this guy was always arriving.

“We have been working the entire season, the message has been clear from the beginning. Executing it has been exhausting. At the moment, what we’re attempting to do pays off.

“I feel confident, it’s the most I’ve played in a few seasons. I want to help the team and hope we can finish it in the right way.

“The Champions League is the place the membership belongs, competing in one of the best competitions. Individuals like to put in writing us off and name us younger ,but it surely’s an skilled Manchester United crew and we did what we would have liked to do to get the three factors.”

Story of the match in stats…

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