Manchester United sealed qualification for subsequent season’s Champions League with a 4-1 thrashing of beleaguered Chelsea on Thursday.
Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford had been heading in the right direction because the Red Devils moved as much as third within the Premier League.
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A depressing evening summed up Chelsea’s season regardless of spending over £500 million within the switch market as they slumped to an eighth defeat in 10 video games since Frank Lampard returned as interim supervisor.
By distinction, affirmation of a top-four end rounds off a profitable first season in cost for Erik ten Hag after additionally ending United’s six-year trophy drought by profitable the League Cup in February.
More silverware could possibly be to return subsequent month ought to United halt Manchester City’s cost in the direction of the treble within the FA Cup ultimate.
But a return to Europe’s elite competitors subsequent season was one in all Ten Hag’s major goals when he took the reigns after a disastrous 2021/22 marketing campaign when United completed sixth.
Casemiro’s arrival from Real Madrid has been basic to United’s revival. The 31-year-old’s class and expertise shone by way of in opposition to a youthful Chelsea aspect that had been punished for a scarcity of effectivity in each packing containers.
Mykhailo Mudryk ought to have netted his first Chelsea objective when the Ukrainian sliced huge a wonderful probability on 5 minutes.
Bruno Fernandes scored from the spot. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
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Just 60 seconds later, the guests trailed as Casemiro was afforded a free header to show dwelling Christian Eriksen’s free-kick.
Chances continued to movement at each ends as a poor first contact from Fernandes and Martial price them with simply Kepa Arrizabalaga to beat.
At the opposite finish Kai Havertz headed huge and Conor Gallagher flashed a shot throughout David De Gea’s objective.
United winger Antony was then compelled off on a stretcher with an ankle harm that may make him a serious doubt for the FA Cup ultimate in 10 days’ time.
But the house aspect ended the sport as a contest in first-half stoppage time when Casemiro’s no-look move opened up the Chelsea defence for Jadon Sancho to sq. for Martial.
Ten Hag’s males ought to have had extra objectives to spherical off a effective evening within the second interval as Fernandes smashed in opposition to the bar and Eriksen in some way failed to show in Tyrell Malacia’s cross from point-blank vary.
Fernandes did lastly get his objective from the penalty spot after the Portuguese midfielder was introduced down by Wesley Fofana.
More calamitous Chelsea defending invited Rashford to turn into the primary United participant in a decade to attain 30 objectives in a season.
Fernandes pounced on Fofana’s unfastened move and teed up the England worldwide, who wanted two makes an attempt to beat Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The waste of Chelsea’s season might be summed up by the £10 million mortgage payment splurged on Joao Felix in January for just a few months with little left to play for.
But the Portuguese worldwide confirmed a glimmer of his high quality with a surging run and low end for a late comfort that denied De Gea his 18th clear sheet of the season.
