Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea: Premier League – live! – The Guardian

Both managers appear to have gone to ground. So with that, I’ll leave you with David Hytner’s match report from Old Trafford. Thanks for reading this MBM, and the best of luck to Gorse Hill Packed Lunches, as well as all the similar projects across the country.

Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta speaks to Sky. “We could have done more. We didn’t create the last pass or make the right decisions. So yes, we defended solidly, but we could have got more from the game. It was very even. In the first half we controlled better, in the second we rushed it and lost possession too easy, so we lost control. But we had solidity.” As for his tussle with Maguire that could have led to a penalty? “I felt both arms around my neck and shoulders. I think yes. Martin Atkinson is the man to make the decisions, so why not take 20 seconds to review it?”

A result for Marcus Rashford, at least.

Both sets of defenders were well on top in a poor spectacle. But there are plus points for both teams. Chelsea will be happy with their second clean sheet in a row, and their third in four games, while United have at least avoided the ignominy of losing their first three home fixtures for the first time since 1930. However this is still the first time they’ve failed to win any of their first three at Old Trafford since Frank O’Farrell’s reign began unravelling in 1972. United will end the day in 15th place on seven points; Chelsea finish it sixth with nine points.

90 min +4: Fernandes crosses from the right. James powers a header clear.

90 min +3: Ziyech drives at the United back line and bustles past Shaw, but can’t make space to shoot.

90 min +2: United continue to press until Wan-Bissaka runs the ball out of play for a goal kick.

90 min +1: The nation’s hero nearly becomes United’s hero! Amid a melee on the edge of the Chelsea box, Fernandes toe-pokes to tee up Rashford, to the left of the D. Rashford curls powerfully towards the top right. It looks in all the way, but a superb full-length dive by Mendy puts paid to the fairytale! Wonderful play all round!

88 min: Greenwood dribbles cleverly along the byline to the right of the Chelsea goal. He rolls the ball to Cavani, who tries to flash home from close range but is denied by Silva’s brave extended leg. Great play by both old campaigners.

87 min: Another poor delivery by Ziyech, this time from the left. The ball is eventually volleyed deep into the stand by an overly ambitious Jorginho.

86 min: United don’t clear properly, though, and Chelsea come back at them, James pressing down the right, Chilwell probing on the left. Eventually Fred is panicked into slicing over his own bar.

84 min: In the stand, Donny van de Beek looks impassively on. Penny for his thoughts. On the pitch, Azpilicueta crosses from the right. Shaw deflects out for a corner.

83 min: United make their final change, sending on Greenwood in place of McTominay.

81 min: Ziyech comes on for Pulisic, who hasn’t been comfortable since being cleaned out by McTominay.

80 min: Silva shanks a Shaw cross out for a corner. The set piece is half cleared, but Lindelof comes back at Chelsea down the right and dinks inside for Pogba, who shoots lamely into a thicket of players. Chelsea clear properly this time.

78 min: There’s not a lot of urgency on display here. Both teams would love to win, of course, but the avoidance of defeat, and all the concomitant pressure, is the main target.

76 min: BREAKING NEWS: Marcus Rashford is a human being with faults like the rest of us! He slides into the back of Mount, and goes in the referee’s notebook. He’s got moral credit to burn, let’s be fair.

75 min: Pulisic goes down, the result of being clattered in the hard-but-fair fashion by McTominay. After a fashion, he rises again, albeit gingerly.

73 min: Both teams pick up the pace, so there’s that. But they’re still struggling to piece together any moves. It’s been a disappointing game so far. Still enough time for someone to take it up a gear.

71 min: Chelsea’s turn to make a double change: Mount and Abraham come on for the ineffectual Werner and Havertz.

69 min: Maguire pings a lovely ball down the left for Rashford, who takes it in his stride at full pent. He shoots from a tight angle, thinking he’s got the better of Azpilicueta after a shake of the hips, but the Chelsea man recovers well and blocks.

67 min: The game threatens to grind down to a halt. It’s not inspiring fare.

65 min: Play stops as Pogba comes off worst in an innocent 50-50 with Reece James. He’s holding his back and grimacing. Ah hold on, now James goes down to get treatment for a sore thigh and also his ankle, while Pogba springs back up. James is repaired, and both men are good to continue.

63 min: Havertz and Werner launch a high-speed raid into United territory. Lindelof does extremely well to shepherd Werner out to the left, as the striker looked for space to shoot. Chelsea settle for a corner that comes to nothing.

61 min: Reece James sends a fierce right to left swinger through the United six-yard box. Havertz is an inch away from running the ball in at the far post. He ends up in the net as the ball continues on its merry way.

59 min: Cavani nearly makes a sensational start in a United shirt. He’s inches away from scoring with his first touch! From the corner, Fernandes curls in low from the left towards the near post. Cavani sticks out a leg and nonchalantly swipes towards the bottom left. It shaves the outside of the post and billows the side netting. Mendy probably had it covered but you wouldn’t put too much money on it. Shades of Scholes and Sheringham.

58 min: United spring into life, Fernandes releasing Rashford down the left. There’s no space for a shot. Shaw earns a corner instead. Before it can be taken, Pogba and Cavani come on for Mata and James.

55 min: Kante creams a long diagonal ball towards Chilwell on the left. Chilwell slips inside for Havertz, who loops a poor ball into the United box but nowhere near anybody in blue.

53 min: Chilwell, Pulisic and Werner combine smoothly down the left, eventually carving out a half-chance for Werner just inside the area. His shot is blocked by Maguire the second it comes off his foot.

51 min: A United corner on the left. Mata and Fernandes pull off a cute back-and-forth routine that catches Chelsea cold, the ball eventually cut back for Rashford on the edge of the box. Rashford’s shot is always going wide left. Mata tries to keep the attack going but the flag goes up for offside.

49 min: Pulisic hits the deck when dribbling along the byline to the left of the United goal. He’s eased off the ball fairly and doesn’t claim a penalty.

48 min: Dan James drives at Azpilicueta down the inside-left channel. He drops a shoulder and … runs slap bang into the Chelsea captain, the ball squirting away harmlessly. He has the good grace not to claim a penalty kick.

46 min: Havertz threatens to break into a lot of space in the midfield, and is cynically clipped by Fred, who goes into the notebook.

United get the second half underway. No changes. It’s also still raining with extreme prejudice. Incidentally, Frank Lampard has been taking his fashion cues from Geno-era Dexys. He’s been searching for a dependable centre back, he’s been searching everywhere, he can’t find one anywhere. Where have you hidden them?

It’s also half-time in Marcus Rashford v The Man. Rashford’s running away with it; The Man should be thoroughly embarrassed with his pitiful performance. “Gorsehill is in spitting distance of Old Trafford,” writes Judith Mellor. “The Primary School is down the road from the ground. It is a rainbow nation of a school. My daughter (who is a teacher) will be volunteering for ‘Gorsehill Mums with Limited Funds’, which will be organising packed lunches for local schoolkids next week during half term. These are mums with limited funds helping those with no funds. There is a GoFundMe page.”

Both teams haven put in a curate’s egg of a performance. This match has threatened to spark into life on a few occasions, but it’s not quite happened. To be fair, everyone and everything is soaking wet. They’ll be back after 15 minutes of bliss in warm towels.

45 min +1: Havertz is booked for a cynical tug on Fred’s shirt. Mata busies himself down the right. Wan-Bissaka fires in a low cross, but it’s easily claimed by Mendy.

45 min: There will be one more minute of first-half football.

44 min: Shaw bustles in from the left but, just as things look like opening up for him, he loses control and lets the ball run through to Mendy. United are enjoying their best spell of the match. The break is coming at the wrong time for them.

43 min: The corner leads to nowt. Rashford’s good to continue.

41 min: Mata aims a curler towards the top left. Mendy does very well to tip round for a corner. The closest United have come. Before the resulting corner can be taken, Rashford gets some treatment after being clipped on the bottom of the boot by Silva. VAR checks for foul play, but again, no interest. Like the one before it, you’ve seen ‘em given. Somewhere in the multiverse, both teams have been awarded a penalty kick.

40 min: Chilwell hoicks it into the mixer. United clear. Maguire has his arm right around Azpilicueta, who wants a penalty. It’s a fair shout, Maguire giving him a good old hug from behind and dragging him down. But neither referee nor VAR show interest.

39 min: Shaw is booked for tugging away at Reece James, who was making good at great pace down the right. A free kick with promise for Chelsea. “Despite the potential howler, that Mendy save on Rashford was a shot that Kepa would have seen behind him in the net,” notes Mary Waltz.

37 min: Like Pulisic before him, Rashford could have taken another couple of steps towards goal before shooting. But he spotted a gap at the bottom left, and went for a power threader towards that. He was denied by an excellent save, to be fair.

35 min: United finally force Mendy into proper work. Jorginho is stripped of possession by Fernandes; Mata then slips Rashford away down the inside right. He reaches the area and batters towards the far corner. Mendy sticks out a leg to deflect. A fine reaction save. Rashford should probably have done better, but if there’s any time to cut him some slack, it’s now. He’s not happy with himself, though. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.

34 min: Pulisic robs Fred and drives at the United defence down the right. His low diagonal shot deflects off Lindelof and out for a corner on the left. Nothing comes of the set piece.

32 min: Pulisic dances in from the left and eases past McTominay. He enters the box and takes a whack. De Gea gathers at his near post. Pulisic could have taken another step or two towards goal there, such was the gap in United’s defence, but opted to take it early. Bad decision, it turns out.