Chelsea – Manchester United: Cucurella Heads Blues To Victory To Keep Champions League Qualification Hopes Alive (1-0)

Chelsea defeated Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, in a must-win game winning by a solitary goal. Marc Cucurella’s pin-point header gave the Blues the victory in a tightly contested affair at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea moved into 4th place after the win keeping their hopes of finishing in the top five and qualifying for next season’s Champions League alive with one game left to play in the Premier League.

Tactical analysis and match report by Gaurav Krishnan.

As play was switched out wide to Pedro Neto on the right flank, Reece James made an underlapping run just outside the Manchester United box. Neto found him and for a moment Stamford Bridge held their breath as James turned on his axis & pivoted, completely deceiving the Man United defense as he subsequently clipped a ball into the box. Arriving at the end of the delightful cross by James marauding in from left-back was Marc Cucurella. The Spaniard, as he has done so often for Chelsea this season, popped up at the right place and at the right time to head home, heading cleanly through the line of the ball as it hit the back of the net.

This was Cucurella’s fifth goal in the Premier League this season. No defender has scored more goals in the Premier League, as Cucurella went level with Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol who also has five goals this season. In truth, Cucurella was a menace all game. The way he hustles, and harries opponents mixing aggression with industry, he’s one of those nagging and annoying players but a player who you’d want on . . .