Report: Chelsea 1 Manchester United 0

Head coach Ruben Amorim named virtually a full-strength side, despite the Europa League final looming large on the horizon, making five changes to the XI beaten by West Ham United last time out.

It looked like Harry Maguire had given us a first-half lead, only for VAR to intervene, and Chelsea thought they'd won a penalty just past the hour mark, only for another intervention from Stockley Park to confirm that Andre Onana touched the ball and not Tyrique George when making his challenge.

Marc Cucurella's simple header then settled a tight encounter, to boost the Blues' hopes of reaching the Champions League, and leave United winless in eight domestic fixtures before our crucial date on Wednesday, in Bilbao against Tottenham Hotspur.

FIRST HALF - LEVEL AT THE BREAK

The opening chance fell to the hosts, as Moises Caicedo burst forward, leaving three Reds trailing in his wake, and Cole Palmer's fine far-post pass carved out a clear opportunity for Noni Madueke. The England international could only fire it over, off his shin, and there were suspicions he may have been just offside in any case.

The next noteworthy effort came from United - and it found the net. A progressive pass by Luke Shaw was at the heart of a move that led to Bruno Fernandes crossing for Maguire to apply an expert first-time finish past Robert Sanchez. The celebrations were, ultimately, misplaced though, as a VAR review detected he was marginally ahead of Tosin Adarabioyo when the ball was released, and the concern about an offside was justified.

Mason Mount, jeered by the fans who used to idolise him, could not divert a Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu cross near the goal and the openings dried up for Amorim's men, after a bright start.

Chelsea skipper Reece James produced a 24th-minute strike of outrageous quality, from the edge of the box, that flew past Onana but clipped the post, to our relief.

Rasmus Hojlund rightly survived a handball shout when Enzo Fernandez belted a shot straight at him but there was another scare when Madueke fed Palmer, and his deflected attempt could only be palmed down by a diving Onana to Fernandez. The Argentina midfielder contrived to miss the rebound but his blushes were spared when, once again, he was ruled offside.

SECOND HALF - CUCURELLA DECIDES IT

The Reds looked more of a threat again after the restart and created a decent opportunity, seven minutes in. Mount worked the ball out to Amad, and although being grounded, got up to gallop forward to receive the return pass from the Ivorian, only to screw his shot wide from a promising position.

A few minutes later, Mount and Amad instigated another break, with the latter nudging the ball into Fernandes's path but the skipper went for goal when, in hindsight, a cross to an unmarked Casemiro at the far post would have been the better option, as the attempt sailed off target.

There was a major talking point on 61 minutes, as George tumbled under Onana's challenge. Referee Chris Kavanagh instantly pointed to the spot but, this time, the VAR intervention favoured United, as replays showed our keeper clearly touching the ball with his hand, and not the Blues youngster, who was making his first Premier League start.

At the other end, Kavanagh then cautioned Amad for simulation, after he went over inside the area, when trying to drive through.

The blow rocked United and Madueke should have put the game out of reach soon afterwards, racing onto a Palmer through ball and, with the goal gaping, failing to provide a composed finish and missing the target. Neto then had a shot comfortably saved by Onana as the west Londoners looked to seal the points.

Back came the Reds, with Maguire doing well to feed Amad, who cut inside to unload a shot that forced a stop at his near post out of an alert Sanchez.

Despite nearly nine minutes of stoppage time, that 79th-minute effort proved to be the final time we came close to taking something from the game, with our cause not helped by a pitch invader towards the end, as the focus switches quickly to the trip to the Basque Country.

MATCH DETAILS

Chelsea: Sanchez; James (c), Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Neto (Gusto 91); George (Lavia 81).

Substitutes: Bettinelli, Jorgensen, Acheampong, Anselmino, Badiashile, Chalobah, Dewsbury-Hall.

Scorer: Cucurella 71.

Booked: Palmer.

United: Onana; Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw (Heaven 81); Mazraoui, Casemiro (Ugarte 70), Fernandes (c) (Mainoo 81), Dorgu; Amad, Mount (Garnacho 70); Hojlund.

Substitutes: Bayindir, Amass, Fredricson, Collyer, Eriksen.

Booked: Fernandes, Casemiro, Mazraoui, Amad, Ugarte, Heaven.