1 week ago
9 
Casemiro has scored four Premier League goals this season and set United on their way with the openerManchester United booked their Champions League place with a game to spare thanks to a comfortable win over a dismal Chelsea side at Old Trafford.
Casemiro headed the hosts in front, with Anthony Martial sweeping in Jadon Sancho's pass from close range to double their advantage.
Bruno Fernandes added United's third from the penalty spot after being fouled by Wesley Fofana.
And another Fofana error saw Marcus Rashford score a fourth before Joao Felix's late consolation for the Blues, who suffered their eighth defeat in 10 games under Frank Lampard and their 16th overall in a desperate campaign.
The result meant United consigned old rivals Liverpool to Europa League football next season.
It was not all good news for the home side though as Brazilian winger Antony was taken off on a stretcher in tears after suffering a lower leg injury in an innocuous challenge with Trevoh Chalobah - with the FA Cup final against Manchester City less than two weeks away.
For Chelsea, their sorry season - their worst in almost two decades - cannot come to an end quickly enough, although their fans have at least retained their sense of humour as they sang "we've scored a goal" as they celebrated Felix's effort.
Follow live text commentary of Manchester United v ChelseaGo straight to all the best Manchester United contentVisit our Chelsea pageEasy night but work ahead for United
United manager Erik ten Hag made it clear in his programme notes that he wanted the Champions League place made secure immediately rather than let the situation drag on to create a tense finale against Fulham at the weekend.
It never looked likely they would fail to get the point they needed once Casemiro had been allowed to meet Christian Eriksen's free-kick unchallenged in a crowded penalty area to give the hosts a sixth-minute lead.
The Brazilian midfielder was the key component of a glorious second for the hosts, when he played a chipped, no-look pass beyond the Chelsea defence that allowed Sancho to present Martial with a tap-in.
Fernandes took the spot-kick himself after he had been fouled in the box 17 minutes from time, having also hit the bar and had another penalty claim turned down.
Nothing encapsulated the hapless nature of Chelsea's season more than United's fourth as somehow, in taking their own goal kick, the visitors presented the ball to Fernandes, who squared for Rashford to finish at the second attempt after Kepa Arrizabalaga had kept out his initial effort.
At that point, United were heading for their biggest win of the season and Chelsea their worst defeat.
Felix's effort changed that but the hosts were still the better team.
With the EFL Cup already won this has arguably been a successful season at Old Trafford no matter what the outcome of the FA Cup final.
However, given the knowledge that defeat to Manchester City at Wembley would leave their rivals two-thirds of the way towards winning a Treble only United have previously achieved, there is still a lot of work ahead of Ten Hag's side before the end of the season.
More to follow.
Player of the match
CasemiroCasemiro
with an average of 8.61
Manchester United
Squad number18Player nameCasemiro
Squad number10Player nameRashford
Squad number2Player nameLindelöf
Squad number29Player nameWan-Bissaka
Squad number19Player nameVarane
Squad number49Player nameGarnacho
Squad number8Player nameBruno Fernandes
Squad number14Player nameEriksen
Squad number1Player namede Gea
Squad number25Player nameSancho
Squad number23Player nameShaw
Squad number12Player nameMalacia
Squad number17Player nameFred
Squad number9Player nameMartial
Squad number39Player nameMcTominay
Squad number21Player nameAntony
Chelsea
Squad number11Player nameJoão Félix
Squad number67Player nameHall
Squad number1Player nameArrizabalaga
Squad number5Player nameFernández
Squad number23Player nameGallagher
Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta
Squad number31Player nameMadueke
Squad number30Player nameChukwuemeka
Squad number12Player nameLoftus-Cheek
Squad number14Player nameChalobah
Squad number22Player nameZiyech
Squad number10Player namePulisic
Squad number29Player nameHavertz
Squad number27Player nameFofana
Squad number15Player nameMudryk
Squad number33Player nameFofana
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
1de Gea29Wan-Bissaka19Varane2Lindelöf23ShawSubstituted forMalaciaat 45'minutesBooked at 75mins18Casemiro14EriksenSubstituted forFredat 70'minutes21AntonySubstituted forRashfordat 29'minutes8Bruno FernandesSubstituted forMcTominayat 86'minutes25Sancho9MartialSubstituted forGarnachoat 70'minutesSubstitutes
5Maguire10Rashford12Malacia17Fred20Dalot27Weghorst31Butland39McTominay49GarnachoChelsea
Formation 4-3-3
1Arrizabalaga28Azpilicueta33Fofana14Chalobah67Hall30ChukwuemekaSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 82'minutes5FernándezBooked at 75mins23GallagherSubstituted forFofanaat 82'minutes31MaduekeSubstituted forZiyechat 82'minutes29HavertzSubstituted forJoão Félixat 64'minutes15MudrykSubstituted forPulisicat 64'minutesSubstitutes
6Thiago Silva10Pulisic11João Félix12Loftus-Cheek16Mendy22Ziyech26Koulibaly27Fofana58GilchristReferee:Stuart Attwell
Attendance:73,561
Live Text
Match ends, Manchester United 4, Chelsea 1.
Second Half ends, Manchester United 4, Chelsea 1.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Attempt blocked. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Fred.
Attempt saved. Scott McTominay (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.
Attempt blocked. Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) right footed shot from long range on the left is blocked.
Attempt saved. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Scott McTominay.
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Attempt saved. Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.
Goal! Manchester United 4, Chelsea 1. João Félix (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech following a fast break.
Substitution, Manchester United. Scott McTominay replaces Bruno Fernandes.
Attempt blocked. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by David Datro Fofana.
Attempt blocked. Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.
Substitution, Chelsea. Hakim Ziyech replaces Noni Madueke.
Substitution, Chelsea. Ruben Loftus-Cheek replaces Carney Chukwuemeka.
Substitution, Chelsea. David Datro Fofana replaces Conor Gallagher.
Foul by Christian Pulisic (Chelsea).
David de Gea (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal! Manchester United 4, Chelsea 0. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner.
Attempt saved. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Bruno Fernandes.
