Chelsea got their first point away from home against a fellow top-six side this season as Marcos Alonso’s goal – aided by another howler from Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea – kept the Blues in control of their fate in the Premier League‘s top-four race.
In a game high on tension but lacking in quality, Alonso cancelled out former Chelsea star Juan Mata’s opener to give Maurizio Sarri’s side a two-point lead over fifth-place Arsenal.
Here’s a look at how the players rated.
STARTING XI
Kepa Arizzabalaga 6 – An error by his opposite number made Arrizabalaga look good by comparison, though United didn’t test him enough apart from the goal.
Cesar Azpilicueta 6 – Made a shaky start as United targeted his flank, but grew into the game and looked imperious by the end.
Antonio Rudiger 6 – It was his speculative shot that led to Chelsea’s equaliser. A solid game cut short by another knee injury.
David Luiz 6 – His passing lacked the usual flair and precision, but defensively Luiz put in a composed performance.
Marcos Alonso 7 – Struggled at times defensively but got the all-important equaliser, showing the presence to follow in Rudiger’s shot.
N’Golo Kante 8 – In a stop-start, combative game, Kante was the presence of calm, breaking up attacks with trademark vision and aplomb.
Jorginho 5 – There was no incisiveness to his passing – a familiar complaint for the Italian.
Mateo Kovacic 6 – Got himself in trouble with a daft yellow card for dissent, and walked a tightrope in a game where he’d acquitted himself well.
Willian 6 – Like Hazard, struggled to link up with Higuain, though that was more the striker’s fault. No Chelsea player created more chances.
Gonzalo Higuain 4 – Cut a forlorn figure up front. Rarely got on the same wavelength as Hazard, too easily marshalled by United’s defenders, and caught offside too often.
Eden Hazard 5 – A few cute dribbles but rarely had any impact on the game – which will bring back talk of his big-game performances.
SUBSTITUTES
Andreas Christensen 6 – Thrown in after Rudiger’s injury and adapted to the game quickly, though in fairness United were toothless and gave him little to deal with.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek 5 – Brought on because of his goal threat but rarely showed it, and played one sloppy pass that should have been punished.
Pedro 7 – Made a crucial intervention, though not the one he would have expected, producing a goal-line clearance from Marcos Rojo’s late header.
