One moment of quality was all it took for Chelsea to knock off Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. While the result had little effect on United’s Premier League standing, it was an important tune-up ahead of the Europa League Final against Tottenham.
Match Flow
Manchester United started brightly and were inches away from a lead inside the first 20 minutes of the match. A brilliant finish from Harry Maguire off a Bruno Fernandes cross was deemed offside by a knee, keeping the match scoreless.
Chelsea grew into the match after the early positivity from United. Reece James struck the post on a volley, and Andre Onana was forced into a good save on a deflected shot from Cole Palmer. While Chelsea dominated the shots, the deflected effort was the only one on-target, and Maguire’s defense held strong.
Neither side got going early in the second half. Poor combinations and midfield turnovers plagued both sides until a quick passage of play by Chelsea broke the deadlock.
The Blues finally got the lead they needed in the 71st minute. A smart turn from Reece James created the space he needed to cross, and the English defender found Marc Cucurella, who headed past Onana for a 1-0 home lead.
After the Chelsea goal, Amorim’s side did little to threaten Sanchez’s goal, and United lost for the 18th time in the Premier League.
Next Match
It’s all or nothing for Manchester United in the next match, as the Reds head back to Bilbao to face Tottenham in the Europa League Final. The final is the only chance for United to earn a spot in Europe next season, and is an opportunity for Ruben Amorim to win his first silverware in charge of the club.
United Beyond Manchester 
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