| By Sam Fox,
on 21-09-2008 21:29
|
Views : 472 |
Favoured : 34 |
 After a brilliant start made better by a 1-0 lead United all but gave in to Chelsea's demands and sat back waiting for wave after wave of attack. In the end Kalou snatched a point for Chelsea from Mikel's free kick in the 79th minute. A point which doesn't really help United in circumstances as they wallow in 14th, 7 points behind leaders Arsenal albeit with a game in hand.
Salomon Kalou's late equaliser preserved Chelsea's long unbeaten
home league record and earned a deserved point against Manchester
United.
Ji-Sung Park put United ahead in the 18th minute after Chelsea keeper Petr Cech fumbled Dimitar Berbatov's shot.
United lost keeper Edwin van der Sar to injury in the first half and Chelsea took control of a disjointed game.
Joe Cole and Nicolas Anelka wasted great chances before substitute Kalou headed in with ten minutes left.
It stretched Chelsea's unbeaten sequence in the Premier League at
Stamford Bridge to 85 games, but Sir Alex Ferguson will be frustrated
that his side failed to build on a perfect start and lost their way as
the game went on.
Chelsea will be delighted and relieved with a point - but they should have claimed all three after dominating the second half.
United opted to keep Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench, where he
was joined by Carlos Tevez as Berbatov and Wayne Rooney were paired up
front.
Chelsea were forced into a reshuffle of their own when Deco
injured a thigh in the warm-up, although they were hardly weakened by
the subsequent inclusion of Michael Ballack.
United opened with real purpose, Darren Fletcher scrambling a
finish wide and Rooney hooking just off target after a poor clearance
from Chelsea keeper Cech.
Chelsea had a chance of their own in the eighth when Joe Cole ran clear after appearing to use his hand, only to shoot wide.
Luiz Felipe Scolari's side suffered a serious blow three minutes
later when defender Ricardo Carvalho departed with a knee injury, with
Alex coming on as substitute.
United's ambition was rewarded with a deserved opener after 18
minutes, when Park pounced from close range after Cech could only parry
Berbatov's shot.
Van der Sar had been having a mixed afternoon, his mood not
helped by a knee injury sustained in an accidental clash with Florent
Malouda.
And it was no surprise when he limped off and was replaced by Tomasz Kuszczak after 31 minutes following another fumble.
Kuszczak was quickly in action to block a long-range effort from
Alex, but the game was degenerating into a scrappy affair littered with
stoppages.
Chelsea made another change at the interval, sending on Didier
Drogba for Malouda, while United waited until nine minutes after
half-time before sending on Ronaldo for Paul Scholes.
Joe Cole wasted another great opportunity after 65 minutes,
shooting straight at Kuszczak after being released by Ballack's superb
pass.
And Anelka was guilty of a shocking miss seven minutes later
when he was set up by Joe Cole, but he failed to even apply a touch
only three yards out with the goal at his mercy.
But Chelsea were building up a head of steam and it was no surprise when they drew level with 10 minutes left.
Rooney was booked for a crude lunge at Ashley Cole, and the
punishment was doubled when Kalou headed Jon Mikel Obi's free-kick
beyond a static Kuszczak.
And it took a desperate block from Gary Neville seconds later
to deny Kalou, bravely deflecting his shot over the top as United hung
on for a point.
bbc.co.uk
Last update : 21-09-2008 21:29
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