Chelsea faced some early pressure from Manchester United but could have taken the lead with sharper finishing and better decision-making. Palmer had a shot blocked from inside the box, and Madueke struck the post following a corner from Palmer.
As the match progressed, it turned into a back-and-forth encounter, though much of the action unfolded between the boxes, with neither team posing a significant threat in the final third. Garnacho had a counter-attack opportunity but directed his shot straight at goalkeeper Sánchez, while Chelsea displayed some nice passing sequences but lacked their usual fluidity.
Rashford managed to even the count on the woodwork just before halftime, capitalizing on a lapse in Chelsea’s defense to sneak in at the far post.
The second half saw a substitution that fans had been clamoring for on social media, as Cucurella replaced Gusto. However, Chelsea’s overall performance did not significantly improve, nor did United’s, leading to a stalemate until Robert Sánchez fouled Højlund in the box, despite the United player not posing a significant threat. Bruno Fernandes converted the penalty, making it count this time.
United’s lead lasted only a few minutes, as Caicedo equalized for Chelsea with a stunning first-time strike after a corner from Palmer was only partially cleared. Enzo then had a brilliant opportunity to score again but shot over the bar after receiving a layoff from Jackson.
The final 15 minutes of the match were frantic, with both teams pushing for a winner, but in the end, neither side could find the back of the net.
