A makeshift Manchester United defence did not even have to resort to hair pulls to keep out a goalshy Chelsea. The unfamiliar pairing of Ayden Heaven and Noussair Mazraoui grew into a tepid game after a shaky start, making the full-time boos inevitable. Stamford Bridge was an unhappy place again, the unrest in the stands growing as a fourth consecutive defeat in the Premier League approached, and the only time the home fans stopped pining for the old Chelsea was when Mason Mount came on to help United protect their 1-0 lead.
Think back to Porto in May 2021. Back then, long before anyone in west London had heard of BlueCo, it was Mount who created the winner when Chelsea became kings of Europe for the second time. Five years on, though, this is a club that cannot even be sure that they will be in the Champions League next season.
The drop in standards is stark. Chelsea did not do enough to press at United’s defensive issues and, at this rate, are at risk of being dragged into a fight for Conference League qualification. They are four points below fifth-placed Liverpool before the Merseyside derby but when Liam Rosenior looks over his shoulder he will be alarmed by a host of mid-table teams closing in on Chelsea.
