Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United: Jose Mourinho endures miserable return to Stamford Bridge as Pedro, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante net for Antonio Conte's side
- Jose Mourinho endured a miserable return to Stamford Bridge as Manchester United lost 4-0
- Pedro opened the scoring for Chelsea after just 31 seconds when he rounded David de Gea
- Gary Cahill scored Chelsea's second in the 21st minute as he made no mistake from close range
- United went into meltdown as Eden Hazard scored a third just after the hour mark
- N'Golo Kante added a fourth to cap a stunning Premier League victory for the Blues
The really painful news for Jose Mourinho and Manchester United is that their opponents didn't have to be that good to embarrass them.
Antonio Conte's team are improving and showing some of the ruthless, clinical football that once characterised Chelsea under the bloke sitting in the away dug-out on Sunday.
But Chelsea will play better than this and win by less. That is why this is not necessarily their story. No, this was an afternoon that told us more about Mourinho and United and two images of this desperately humbling day summed it all up.
Chelsea players celebrate a stunning victory against Jose Mourinho's Manchester United in the Premier League
Pedro celebrate as he opens the scoring for Chelsea after just 31 seconds at Stamford Bridge on Sunday
Pedro makes no mistake as he rounds David de Gea to give the hosts the early lead against Manchester United
Gary Cahill doubles Chelsea's lead in the 21st minute as he puts the ball in the back of the net from close range
Cahill (left) is congratulated by team-mate Diego Costa as Chelsea fans celebrate a two-goal lead against United
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte goes wild and jumps in the air in celebration with his coaching staff after the fourth goal
United boss Jose Mourinho has words with his Chelsea counterpart Conte after the final whistle is blown
Chelsea players celebrate in the dressing room after the match in this photo posted on Instagram by Diego Costa
Michy Batshuayi (centre) posted this photo of the celebrations with Cesar Azpilicueta (left) and David Luiz
PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE
CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois 6.5; Azpilicueta 6.5, Luiz 6.5, Cahill (c) 7.5; Moses 6.5, Kante 7.5, Matic 7, Alonso 6.5; Pedro 7 (Chalobah 71, 6), Costa 7 (Batshuayi 78), Hazard 8.5 (Willian 77)
Unused subs: Begovic (GK); Aina, Terry, Oscar
Goals: Pedro 1; Cahill 21; Hazard 62; Kante 70
Booked: Luiz, Pedro, Alonso
Manager: Antonio Conte 8.5
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea 5; Valencia 6, Bailly 5.5 (Rojo 52, 5.5), Smalling (c) 5, Blind 5; Herrera 5.5, Fellaini 5 (Mata 46, 5); Rashford 5.5, Pogba 4, Lingard 5.5 (Martial 65, 5); Ibrahimovic 5
Unused subs: Romero (GK); Darmian, Carrick, Young
Booked: Bailly, Pogba
Manager: Jose Mourinho 4
Attendance: 41,424
Referee – Martin Atkinson 5
Man-of-the-Match – Eden Hazard
Ratings by ADAM SHERGOLD
This is how Eden Hazard made it 3-0 - CLICK HERE for more stats from our Match Zone
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The first came after N'Golo Kante had left Chris Smalling on the seat of his pants to score Chelsea's fourth.
On the touchline, as Conte bounded around like a schoolboy on the last day of term, Mourinho looked as though he was about to make one of those 'chin up' gestures he made famous during his time at Stamford Bridge. It turned out he was merely wiping water from his mouth. It was just as well. It was far too late for defiant gestures that his players could not match.
Then, at full time, Mourinho pulled Conte close to deliver a lecture. It did not look pleasant, it looked desperate. At last some emotional energy from somebody associated with United, but, as had been the case with their defending, it all seemed rather too little and too late.
With the score at 4-0, the shots on target stats had actually stood at 4-4. That told us a few things. It told us that Chelsea had notswarmed all over United like bees, peppering shots towards David de Gea's goal.
It just told us that they had been far too good in the one area that really mattered and strengthened the theory that this United team are not equipped to survive when dragged into a bout of punch and counter-punch.
Eden Hazard shoots and scores to make it 3-0 and assure victory against Manchester United on Sunday
Hazard jumps for joy after putting Chelsea 3-0 ahead against United just after the hour mark
N'Golo Kante makes it four as Chelsea run riot against United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon
United players show their dejection after conceding another goal on a rough afternoon at Stamford Bridge
Deep down, Mourinho knows this too. That is why he sent his team out to play in the same manner as they did in drawing creditably at Liverpool a week ago. The Portuguese has always been a pragmatist but the limitations of this current team are drawing him deeper and deeper into his shell.
At United, they say Mourinho seems subdued. Not just in public, but in private. The charismatic, confident coach they hired has arrived in body only.
They say they are working with Mourinho-lite and his team are threatening to reflect that. If a manager does not believe, how can his players?
On Sunday, Mourinho's return to the place where we first felt we knew him began quietly — a quick hug for John Terry and one for a groundsman — and in terms of his team's football it continued in that vein.
Chelsea would have been mugs had they not taken advantage and once their Spanish forward Pedro gave them the lead within 30 seconds, the water was only flowing one way.
United took some stick for their performance at Anfield. That was wrong as they got a point.
Here, the plan was almost identical — in terms of personnel and formation — but it was blown apart before a red shirt had even sniffed the ball, and when that happens the criticism that comes your way will bury you. Mourinho described the opening minute of the game as 'an incredible mistake and I mean incredible in capitals'.
He was right, too. A diagonal hoof upfield from Chelsea left back Marcos Alonso saw Smalling and Daley Blind hesitate and as De Gea advanced injudiciously from his penalty area, Pedro was able to ease past the United goalkeeper and roll the ball into the empty net.
It was the former Barcelona forward's first shot on target all season. Somehow that seemed appropriate in terms of what followed. At times, it looked easier to score than not against a United defence Gary Neville described on television as 'garbage'.
Conte turns around to celebrate as the Chelsea fans celebrate another goal against Manchester United
Chelsea's David Luiz (right) and United's Marouane Fellaini clash during the match
Chelsea defender Cahill (right) stops Eric Bailly in his tracks with a tackle
Chelsea's Diego Costa (left) is challenged by Chris Smalling as Juan Mata looks on
There was one moment in the first half that could have changed the direction of the game. David Luiz should have been sent off for a studs-up challenge on Marouane Fellaini and it was strange that referee Martin Atkinson didn't do more than show the Brazilian a yellow card.
That apart, the story was one of periods of United possession undermined by a complete lack of control whenever they didn't have the ball.
The second goal was a poor one to concede, too, as Gary Cahill crashed home from a corner after Ander Herrera failed to control in the 21st minute. At the other end, Thibaut Courtois saved from Herrera and from Jesse Lingard.
United's threat was not invisible but at times in football some things just seem inevitable, and so it was here. Mourinho made changes at half-time as Juan Mata replaced Fellaini, Marcus Rashford was released to play up front with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and United moved to something akin to 4-1-3-2.
Again United enjoyed some territory but the back door was open for a Chelsea team playing swift attacking football with which their opponents' forwards are currently not familiar.
Hazard warned United once as his scamper and shot rebounded from a defender's leg before, in the 61st minute, he ran off Mata's shoulder on to a pass from Nemanja Matic, stood up Smalling and curled the ball round him into the far corner with his right instep. It was a sumptuous finish but the devil was in the detail. Once Mata didn't track Hazard, the odds were with the Belgian.
Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic (left) looks on as the visitors suffer a thrashing by Chelsea
Bailly (centre) is checked upon by his United and Chelsea players after suffering an injury during the match
Cahill and Bailly become entangled in the Chelsea box as Manchester United try to get back into the match
John Terry (centre left) shares a moment with Mourinho as the Portuguese manager returns to Stamford Bridge
United collapsed in a heap again 10 minutes later when Kante fooled Smalling on the way to scoring his first Chelsea goal and the fourth of his team's stellar day.
Mourinho's subsequent chastising of Conte was unnecessary and summed up his day. Mourinho now heads into a Manchester derby on Wednesday with his team's season at a critical point already. For all their limitations, United are only six points off the top of the Premier League.
Currently, though, Mourinho has issues to solve relating to Luke Shaw and Henrikh Mkhitaryan — who he refuses to select — and Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba, from whom he is getting nothing at all.
United managers should always look up and not down, but Mourinho will know how close the likes of Watford, Southampton and Bournemouth are in his team's rear view mirror.
Improvement must arrive very quickly indeed if this battering at the Bridge is to stand out as his season's low point by the start of winter.
Mourino (left) and Conte were happy to see each other before the big match got under way on Sunday afternoon
Mourinho endured a miserable return to his old club Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon
A banner is displayed in the stands at Stamford Bridge in tribute to Chelsea's former vice-chairman Matthew Harding
He now heads in to a Manchester derby against City on Wednesday with his team's season at a critical point already.
For all their limitations, United are only six points off the top of the Premier League. Currently, though, Mourinho has issues to solve relating to Luke Shaw and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – who he refuses to select – and Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba, from whom he is currently getting nothing at all.
United managers should always look up and not down but Mourinho will know how close the likes of Watford, Southampton and Bournemouth are in his team's rear view mirror. Improvement must arrive very quickly indeed if this Battering at the Bridge is to stand out as his season's low point by the start of winter.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3864700/Chelsea-4-0-Manchester-United-Jose-Mourinho-endures-miserable-return-Stamford-Bridge-Pedro-Gary-Cahill-Eden-Hazard-N-Golo-Kante-net-Antonio-Conte-s-side.html#ixzz4NyM69LkI
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