Chelsea v. Man Utd: Five Things  (Sky Sports)

Chelsea took another huge step towards winning the Premier League title with their 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. We pick out five talking points from the game…

Eden Hazard took the plaudits for his winning goal late in the first half and this was another game that showcased his ability to make the difference.

For United, there was encouragement for Louis van Gaal in the way his team dominated the ball and in the performance of Luke Shaw, although Radamel Falcao once again failed to seize his chance.

But perhaps most of all this was a match that provided further evidence of Jose Mourinho’s knack of finding a way to win the biggest games…

Mourinho finds a way to win

Jamie Carragher knew what was coming. “Jose Mourinho very rarely gets done tactically in a big game,” the Sky Sports pundit had told Monday Night Football. “His record is fantastic. He won’t just go in with his normal setup. He’ll do something different, I’m convinced of it. He’ll set up to stop them.”

The selection of Kurt Zouma in midfield was indicative of the containment job that Mourinho was looking for from his team against an in-form Manchester United side, a point illustrated by the sight of the Chelsea boss pointing manically towards the unmarked Marouane Fellaini at one stage during the second half. It wasn’t always pretty but it was pretty effective.

During the second half, in particular, with Eden Hazard having given them a first-half lead, Chelsea showed little appetite for possession. Mourinho’s men had just 28.8 per cent of the ball after the break but seldom can a team have seen so little of it and looked so comfortable. This was control without controlling possession.

“They’re just waiting for them knowing full well that any passes backwards or square and they will be in,” said Gary Neville on co-commentary for Sky Sports. “If you were writing the Chelsea script for this game, this is pretty much what you’d have written. “They haven’t always been the best football team today. But they’re difficult to beat.”

That’s certainly proving to be the case. With a trip to Arsenal still to come, Chelsea are unbeaten against fellow members of the top four for a second successive season. That coincides with Mourinho’s return but, of course, it’s no coincidence. The last time Chelsea were unbeaten against top-four teams prior to last season? Mourinho’s first with the club in 2004/05.

United continue to take shape

While there was a sense that Mourinho was relaxed about playing the reactive role, that shouldn’t take too much away from the improvement in Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United. Right from the start they imposed themselves, playing with confidence and verve. Indeed, United enjoyed 63 per cent of the ball in the opening 15 minutes.

"United are pulling them everywhere,” said Neville during those early stages and the dominance of the ball in attacking areas was perhaps best demonstrated by the passing statistics in the opposition half. Cesc Fabregas completed 15 such passes, the most by a Chelsea player, but every single outfield starter in a red shirt managed more.

“We were the dominant team,” said Van Gaal afterwards and the United boss will surely be particularly encouraged that he could achieve that having had to make four changes from the team that had beaten Manchester City last week. “I think he’ll be pleased with aspects of the game in terms of the journey that he’s on at Manchester United,” said Neville.

Shaw impresses on return

Luke Shaw one of the players to come back into the team, playing at left-back in place of the injured Daley Blind. Shaw had been withdrawn at half-time in his previous outing against Arsenal so needed a positive showing and that’s exactly what he produced at Stamford Bridge, impressing throughout with a series of purposeful runs at the Chelsea defence.

With Oscar playing a tucked-in role and Marouane Fellaini occupying defenders, the space was there for Shaw but he seized it in fine style by creating three chances for his team-mates – Chelsea only managed four as a team. “He’s been the best attacker in the second half,” said Neville. “It’s outstanding on his return.”

One threaded pass through to Radamel Falcao might have brought the equaliser but the striker’s shot cannoned off the outside of the post and while Shaw was substituted late on, it was not before Mourinho had been forced to reshape his team in order to combat the 19-year-old’s efforts. “Ramires is now on the right side and it’s because of Luke Shaw’s prominence,” said Neville. It was a compliment to Shaw and reflected his performance.

Frustration for Falcao

Unfortunately for Falcao, the Colombian’s return to the starting line-up was rather less successful. His inclusion had necessitated a shift in position for Wayne Rooney – “when you’re versatile you’re going to pay the price sometimes,” said Thierry Henry beforehand – and the incoming forward couldn’t quite justify taking the England captain away from the danger zone.

Falcao was certainly willing, his 60 high-intensity runs were more than anyone else on the pitch, but it was another frustrating evening for him. One crisply hit shot was blocked at point-blank range by Gary Cahill, while Thibaut Courtois was able to scoop the ball away from him when he looked set to apply the finishing touch to a fine United move.

But when the best chance came, it was powerfully hit just wide of the target from a tight angle so that’s now four goals in 25 appearances for United with no goals in his last nine. He even suffered the blow of the only goal coming from his error as he was dispossessed by John Terry. “It all came from that,” said Neville. “He gets robbed on the halfway line. He’s got to be stronger there Falcao.”

How many more chances he will get to impress remains to be seen.

Hazard is the hero again

One man who did make a difference was Hazard, the player surely set for all the individual prizes going as we enter awards season. “The biggest players grab the biggest matches,” said Neville and that’s precisely what Hazard was able to do in scoring the game’s only goal.

This was not a game where he could torment the opponents throughout. In fact, according to Opta, this was only Hazard’s third Premier League appearance this season in which he has failed to create an opportunity for a team-mate. On Saturday, he has to wait for his moment and then seize it.

The chance came when Oscar backheeled it into his path and when up against fellow PFA Player of the Year nominee David de Gea, Hazard proceeded to pass the ball left-footed through the goalkeeper’s legs. Typical Hazard. “The real quality in attacking areas has come from him,” said Neville. “It’s been a game where it’s been tough to get chances but he has been the difference.” He’s been the difference all season.