Ander Herrera scored one and set up another to help Manchester United to a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
The Spaniard sent Marcus Rashford away to score an early opener, albeit after handling the ball to win it back in midfield directly beforehand.
After a dominant first-half display from United, they began the second 45 in style by adding to their tally through a belter from Herrera, earning a first win over the Blues in 13 attempts.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford. Another fantastic home performance for Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon has helped reduce the deficit at the top of the table to just four points, putting a little added pressure on the visitors to pick up a positive result at the Theatre of Dreams this afternoon.
There is a different kind of pressure on United, meanwhile, who are desperately clinging on to hopes of finishing in the top four. Arguably bigger than all that, however, is the latest tussle between a certain Jose Mourinho and his ex employers. The Special One enjoyed plenty of memorable moments in his five years at Chelsea across two separate spells, namely winning the title three times, but his relationship with those supporters he once pleased has since deteriorated.
TEAM NEWS!
MANCHESTER UNITED XI: De Gea; Valencia, Bailly, Rojo, Darmian; Fellaini, Herrera, Young, Pogba, Lingard; Rashford
CHELSEA XI: Begovic; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Pedro, Costa, Hazard
Some big team news as far as both teams are concerned, but we will begin by taking a look at the home side which shows four changes from last time out. The headline news is that top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic is dropped to the bench, presumably to keep him fit in this tough run of fixtures for the Red Devils. The former Paris Saint-Germain ace has never complained about too many minutes in the past, however, so there may be a little more to it than meets the eye.
Mourinho's decision to overlook Ibrahimovic comes just a few days after criticising his attacking players for their inability to kill teams off in recent weeks, although it is also worth pointing out that United have six games in the next 17 days. Ibrahimovic, who has been directly involved in 18 goals in his last 17 Premier League appearances, is not directly replaced by another striker so some tinkering is expected for the hosts.
Sergio Romero, as expected, also drops out to be replaced by fit-again keeper David de Gea, while Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera and Ashley Young are the other three players to come into the side. Joining Ibrahimovic in dropping out of the XI are Michael Carrick Henrikh Mkhitaryan and the aforementioned Romero, as Mourinho makes four alterations from the side that drew 1-1 in Brussels on Thursday night. Young, who has been absent with an ankle complaint, takes over the captaincy duties.
As far as the visitors are concerned, they are are also without the services of one of their key men this afternoon. Unlike Mourinho's decision to drop Ibrahimovic to the bench, though, opposite number Antonio Conte has had his hand forced due to Thibaut Courtois pulling out of the squad with an ankle injury. Asmir Begovic comes in for just his seventh start of the season and his first in the top flight.
The loss of Courtois is a blow, of course, but Begovic is a more-than-capable deputy and boasts more quality than many of the stoppers to have kept United out previously this season. That is the only change made by Conte from last weekend's fairly comfortable 3-1 win over Bournemouth, meaning that Nemanja Matic is again preferred to Cesc Fabregas in the deep defensive midfield role alongside PFA Player of the Year nominee N'Golo Kante.
Diego Costa is one goal short of a landmark 50 in the Premier League for Chelsea, as has been the case for the past four games in this recent scoreless run. The Spain international, along with Eden Hazard and Fabregas, reportedly played a big part in forcing Mourinho out of Stamford Bridge in December 2015, but he did reveal earlier this week that it was only because of the Special One that he joined the club in the first place. All eyes on those three aforementioned players over the next couple of hours.
The big news from Old Trafford prior to kickoff is that Zlatan Ibrahimovic, without a goal in four meetings with Antonio Conte-managed sides, is left out of Manchester United's starting lineup. Home boss Jose Mourinho makes four changes from last time out, instead presumably going with Marcus Rashford through the middle and two attackers alongside him in a 4-3-3. Chelsea make just the one enforced change, meanwhile, with Asmir Begovic coming in for the injured Thibaut Courtois in goal.
BENCH WATCH!
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Romero, Blind, Fosu-Mensah, Shaw, Carrick, Mkhitaryan, Ibrahimovic
CHELSEA SUBS: Eduardo, Zouma, Terry, Loftus-Cheek, Fabregas, Willian, Batshuayi
United boss Mourinho has just been explaining his decision to leave out Ibrahimovic, stating that it is down to fitness reasons. "He's tired - very tired," he told Sky Sports News. "I'll try to protect him but let's see the result. He's on the bench and ready to help." As well as having Ibra on the bench, Mkhitaryan and Carrick also drop down. The visitors can call upon Fabregas, Willian and Michy Batshuayi should they wish, as they look to end their opponents' 21-game unbeaten league run.
A big afternoon ahead for both of these sides, then, with clear targets in reach. Chelsea are going for a second title in three years, the last of which they won under Mourinho in 2014-15, while the home side will be looking to nail down Champions League via the top-four route, rather than putting all their eggs (the first and last Easter pun!) in one basket. The Red Devils are favourites to go all the way in the Europa League, thus qualifying for UEFA's showpiece competition, but they still have a big task on their hand.
It has ultimately been a season of disappointment for Mourinho as far as their league campaign is concerned, yet it could well end on a high should they go all the way in the Europa - a competition, it is worth remembering, that was much-maligned by the Portuguese back in the autumn. Two trophies and Champions League football would be a good return in the Special One's first season at Old Trafford; the flipside being just the EFL Cup and no place in that showpiece European event.
United's form in cup competitions has been impressive on the whole, even taking into account their quarter-final loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup not so long ago. They went all the way in the EFL Cup and are on course to do likewise in the Europa League - a competition that is now quite clearly their priority, as the four changes today shows - even if their 1-1 draw with Anderlecht has left them with work to do at Old Trafford next Thursday.
Mourinho may have seen his side go 21 games without tasting defeat in the Premier League but, as Ibrahimovic has eluded to in the national papers this weekend, it counts for very little in the grand scheme of things. Ten of those matches since last tasting defeat, against Chelsea in their revere meeting in October, have ended all square, meaning that they are battling for a fourth-placed finish rather than for the title - surely their target last summer when millions of pounds was spent on signings and wages.
Their stalemate in the Belgian capital a few days ago only went to highlight what we already know about this United side - they simply cannot kill off opponents consistently enough, leading to the inevitable criticism of their forward players. It is now 14 draws in all this season, six of which they have led 1-0 in. Mourinho can perhaps justifiably point to fatigue, what with this being their 25th match since Christmas, and with six matches to come in the next 17 days.
Mourinho suggested prior to the match that he would not rotate his side, knowing that a top-four finish is still very much attainable. Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City, the three teams they are realistically battling with - sorry, Everton fans - have all struggled for consistency since the turn of the year to ensure that the battle could well go down to the sire. The Reds have defeated West Brom 1-0 in the day's early kickoff, incidentally, so the Red Devils are now nine adrift of them with three games in hand.
It is looking increasingly likely that Man City, big winners at Southampton a little under 24 hours ago, are now the most at risk of being pegged back by the chasing pack. United know that they still have to face their rivals in the final run-in, and victory against Chelsea today will see the gap close back to four points with a game in hand to play - it is certainly not over just yet. Defeat today, though, and another nail is in that particular coffin.
DID YOU KNOW? Manchester United have lost only once at Old Trafford in their last 37 matches in all competitions, albeit with 12 of those ending in a draw. They are currently on a run of 21 games without defeat in the Premier League overall, which is the best in Europe's major five leagues, though again draws have blighted them as they have been held in five of their six league matches to be played here in 2017.
Mourinho, as touched upon a little earlier, won three Premier League titles across his two stints at Stamford Bridge. Much like Conte this term, the Portuguese triumphed in his maiden campaign on these shores, ending the club's long wait for league glory, but he was taunted on his latest return to West London last month. Mourinho, on the wrong end of two defeats to the Blues already this term, responded to chants by holding up three fingers, each one representing one of those past titles lifted.
While United are left battling for fourth in the top flight, Chelsea are well on their way to another title triumph. This is perhaps the one final hurdle that they have left to overcome, even if Tottenham are trying their hardest to prolong the race for glory. Time could well be the biggest factor at the top, as the Lilywhites need their rivals to slip-up a couple more times in the final five weeks of the season. On the basis of the past six months, it simply will not happen.
The Blues head into this match just the four points clear of Tottenham, meaning that they may not see a point as enough this afternoon. In all likelihood a draw against a fellow heavyweight side away from home, in your toughest remaining fixture, will be reflected on as a big positive by Conte should that be the case. Yet with Spurs in the form of their life and seemingly able to brush aside all comers, even five points may not be a healthy enough advantage.
It is fair to say that Conte is very nearly over the title-winning line, however, after responding to that recent shock defeat to Crystal Palace in the only way Chelsea know how - with a couple of wins on the spin. The Blues have picked up fewer points that Spurs since the start of 2017, but five wins from their last six is consistent enough form to see them finish as top dogs in London once again. After today's trip to Old Trafford, an away meeting with Everton is the only major obstacle left for Conte.
The charge towards a second title in three years can be easily pinpointed to the change in formation back in October, when Conte went with a 3-4-3 system following quick-fire defeats to Arsenal and Liverpool. They have looked impressive all-round since then; defensive players such as David Luiz and N'Golo Kante looking more than solid, while at the other end of the field Eden Hazard has again been superb. Whether it is Kante or Hazard who gets the nod for the PFA accolade is a tough one to call.
What you can say about Chelsea, however, is that they no longer look unbeatable. During their incredible 13-match winning run when first reverting formation, the Blues kept six clean sheets in a row and conceded just four times in all - astonishing figures. They have kept out the opposition just once in their last 11 outings in the top flight, though, which perhaps explains the dropped points to the likes of Burnley and Palace.
Conte's men have actually conceded in nine league games in a row - only twice have they previously gone longer without keeping the opposition out, both coming in the 1996 season. Speaking of the defensive aspect of the Blues' game, midfield lynchpin Kante has netted twice for the West Londoners since joining from champions Leicester City last summer, with each of those strikes coming in games against Man United either side of the New Year.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Chelsea are unbeaten in 12 matches against Manchester United overall, winning seven of those - including a 4-0 destruction in the reverse league fixture in October and the more recent 1-0 FA Cup win, both at Stamford Bridge. At Old Trafford, the Red Devils are winless in four and have scored just one goal in that time. The Blues, it seems, have very much become their bogey side.
With kickoff at the Theatre of Dreams now less than five minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Jose Mourinho: "It's not for no reason that they are top of the league. It's not just because they're fresh but they have individual quality and they have collective quality. They have a certain style of play, they stick to it, they do it very well. For me, it is just a game. One more game. No difference for me."
Antonio Conte: "I have zero problems [with Mourinho]. It's only a sporting competition between him and me. There is a game of football. I want to try and win with my team. He wants to try and win with his team. It's normal to be at conflict during the game, but only a sporting conflict."
Far from ideal, with the teams now in the tunnel making their way out on to the field of play, there is news of a late change to the Chelsea starting lineup. Kurt Zouma has replaced illness victim Marcos Alonso in the backline, which presumably means the versatile Cesar Azpilicueta shifting out to one of the flanks and the Frenchman filling in centrally. One to keep an eye on, with kickoff in the 150th league meeting between these sides just moments away.
KICKOFF! We are up and running at Old Trafford in this standout fixture of matchweek 33 in the Premier League. As predicted, Azpilicueta has been shifted to the left flank to accommodate the late introduction of Zouma in central defence.
Chelsea looking to put together the first serious attacking move of the match as Hazard finds some space, but his attempted pass is well cut out by Fellaini 40 yards from goal. The hosts now knocking the ball around in defence and midfield.
The visitors happy to take a more defensive approach in these early stages, which will no doubt please Mourinho. The Portuguese has put his former side's likely title success down to being the 'best defensive team' in the division.
The first half-chance of the afternoon falls the way of Rashford, who snatches at his attempted shot. Good harrying from both him and Lingard in attack to create the opening, which he should have been testing Begovic from.
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 CHELSEA (MARCUS RASHFORD)
Rashford was handed a rare start through the middle this afternoon, and he has rewarded his manager with United's earliest Premier League goal of the season. A contentious one, though, as a handball in midfield started the attack, which ended with Rashford played through and superbly tucking past Begovic.
Big challenge from Cahill to prevent Rashford from getting in behind for a second time. The England forward has now scored in back-to-back league games for the first time since September 2016 - a return to his form of last term's breakthrough.
Chelsea not dealing with that injection of pace up top very well at all. Rashford looking to peel off Cahill and Luiz at every chance, much like with that opener when springing on to a fine Herrera through-ball.
Things threatening to boil over for the first time today, and there is little surprise to see Costa the man at the centre of it. Costa fails to get to a high ball and decides to shove over Bailly, who was unhappy with the excessive contact.
Chelsea showing signs of growing into the match a little more over the past few minutes. Costa did well to hold off Bailly and then fell over, but somehow conned referee Bobby Madley into awarding a free kick.
CLOSE! Rashford and Lingard link up on the edge of the box, with the latter then playing in Young down the left. The winger went for one of those shot-cross attempts, sending the ball inches wide of the post.
Conte's men have not got going at all so far, even with some sloppy passes from their opponents into midfield. The gamble to go with Rashford, Young and Lingard in attack from Mourinho paying off well at the moment.
A quarter of the match now played at Old Trafford and it is still United in the ascendancy. The goal came at a good time for them, giving that three-man forward line some added confidence to get at their direct opponents.
Opener goalscorer Rashford with a decent delivery into the box after drifting out to the right-hand flank. Begovic could only get a hand to the ball, but thankfully for him it did not fall to the feet of a home player.
Fellaini given a talking to by the referee after taking Luiz out of the game. The flow of this game has shown no signs of changing; United pretty much dominating possession and looking lively in the attacking third.
Just waiting for Chelsea to spring into life at the moment. They spring a rare counter than culminates in the ball being lost on the edge of the box, in turn seeing United then burst forward in numbers themselves.
SHOT! Young is picked out in space but can only drag his shot wide. The Blues are all over the place at the back with 30 minutes on the clock, which is either down to the late change in personnel or United's tactics - probably both.
YELLOW CARD! A late challenge on Pogba sees Costa become the first Chelsea player to be cautioned. The Blues seeing more of the ball in the last few moments but still yet to put an attacking move together.
Half time cannot come soon enough for Conte at this rate, whose side looks more akin to the Blues outfit that struggled for results back in the earlier stages of the season. Rojo and Costa at it again, with both falling to the ground.
Costa sent Rojo to the ground innocently enough but landed heavily on him, with the United man responding with a little clip. Very little in it and referee Bobby Madley right to just give them both a talking to on this occasion.
Luiz gets across well to end a potential United attack down their left-hand side. Even Kante has just miscontrolled the ball to concede a throw; something which pretty much tells those visiting fans that it may not be their day.
Five minutes from half time now and United may live to regret not making the most of their dominance. For all their attacking purpose they have only managed one shot on target, while Chelsea have not even managed that many.
CLOSE! Rashford causing all sorts of problems for the Chelsea defence, retaining his balance and sending a cross into a dangerous zone for Cahill to head on to the roof of his own net. United would love a second before the break.
Incredible. If ever a moment summed up Chelsea's half, it is Azpilicueta losing his footing when in space to send his cross out for a goal kick. A shocker from the makeshift wing-back, who has barely been involved.
The Blues come forward and Pedro looks as though he is shaping up for a shot, but he instead looks to pass it. The ball is blocked and then Costa smashes the ball well wide of the target. Two minutes of added time to be played.
HALF TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 CHELSEA
The first half ends with Young hammering the ball over the bar from right on the edge of the box after Valencia slipped it through for Herrera, who did well to spot his teammate. It is an opening 45 minutes dominated by Manchester United, but it would be unfair to say that they deserve anything more than a one-goal lead having managed just the shot on target against a below-par Chelsea.
Chelsea were forced into making a late change to their starting lineup, as illness victim Marcos Alonso was replaced in the backline by Kurt Zouma, meaning a switch of positions for the versatile Cesar Azpilicueta. Whether down to that last-minute tinkering or United's surprise choice of tactics - Jose Mourinho going with a three-man forward line after leaving out Zlatan Ibrahimovic - the Blues failed to get going at all in the first half.
The Red Devils were ahead through their fastest league goal of the Mourinho era, thanks to a simple through-ball from Ander Herrera - who handled the ball in the build-up - for Marcus Rashford to peel off David Luiz and tuck home. Rashford was thriving in what was a rare start through the middle, while alongside him Jesse Lingard and captain-for-the-day Ashley Young also got into some promising positions.
Young sent one shot-cross from the left agonisingly close to the far corner, while also skying a shot from the edge of the area with the final attempt of a first half dominated by his side. Gary Cahill also endured an awkward moment when glancing Rashford's cross onto the roof of his own net, though for all of the Red Devils' possession they only managed the one shot on stand-in Blues stopper Asmir Begovic's goal in the opening 45.
Plenty for Antonio Conte to ponder at the midway stage, then, and I would not be at all surprised to see a change of formation for the second half. The Italian could well go with a 3-5-2, which he has used late on in matches recently, meaning the possible introduction of Cesc Fabregas.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Romero, Blind, Fosu-Mensah, Shaw, Carrick, Mkhitaryan, Ibrahimovic
CHELSEA SUBS: Eduardo, Zouma, Terry, Loftus-Cheek, Fabregas, Willian, Batshuayi
RESTART! The omens do not look great for Chelsea at this point, as they have lost four of the previous five matches they have trailed at the break, with their single shot on target in the first half - their lowest of the season - not providing much hope of a comeback.
No changes made by Conte at the break, incidentally, both in terms of personnel and tactics. The Italian made a deliberate point of sending Willian to warm-up, though, so maybe an early change could be made.
YELLOW CARD! Cahill goes in high on Fellaini, catching the Belgian right on the calf and rightly earning a yellow card from Bobby Madley in the process. Rashford swings in the free kick but it has far too much pace on it.
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 CHELSEA (ANDER HERRERA)
A first Premier League goal in 14 months for Herrera has made Chelsea's task all the more difficult! From the overhit Rashford free kick, Young managed to keep it alive by drifting into the box, with Herrera belting the loose ball past Begovic with the aid of a big deflection off Zouma.
That really was a big deflection off Zouma to help lift the ball over Begovic, but the attempt was on target so will be claimed by Herrera. Almost a third for United - Rashford picked out Lingard, who sent his shot over the bar.
Conte still yet to make a change, even when one was clearly required at the break. Been difficult to criticise anything the Italian has done since mid-October, but his side have been dreadful for the past 55 minutes at Old Trafford.
CHELSEA SUB! Conte has made his first change by introducing Fabregas for Moses, packing out the midfield with five men. Two shots on target for United this afternoon and two goals to their name - efficient as you like.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! Mourinho responds to Conte's change almost immediately by bringing on Carrick for Lingard. Prior to that, Fabregas picked out Costa over the top but the striker failed to control the ball inside the box.
Half a chance for Pedro as he drifts in at the back post but cannot direct his volley on target. Get the sense over the past few minutes that Chelsea are finally starting to find some sort of rhythm to their game.
CLOSE! Half of Old Trafford celebrates after Rashford picked up the ball completely unmarked and smashed the ball into the side-netting. Looked as though he had beaten Begovic, but it was inches wide in the end.
A landmark 450th appearance in United colours for substitute Carrick, incidentally, who has been introduced to just keep play ticking over in midfield. Mourinho knows that his side have done the hard work; they can now sit back a little more.
CHELSEA SUB! The latest roll of the dice from Conte sees him turn to Willian for the final 23 minutes, taking off the ineffective Matic to make some room. Pedro sent a curler over the bar moments beforehand for the Blues.
SAVE! Great work from Rashford, who is looking every inch the player of 2015-16 this afternoon. The Englishman somehow kept hold of the ball under pressure from Luiz and Zouma, before guiding a shot on target for Begovic to keep out.
Chelsea still awaiting their first on-target attempt of the contest. They have looked far livelier since United's second, with Pedro's cross into the box being well handled by De Gea seconds ago, but they need to improve further.
YELLOW CARD! Ander Herrera clips Eden Hazard and is shown a yellow as a result. A little harsh on the face of it, which he is quick to let Bobby Madley know, but it is more down to an accumulation of offences.
YELLOW CARD! Diego Costa was looking to burst through, but Marcos Rojo - who had a running battle with the Spain international in the first half - pulled back on his opponent and was shown the game's fourth caution.
The Blues pretty much dominating possession over the past 10 minutes, but Mourinho will not be all that concerned. United looking good value to see through these final 14 minutes or so for a first win over their opponents in 13 attempts.
Mourinho is getting Ibrahimovic readied to come on - not what those Chelsea defenders want to see. Neither side able to create any chances for the best part of 20 minutes now, though it would be wrong to say that it is game over for the visitors.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! Here comes that second United change - Ibrahimovic coming on for Rashford, who really has been superb this afternoon. The oncoming Swede has 13 goals and five assists in his last 17 league games.
CHELSEA SUB! The final change of the afternoon from Conte, as he brings on Ruben Loftus-Cheek for Zouma. The Blues need to go all out now in these final eight minutes, even if it means shipping a third of the match.
Ibrahimovic in the wars early on, clutching his ankle after being caught, but he seems to be fine to carry on. A first win for Mourinho over Chelsea as United manager now just six minutes away. Still time for a late twist here!
Rashford was superb during his time on the pitch, but Herrera will argue that he deserves the Man of the Match award. The Spaniard set-up Rashford's opener and then scored one of his own - not since October 2015 has he achieved both in a game.
We really are into the final throes now at the Theatre of Dreams, and there is little sign of the scoreline changing. Chelsea knowing the ball around in the final third but just cannot create that killer opening.
Four minutes of added time to be played at the end of the match, which now looks certain to end with United celebrating a rare win over their opponents. Fabregas booked for a dodgy challenge, which a few United players felt deserved a red.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUB! Young has put in one of his better shifts of the season, perhaps relishing the captaincy duties. The Englishman makes way for Timothy Fosu-Mensah for the final seconds of the match.
FULL TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 CHELSEA
Referee Bobby Madley blows for full time, bringing the end to a match largely dominated by Manchester United. The Red Devils claimed a 2-0 win at Old Trafford thanks to goals in either half from Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera, taking them to within four points of Manchester City with a game in hand still to play. Chelsea, meanwhile, now have just a four-point lead at the top.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of today's Premier League action. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction from this and the weekend's other top-flight matches can be found elsewhere on the site. Thanks for joining!
