Ronaldo rescues undeserved point for United amid protests
Cristiano Ronaldo secured absentee-hit Manchester United a scarcely deserved draw against Chelsea as Old Trafford witnessed more protests against the Glazer family.
With Champions League qualification all but beyond them following defeats at Liverpool and Arsenal, interim boss Ralf Rangnick’s side escaped with a point on a night dominated for the most part by Thomas Tuchel’s Blues.
Marcos Alonso’s volley was the only goal wasteful Chelsea managed against United’s porous defence and that was cancelled out two minutes later as star man Ronaldo struck to seal a 1-1 draw.
The build-up was dominated by news that Rangnick was considering taking over as Austria manager and protests against the Glazer family’s ownership at a second succesive home match.
“Glazers out” read a banner above the tunnel before kick-off at Old Trafford, where a mixture of David De Gea’s saves and poor-decision making meant Chelsea failed to turn their 11 shots into a deserved lead.
Tuchel’s men finally broke the deadlock when Alonso volleyed home in the 60th minute but it did not kick open the floodgates. Instead, ex-chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic’s clipped ball put Ronaldo through to equalise.
Outstanding Reece James struck the post in the closing stages but United escaped with a point on a night when they were without eight first-team players through either injury, illness or personal matters.
It was one-way traffic in the first half but somehow United managed to go into half-time with the match still scoreless.
Their goal would finally be breached in the 60th minute. James was given time to float over a cross from the right that Kai Havertz flicked on for Alonso to hit a crashing volley at the far post. But United are a peculiar side and have an unrelenting great leading the line. Sloppy possession allowed Matic to put Ronaldo behind with a clever pass, with the veteran lashing home a 62nd-minute equaliser in front of the Stretford End.
James came agonisingly close to putting the visitors back ahead in the 80th minute, but his beautiful left-footed effort curled onto the post.