Singing the Blues
Ross Barkley scored a late equaliser as Chelsea drew with Manchester United – leading to a touchline altercation which saw Jose Mourinho dragged away from a flare-up in the mouth of the Stamford Bridge tunnel.
The former Blues manager had not won at his former ground since taking over at United and he was involved in a melee after the home bench erupted in celebrations at the late leveller.
The visitors had looked on course for a rare Premier League win in west London after an Anthony Martial brace cancelled out Antonio Rudiger’s opener.
However, Barkley slammed in the last meaningful kick of the contest to secure a point, with all eyes then drawn to a spat between Mourinho and Chelsea’s second assistant coach Marco Ianni, whose celebrations in front of United’s dugout had the furious Portuguese boss leaping out of his seat.
Mourinho labelled the incident “bad education” on the part of Ianni who, along with Blues boss Maurizio Sarri, apologised to the United chief.
“Not celebrations, bad education,” said Mourinho. “But I also made mistakes in football matches and I will make more.
“So after the game he came to me to apologise, I accepted his apology, so I have nothing more to say.”
Sarri spoke to Ianni after the incident and said he will do so again today, when he will ask him to explain himself.
“After the match I spoke with Jose, and immediately I understood that we were wrong,” the 59-year-old said. “I have spoken with the member of my staff, and
I again spoke with Mourinho to say sorry. I want to speak to Ianni again before I decide if there will be repercussions, but I have dealt with the situation immediately.”
Rudiger capitalised on slack marking from Paul Pogba to head Sarri’s side ahead, but their unbeaten start to the season was almost ended by a man who had guided them to three league titles.
Mourinho had singled out Chelsea’s Eden Hazard for praise on the eve of the contest and the forward was also given
special attention by the visitors. Ashley Young, who impressed, clattered the Belgian early on, with Nemanja Matic following suit seconds later, before earning a yellow card for bundling his former team-mate to the ground again.
Romelu Lukaku’s first chance at goal saw the former Chelsea striker head well wide from seven yards out after he was picked out well by Luke Shaw’s cross.
There was no such profligacy at the other end as Rudiger lost Pogba at a corner to power a header past David de
Gea and give Chelsea a 20th-minute lead. Young was the next United man to be cautioned for fouling Hazard, going through the back of the league’s top goalscorer on the halfway line.
Hazard, perhaps sick of the rough stuff, picked up a booking of his own for a fouling Marcus Rashford as the England forward looked to break.
Alvaro Morata, preferred in attack to Olivier Giroud, had a marvellous chance to double Chelsea’s lead soon after the break, but his low shot was too weak to beat de Gea.
United drew level nine minutes after the interval, Juan Mata finally forcing Kepa Arrizabalaga into action with a fine low save. The visitors kept the ball alive and Martial turned home Young’s shot.
The goal seemed to give United belief they could go on and win the game, while simultaneously rattling Chelsea’s confidence, though David Luiz missed a great chance to head Chelsea in front.
N’golo Kante drew a great stop out of De Gea with an effort from range as Chelsea looked to regain the lead.
Instead they fell behind, Mata doing well to break down the right and feed Rashford, whose pass was slightly miscontrolled by Martial, before he bent the ball superbly past Kepa.
Mourinho’s touchline demeanour changed as he hugged Martial when the France forward was replaced in the closing stages by Andreas Pereira.
Chelsea pushed for a leveller and it came as Luiz’s header off a post was turned towards goal by Rudiger. De Gea made a point-blank save, only for substitute Barkley to turn home.
Reflecting on the point, Mourinho said: “It was a fantastic game with a fantastic result for Chelsea.”
Reflecting on his team’s performance, Sarri added: “I am very happy for 60 minutes, because we played our football. Then, at 1-1, we haven’t. Only the long ball, we are not organised to go for the second ball.
“United are better than us at this kind of football.”