Chelsea 2-3 Man Utd: A Classic for all the Wrong Reasons

Not content with having Howard Webb in his back-pocket and a club director safely settled within the inner sanctum of the FA, SAF recruited Mark Clattenburg to his inner circle with a remit of ‘WE MUST WIN this game. We haven’t won here in the league for 10 years and we never get any decisions.’

Ahem, cough, cough… 2 penalties last season in the 3-3 draw.

Howard Webb…. Say no more!

I am used to Chelsea losing and have been for a very long time, but what I despise is losing a game, any game that has lost the tag of fairness and fair-play.

To be fair though until the game reached the-point of Ivanovic’s questionable sending-off, I mean get anywhere near Young from behind then you are asking for trouble, especially with Young’s reputation, the game was on a knife-edge, end-to-end attacking football with the potential of goals a plenty to come with thirty minutes remaining.

Utd threatened a goal splurge.

2-0 up with only 12 minutes on the clock, Valencia and Rafael doubling up on Ashley Cole down Chelsea’s left, Utd were set to run riot.

As the minutes ticked away, Chelsea improved and De Gea was the busier of the two ‘keepers, saving a plethora of shots with his feet, clawing a Torres header from just on the line and watching a shot deflect away for a corner via Evans and the left-hand post.

Chelsea needed a goal and magic man Mata duly obliged with a stunning free-kick minutes from half-time after Rooney (who was booked) brought down Hazard.

I mentioned Rooney’s booking because prior to his substitution, Rooney should have been given a second yellow and then a red for a clumsy tackle.

SAF recognised the situation and quickly withdrew Rooney to be replaced by Giggs.

Chelsea equalised when Ramires powered through Utd’s quivering defence meeting Oscar’s cross with his head and then mayhem ensured.

First Ivanovic was red carded for his tangled leg episode with Young, then five minutes later, Torres, clean through was clipped by Evans but Clattenburg decided Torres ‘simulated’ and showed the Spaniard a second yellow, followed by a disbelieving red to the uproar and rage of the home faithful, who were in brilliant voice all afternoon.

To add insult to injury Clattenburg and his nearside assistant allowed Hernandez’s goal to stand, when he was clearly standing in an offside as Rafael shot across goal.

Clattenburg’s remit was complete and according to one hack in this morning’s rag red-top, ‘The United team bus was said to be late getting away from Stamford Bridge.

‘Apparently it had to wait for ref Mark Clattenburg and his assistants to get on.’

Chelsea: Cech (c), Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Mata (Bertrand 71), Oscar (Azpilicueta 66), Hazard (Sturridge 82), Torres

Goals: Mata 43, Ramires 53

Booked: Torres 45, Mikel 76

Sent Off: Ivanovic 62, Torres 68

Man Utd: De Gea, Rafael, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra (c), Carrick, Cleverley (Hernandez 64), Valencia, Rooney (Giggs 73), Young, Van Persie

Goals: Luiz (og) 3, Van Persie 12, Hernandez 75

Booked: Rooney 43, Valencia 90

NEXT UP: League Cup, Man Utd (H), Wednesday 31/10/12, K.O.7.45pm

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