In a gripping conclusion against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Casemiro’s looping injury-time header earned Manchester United a point.
When Jorginho converted Chelsea’s ensuing late penalty after replacements Scott McTominay and Armando Broja collided at a corner in the 87th minute, it appeared that Chelsea had eked out a win.
Casemiro rose to meet Luke Shaw’s cross deep into the sixth minute of stoppage time. Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga got a fingertip touch on the ball but could not prevent it from crossing the line. Losing would have been harsh on United, but they received the reward their performance deserved.
As United dominated the first half, they had the better chances despite Cristiano Ronaldo being excluded from the team because of his reluctance to enter the game as a substitute against Tottenham.
Kepa made excellent saves from Marcus Rashford and Antony, who also missed a golden opportunity when clean through. Erik ten Hag’s team was clearly in the lead and much more dangerous.
The second half was tighter and ended with that frenzied climax. Still, the most significant concern for United is an injury to defender Raphael Varane.Ā
The points are shared after a dramatic finale#CHEMUN pic.twitter.com/o9dMl3panA
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 22, 2022
Raphael Varane suffers an injury at Chelsea and leaves the pitch in tears
France defender Raphael Varane left the pitch in tears during Manchester United’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea after suffering a leg injury less than a month before the World Cup in Qatar.
Victor Lindelof substituted Varane after awkwardly tripping while attempting to challenge Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
According to United’s manager Erik ten Hag, the injury’s severity cannot yet be determined.
The Dutchman told BBC Sport, “We have to wait 24 hours before we know what [the injury] is.”
“I can understand (his reaction), and we can all agree that he will be upset, but he also needs to wait, so who knows?”
Varane's teammates rushed over to console him after he was visibly upset while coming off injured ā¤ļø pic.twitter.com/jZKxaxf3nb
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) October 22, 2022
Erik Ten Hag reacts to Man United’s stoppage-time equalizer at Chelsea
Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, commended his team’s mental toughness for earning a point against Chelsea on Saturday night at Stamford Bridge by scoring an equalizer in stoppage time.
The comeback during such a hectic time when players hardly had a chance to catch their breath between games also made Ten Hag happy.
“I must give my players a huge compliment. You can see the tenacity and resilience of the team by their ability to bounce back with a fourth game in ten days. Excellent,” the Dutchman told BBC Sport.
Ten Hag continued by describing the “fair result” and the more excellent scoring opportunities United had.
“[Marcus] Rashford had two significant chances in the first half, whereas Antony had one. In these circumstances, you must score goals because three options are widespread in competitive games.”
“Defense in the second half, we didn’t have any problems, but eight minutes before halftime, we had some issues. We didn’t have many good chances in the second half, but neither did Chelsea.”Ā
“I consider the outcome to be. We didn’t deserve to lose without a point. Therefore, I would have been disappointed. You drive the point home after a challenging week of traveling here.”
The finest of margins ?#CHEMUN | @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/NjmzL279pQ
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 22, 2022
Graham Potter: A draw is a fair result
Graham Potter, manager of Chelsea, thinks that his team’s 1-1 home draw with Manchester United was a fair outcome.
“We put on a pretty strict performance, and after 30 minutes, we made significant progress, so we’ll take what we can get.”Ā
“I think the players’ behavior on the field was excellent; the lads gave it their all in a challenging, intense game amid a hectic time. Everything was left outside by the boys.”Ā
“At times, I believed we could have attacked a little more effectively. They and we both had opportunities, so a point feels right.”
This result means that Chelsea remains unbeaten under Potter in all competitions since his appointment in September.
