Independent:
Chelsea led out of the darkness by Luiz to keep title hopes alive
Chelsea 2 Manchester United 1
By Sam Wallace at Stamford Bridge
There were no major celebrations at the end of the game last night, and no one was foolish enough to say that this was the moment that Chelsea launched their push for the league title, but for all those who have wondered of late what happened to last season's Double-winners – they turned up at last in the second half.
Too late in the season perhaps to make a proper defence of their title come May but just in time to prove that, in the words of their manager Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea are not dead. Still 12 points adrift of the leaders with a game in hand, their title chances could still be described as critical but, as in the case of Ashley Cole's gunshot victim last week, they live to fight another day.
Ancelotti's team were overwhelmed in the first half and when Wayne Rooney scored a brilliant opening goal on 29 minutes this looked like a very difficult evening for the Italian manager. His midfield was overrun, his defence was rocking but from somewhere in the second half Chelsea summoned some of that indefatigable spirit that has characterised this club's best moments in the Roman Abramovich era.
Chelsea were lucky with some of the decisions of referee Martin Atkinson who might have sent off David Luiz for a second bookable offence for either one of his challenges on Javier Hernandez and Rooney. The scorer of Chelsea's equaliser, Luiz looked at times inspired and, occasionally, a liability albeit with all the makings of a Stamford Bridge favourite.
As for Sir Alex Ferguson, he did not spare Atkinson the full force of his scorn in his post-match interviews. He began them by saying that Atkinson had got it wrong on Luiz and by the time he was speaking to the faithful on MUTV, the Manchester United manager had ramped up the charge to fully-blown bias.
Somewhere in between he had forgotten his more magnanimous point before the game that Rooney was lucky to be on the pitch at all after his elbow on James McCarthy against Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Ferguson can surprise you sometimes with his readiness to admit that his players have been fortunate and then he surprises you again by how quickly he forgets his good luck.
Atkinson was the referee for this fixture last season in which he allowed a controversial Chelsea winner to stand and Ferguson has not forgotten. In calling into question the referee's fairness, the United manager may well have earned himself a Football Association charge just two days after Rooney swerved his.
Ferguson also had a complaint about the award of the penalty which gave Frank Lampard the opportunity to score the winner, and you had to concede that he had a point. It was a soft one in which Yuri Zhirkov ran, with no little determination, into the trailing leg of Chris Smalling in order to throw himself over it and test Atkinson's resolve in front of the home fans.
Nevertheless, what last night told Ferguson was that this team of his are not of the same quality as previous United sides who would have disposed of a dodgy Chelsea side. He lost his captain Nemanja Vidic to a second yellow card late on which means he is out of Sunday's game at Liverpool, a match for which United will also be without Rio Ferdinand, still injured, and potentially Patrice Evra, who hobbled off last night.
Their lead is a slender four points at the top of the Premier League table, having played one game more than second-placed Arsenal, and no one is quite sure whether United have the nerve to finish the job this season. Their run-in is far from straightforward with a game at the Emirates and then the visit of Chelsea to Old Trafford in the space of six days in early May.
These are indeed interesting times in the Premier League title race, which has just 13 points between the sides in first and fifth place and no one team among them that has not shown themselves capable of bottling it. As entertainment, last night lived up to the expectations. It was exciting and there was a twist in the plot but you could not help thinking that previous United and Chelsea teams of the recent past were better than these two sides.
Ferguson picked the same team that played Wigan on Saturday, the first time he has named an unchanged side for two consecutive games since May 2008. That meant there was no place for Ryan Giggs or Dimitar Berbatov in the starting line-up although both of them came on in the second half as the manager sensed that the game was slipping away from him.
In the first half United, after a slow start, had such a grip on the game they could have scored more than once. Luis Nani and Evra dominated Branislav Ivanovic down the left wing. More than once, Chelsea gave thanks for the cool of Luiz. Cole, assailed by calls to shoot from the away end every time he touched the ball, did not have his best night either.
Rooney had passed up a couple of chances – including a free header from a Nani cross – before his goal. He picked the ball up in the left channel from Nani and doubling back away from the dozy Branislav Ivanovic he cracked a scorching shot just inside Petr Cech's right post. His celebration in front of the Matthew Harding stand – chin tipped up, arms outstretched – was a fair summary of his two-fingers-up-to-the-world philosophy.
Chelsea did have chances – a weak shot from Florent Malouda after Nicolas Anelka's cross – and then a brilliant double save from Edwin van der Sar that denied first Lampard and then Ivanovic. But by the time they reached the break this was United's game to lose. No one really expected them to do so.
Luiz's equaliser nine minutes into the second half galvanised his team. Still up from a corner, the centre-half volleyed in Ivanovic's flick-on from Michael Essien's cross from the left. After that, there was one chance for Rooney, played in down the left by Nani, which he missed. Otherwise it was all Chelsea. When the penalty came 10 minutes from time, Lampard scored confidently.
As for United, it unravelled rather too easily with Vidic's red card. They go to Anfield with only one of their first-choice defenders available and the nagging fear that they have not quite got what it takes to put this title race to bed.
Booked:
Chelsea Ramires, Luiz, Essien. Man United Vidic, Giggs.
Sent off: Man United Vidic (90).
Man of the match Luiz.
Referee M Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Att 41,825
Shoot, Ashley, Shoot!
Football fans are a witty bunch and those at the Bridge last night were no exception with shouts of ‘Shoot’ ringing out whenever Ashley Cole was in possession. An easy target
Man-for-Man Marking
Chelsea:
Petr Cech Could do nothing about Rooney's goal. Stood tall at times but rarely tested. 7
Branislav Ivanovic Had a difficult start but grew into the game, pushing on after the break and winning the header for Luiz's goal. 8
David Luiz Dealt well with Rooney and brought the ball serenely out of defence. Perfect hit for goal. Lucky to avoid red card.8
John Terry Assured for the most part, as United attacked in numbers. One storming run down the left in the second half. 7
Ashley Cole Neutered as an attacking force, his primary contribution was clipping a first-half free-kick just over the crossbar. 6
Ramires Vanished after an early booking but had a much bolder second half. Drew the foul that saw Vidic dismissed. 8
Michael Essien Squeezed out at the start but powerfully came into his own later on. 8
Frank Lampard For much of the game the pace was too much for him, although he was technically good and took his penalty well. 7
Florent Malouda Bright start but then struggled to cause John O'Shea too many problems. 6
Nicolas Anelka Well marshalled by Vidic for most of the evening. Withdrawn for Drogba in the second half as Chelsea went direct. 7
Fernando Torres Drifted in and out of the game. Some of his movement was good but he rarely found himself in goal-scoring areas. 6
Best off the bench:
Yuri Zhirkov Won the decisive penalty going over Smalling's foot. Also hit the post. 6
Manchester United:
Edwin van der Sar Exceptional reaction save in the first half. Powerless for either goal. 8
John O'Shea Not used as an attacking option but rather to restrict Malouda and Cole, which he did consistently well. 7
Chris Smalling Another mature performance, with some excellent aerial and positional play. Unlucky to concede the penalty. 7
Nemanja Vidic Brave all evening, chesting the ball off the line after Van der Sar's first-half save. Sent off near the end. 7
Patrice Evra Brisk and imaginative going forward, especially in the first half. Slow getting out to Luiz for Chelsea's equaliser. 7
Paul Scholes Dictated tempo of first half from deep but noticeably tired and was replaced. 7
Darren Fletcher Helped to restrict the attacks of Ashley Cole without threatening himself. 6
Michael Carrick Sometimes tidy but gifted possession to Chelsea in dangerous areas at times. 6
Nani Bright and sparky but found it harder to beat Ivanovic as the game went on. Little impact in closing stages. 6
Wayne Rooney Exceptional movement as a No 10 behind Hernandez, he deserved his well-struck goal. Always a threat. 8
Javier Hernandez Lively front-running but withdrawn midway through second half. 7
Best off the bench
Fabio Might have scored a late equaliser but denied by Cech from close in. 7
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Guardian:
Frank Lampard penalty gives Chelsea victory over Manchester United
Pride alone was all that was really at stake for Chelsea, yet that is a profound force for players who have come to expect so much for themselves. While this side do, at worst, have to come fourth to take themselves towards next season's Champions League that was not the true issue that inflamed them as they came from 1-0 down to beat Manchester United.
This was as resounding a clash as ever between these clubs. The night rang with grievances from the losers. Their centre-half Nemanja Vidic was sent off with a second booking in stoppage time following a foul on Ramires and he will therefore miss Sunday's match with Liverpool at Anfield. The United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, complained that there ought to have been a pair of cautions, too, for David Luiz.
He not only escaped a second yellow card for a foul on Wayne Rooney but also scored his first goal for the club to equalise. Chelsea even won the game in debatable fashion. Frank Lampard slipped the ball to the substitute Yuri Zhirkov and he appeared to run into Chris Smalling, with very slight movement from the centre-half. The referee Martin Atkinson deemed it a foul and Lampard crashed the spot-kick into the middle of the goal after 80 minutes.
While Chelsea have a seasoned line-up that has appeared jaded at times in this campaign, they did respond to this challenge. The side eased above Tottenham Hotspur into fourth place, but there was another sort of standing in mind. This was the kind of event by which footballers measure themselves and, in their minds, Chelsea regained their proper status.
With a quarter-final place all but confirmed in the Champions League, the side will feel that purpose has flooded back into this campaign. The glow is all the brighter for the satisfaction in overturning the initial presumptions about the outcome when United were sharper and far more animated. Chelsea then looked set on encouraging the notion that they are a burnt-out team.
Instead, they went on to singe the prospects of Ferguson's men, who continue to lack Rio Ferdinand and will now see Vidic serve a ban in a critical fixture at Anfield. Fernando Torres is still without a goal since the £50m move from Liverpool, but that was nothing more than an academic issue for Chelsea on an evening of this intensity. United's last victory on this pitch continues to be the one they recorded in 2002. That statistic did not seem likely when an eager side made the opposition seem pedestrian at best in the first-half.
United had an urgency that promised the kind of impact that brought the opener from Rooney after half an hour. Chelsea may then have been the most disgruntled of all that the forward had not been sent off and so banned for his elbowing of Wigan's James McCarthy at the weekend, but the hosts' own failings before the interval were the true issue.
Chelsea's selection looked bold, with Torres paired in attack with Nicolas Anelka, but that was an irrelevance while all the energy and appetite were United's. They took the lead and, consistent with Chelsea's sluggishness at that stage, Branislav Ivanovic was dilatory as he allowed Rooney to turn and hit a low 25-yarder whose accuracy was too much for the goalkeeper Petr Cech.
The merits of Torres and Anelka as a combination could not be debated when the midfield so rarely ferried the ball to them. Chelsea continued to sideline the forwards but in the 54th minute they pulled level. The central defenders were still around United's penalty area following a corner and when Michael Essien flighted the ball into the middle a knock-down from Ivanovic was rifled past Edwin van der Sar at his near post by David Luiz.
His club would love to suppose that such an exploit does promise a revitalisation to come at Stamford Bridge. But the Brazilian next caught the eye with a foul on Rooney that brought him his booking. United had not been parted from their desire to carry the game to Chelsea.
The introduction of Didier Drogba for Anelka indicated Ancelotti's intent to maintain freshness in the forward line. If the match itself was not particularly distinguished it held the attention because of the glaring desire of visitors as much as hosts to win this game.
Poise did go missing and when Rooney went past Essien he then put an aimless ball through an unmanned area of the goalmouth. The attitude of each club was uncompromising. Just as Ancelotti had sent on Drogba, Sir Alex Ferguson introduced Dimitar Berbatov and Ryan Giggs on to the field, with the Welshman equalling Sir Bobby Charlton's record for United of 606 League appearances. It may be a while before Giggs feels there is anything at all to be cherished about this evening.
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Telegraph:
Chelsea 2 Manchester United 1:
By Henry Winter, at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea are not going to let this title go without a fight. No chance. Frank Lampard and company finally remembered they were champions in the second half, displaying all their old power, pace and hunger to turn this exceptional game on its head.
For Manchester United, this was a night of pride in their first-half control, bringing Wayne Rooney’s fine goal, followed quickly by frustration bordering on incandescence at Martin Atkinson’s refereeing. For Chelsea, this was a night of guts and glory, of the dressing-room responding to adversity.
There was a pride and passion to the hosts’ work after the interval, an utter determination amongst Carlo Ancelotti’s players to break United’s stranglehold. Ramires looked a full Brazilian international rather than the ball-boy from Ipanema. Another Brazilian, David Luiz, was everywhere, delivering good and bad, equalising with a majestic volley and then flirting with expulsion for a dreadful challenge on Rooney.
How Martin Atkinson missed it beggared belief, particularly as the referee was 10 yards away. Having benefited from Mark Clattenburg’s leniency and myopia at the weekend, Rooney suffered from Atkinson here. Neutrals might note the irony.
United didn’t. When Atkinson, who loves a penalty, awarded his 11th of the season for a seemingly innocuous challenge by Chris Smalling on Yuri Zhirkov, Sir Alex Ferguson began making that well-worn journey to apoplexy.
When Lampard drove the kick down the middle, United’s mood darkened even further. It turned black when Nemanja Vidic was rightly dismissed late on, ruling him out of Sunday’s trip to Anfield. With Rio Ferdinand also out according to Ferguson, Luis Suarez will fancy his chances, although Smalling actually performed ably here.
Liverpool plot an ambush, desperate to prevent United securing a 19th championship that would break their record. Last night was a good one for the title race, breathing life into Chelsea’s seemingly terminated dream.
United are still a speck on a distant horizon, 12 points ahead of fourth-placed Chelsea (who have a game in hand). The main title beneficiaries appear Arsenal, who lie only four points adrift of Ferguson’s side (also with a spare match).
Ferguson’s decision to start Javier Hernandez ahead of Dimitar Berbatov - or a 4-5-1 spearheaded by Rooney - failed as the young Mexican struggled in this cauldron. Rooney, for all the controversy over his weekend elbow, played well, constantly showing for the ball, vainfully trying to get United back into the game.
If this result sent a surge of adrenalin through the chasing pack, the match was also a victory for the whole Premier League, showcasing English football at its breathless best. The game produced such compelling entertainment that the respective fans soon forgot boo Rooney and Ashley Cole for their recent excesses.
The drama was relentless, red and blue tides rolling between Shed end and Matthew Harding Stand. There was even a piece of history, Ryan Giggs coming on to equal Sir Bobby Charlton’s club record of 606 league games. There was even that rarity, a booking for Giggs for felling Didier Drogba.
This was an evening of cliches, of a game of two halves, of the side who needed to win overcoming opponents who simply wanted to win.
Chelsea responded with flair and brimstone after the break but the first half was dominated by the Premier League pace-setters.
For the first time in 165 games, United had been unchanged, although even Ferguson admitted Rooney was “fortunate” to be available following his weekend elbow. Faced with a fired-up Rooney, Chelsea stuttering, resorting to the dark arts to stop United’s flow. They briefly used Michael Carrick for target practice, first Cole, appropriately, then Ramires.
United’s bright movement was soon rewarded after 30 minutes.
Branislav Ivanovic, perhaps dizzy from dealing with Patrice Evra and Nani, allowed Rooney to advance, perhaps believing he could pass the striker on to Luiz.
The Brazilian seemed more distracted by Hernandez’s presence, allowing Rooney the opportunity to snake a low shot past the slow-reacting Petr Cech. The Stretford End on tour loved it, raiding through their song-book, selecting lyrics to taunt their hosts. They sang of Terry missing that Champions League final penalty in Moscow.
They sang of Ancelotti having to prepare to hand over the Premier League trophy.
Stung by the song-lines and the scoreline, Chelsea responded. Only Edwin van der Sar’s reflexes denied Lampard and Ivanovic. Chelsea still needed a sharper cutting edge, needed Torres to show more of the old pacy, predatory menace that had brought him such joy against Vidic and United in the past. Struggling to re-discover his elegant stride, Torres briefly demonstrated a fractious streak, leaving a foot in on Scholes, who responded with a frosty look that would have frozen a waterfall.
As the half closed, Chelsea began to open up, revealing a more attacking approach, although their best chance arrived when Vidic was booked for fouling Essien 25 yards out. Cole, of all people, bent the free-kick high, wide and far from handsome.
The Blues’ mood was lifting, their belief returning. Gianluca Vialli was paraded before the crowd at the interval, further enlivening the atmosphere. When Vialli then embraced the tracksuited Drogba before the re-start, the Bridge was almost in ferment.
So began an epic 45 minutes. Strong words were clearly said in the home dressing-room. Ancelotti’s players snapped into challenges, occasionally too robustly. Far more physical, far more positive in possession, Chelsea went hunting the equaliser. It soon arrived when Ivanovic flicked the ball on and Luiz followed its descent avidly, connecting with a sumptuous right-footed volley that whistled past Evra and in. The technique was exceptional, and a reminder of the defender’s two-footed qualities.
Chelsea were completely transformed. Ramires kept driving on. Essien kept charging forward, as forceful now as he had been anaemic against Carrick and Paul Scholes before the break. Zhirkov galloped on and into United’s box, winning a soft penalty converted confidently by Lampard. There was still time for Zhirkov’s shot to clip Vidic and hit a post before United’s captain was dismissed, receiving a second yellow for fouling Ramires.
United will hit back. It’s in their DNA. Chelsea certainly showed they are alive and kicking.
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Mail:
Chelsea 2 Manchester United 1: Fergie cries for justice! Sir Alex in blast at referee Atkinson
By Matt Lawton
Amid the chaos of what remained a classic encounter, Sir Alex Ferguson might have thought twice before complaining bitterly of an injustice.
After all, he had admitted shortly before kick-off that Wayne Rooney was 'lucky' to even be playing. Just as Mike Phelan, his assistant, responded to those first questions about Rooney's controversial elbow on Saturday at Wigan by stating that it would be wrong to question a referee's decision.
But the delicious irony of the situation clearly did not register with the irascible Manchester United manager and he unleashed verbal hell on Martin Atkinson in response to events in the closing stages of this Barclays Premier League contest at Stamford Bridge.
Ferguson was right. Right to question the validity of the 80th-minute penalty that Frank Lampard converted to reignite the title race. Just as he was right in stating that the otherwise outstanding David Luiz - scorer of a marvellous 54th-minute equaliser - should have been dismissed for a foul on, yep, you guessed it, the player who should not have been on the pitch in the first place. It was a naughty challenge on Rooney, leaving Ferguson incandescent with rage on the touchline.
He was probably wrong, though, to be quite so venomous towards Atkinson and where Rooney escaped the Football Association's clutches, Ferguson might not. To compound his misery, Atkinson then dismissed his best centre-half for a second yellow card. Nemanja Vidic was dismissed for his foul on Ramires and misses what could prove a hugely significant game at Liverpool on Sunday.
But it was the manner of Chelsea's win that angered Ferguson most, as well as the fact that Atkinson is making something of a habit of making bad calls. He had awarded more penalties and red cards than any other top-flight official this season and took his tally to 11 and 10 respectively.
The penalty was soft, to say the least, Yury Zhirkov knocking the ball through the legs of the excellent Chris Smalling and collapsing under a non-existent challenge. It looked suspiciously like a dive, but Atkinson thought otherwise and Lampard did the rest.
If Ferguson was against re-refereeing that meeting with Wigan after seeing Rooney escape punishment for smashing James McCarthy in the face, he would have wanted someone other than Atkinson to take charge of any rematch this time.
It was galling for United because they played so well. Ahead thanks to a super 29th-minute goal from Rooney, they looked every inch the League leaders with the fluency of their football and had it not been for the class, courage and composure of Luiz might well have increased their advantage.
Rooney was central to everything, delivering an impressive response to those who continue to question whether his best days are behind him. In the space of a few first-half minutes there was an opportunity for the two villains of the week to exchange blows of a more sporting nature.
Rooney had his chance to strike from just outside the penalty area; as did Ashley Cole with a free-kick. But as Rooney demonstrated, he is much the better shot. Cole, encouraged to 'shoooot!' at every opportunity by United's fans, was as inaccurate with his effort as he probably wishes he was with that air rifle and it added to the difficulties Chelsea experienced in a frenetic first half.
While Florent Malouda might have struck in the opening few minutes, only to meet a fine ball from Nicolas Anelka with an effort that was far too easy for Edwin van der Sar to gather, they struggled to maintain pressure and then paid for a moment's lapse in concentration at the opposite end.
While Rooney will be proud of the low 25-yard drive he squeezed between a diving Petr Cech and his right-hand post, he owed much to Branislav Ivanovic's decision to go walkabout.
Still in shock, Chelsea almost conceded a second to Rooney minutes later. Nani floated in the free-kick and Rooney flicked on a header that dropped just wide.
At that point, Carlo Ancelotti cut a forlorn figure on the touchline; seemingly crushed by yet another setback. Crushed, too, by the sight of his side somehow failing to score when Ivanovic saw Van der Sar deny him from close range.
What then happened after the break was not in the script. A first Chelsea goal not for the £50million Fernando Torres but for the significantly cheaper Luiz.
'He's got class,' declared Cesc Fabregas on his Twitter page, and the Brazilian certainly showed that to be true. As well as being outstanding at the back, he has real ability on the ball and his determination to get forward was rewarded when he seized on United's failure to clear a cross from Michael Essien beyond Ivanovic. Displaying tremendous poise and skill, Luiz beat Van der Sar with a superb half-volley.
There were times during this contest when United made Chelsea appear sluggish and the sight of Didier Drogba seemingly refusing to warm up with the other subs pointed to yet more possible problems in the dressing room.
Had Luiz been booked a second time for a cynical off-the-ball challenge on Rooney, the crisis could have deepened further for Ancelotti. As it was, Atkinson failed to see that and then failed to see it was not a penalty. Ferguson was not amused.
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Mirror:
Chelsea 2-1 Manchester United: Lampard penalty clinches cracking comeback
By Martin Lipton
You can criticise and condemn this referee as much as you like, Sir Alex.
But it's not going to change anything, not going to look any better in the cold light of day.
Why it's out with the old and in with the Blue as Luiz hauls Chelsea old-guard up by their bootstraps
Three more points thrown away on their travels, a staggering 22 dropped out of 42 by a side that has been just one draw away from perfection at Old Trafford.
And should United's quest for that elusive, record-breaking 19th title founder over the next three months, the source of the failure will be easy to spot.
Last night, for all that Fergie's rage at Martin Atkinson reached apoplectic heights of fury as David Luiz stayed on the pitch where Nemanja Vidic did not and Chris Smalling's one slight indiscretion saw Frank Lampard exact the ultimate price from 12 yards, United were the agents of their own destruction.
This was a game they could have, should have won, especially when they led at the break, inevitably, through the man who would have been banned had another referee done his job properly.
Yet Wayne Rooney's first half strike and United's seeming dominance counted for nothing as Fergie's men were unable to withstand Chelsea's second half resurgence, a victory for sheer commitment just as their domestic season appeared to be apart.
Too late, surely, for Chelsea to get themselves back into the race for the crown. Even with this win, they remain 12 points adrift of Fergie's men, although back above Spurs into fourth.
But United now head to the even more ferocious bear-pit of Anfield without Vidic or Rio Ferdinand, probably the hobbling Patrice Evra too, and with the likelihood that their lead will have been cut to a single point over Arsenal.
That knowledge, as much as the frustration of defeat, fuelled Ferguson's verbal attack on Atkinson, even if the critical decision - as Smalling made a marginal movement towards Yuri Zhirkov to bring the Russian replacement down - was probably the right one.
When Edwin Van Der Sar pulled off a remarkable reaction save to foil Branislav Ivanovic's rebound effort on the stroke of half-time, to preserve the advantage Rooney's moment of clear-headed vision had given his team, the United boss was surely pondering a very different looking table.
United had been on the back foot initially, with Florent Malouda squandering the best chance and Fernando Torres' bright opening soon quelled.
But once Paul Scholes started to get a midfield grip, with Nani making Ivanovic appear the centre-half press-ganged into right back duties he was, and Darren Fletcher forcing Ashley "Shoot!" Cole back on the other flank, United were the only side in it.
Chelsea looked a mess, toothless in attack, horribly narrow in the middle, under pressure at the back where Luiz was constantly bailing out his colleagues and Rooney's goal was overdue.
Evra, crocked in the build-up to the equaliser, had earlier tried to find the striker when he should have gone for goal, while Rooney wasted a great chance after Nani bamboozled Ivanovic, the ball bouncing off his shoulder rather than his head.
But when Nani slipped him the ball on 29 minutes, Rooney ran a literal ring around Ivanovic before lining himself up as Lampard closed in too late, with 22-yarder skidding between Petr Cech and his right-hand upright.
Van Der Sar's save soon afterwards emphasised Cech's error but nine minutes after the break, Ivanovic nodded down Michael Essien's cross and Luiz angled his body to crash home.
Not bad for a man whose own £21m signing was so overshadowed by Torres' capture, although the Chelsea fans know the Ancelotti has finally replaced Ricardo Carvalho with a similar exponent of the Dark Arts.
Any doubts over that were soon ended as the bone-jarring challenges continued. Javier Hernandez was body-checked by the Brazilian, who was belatedly booked for a lunge into Rooney.
Rooney did miss United's two chances, sliding across the face of goal and then spinning off his marker to shoot at Cech but while Ferguson was still screaming blue murder over an unpunished cynical trip by Luiz on the England man, Zhirkov induced Smalling twitch as he darted forward.
Lampard thumped into the roof of the net, the Bridge erupted and while Vidic unwittingly deflected a Zhirkov strike onto the post, his injury-time foul on Ramires brought a second yellow from Atkinson.
No response this time. More away-day failings. And a big thank you from Arsene Wenger to Ancelotti. Game on.
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Sun:
Chelsea 2 Man United 1
By SHAUN CUSTIS
AFTER all the talk about that rifle in the Chelsea dressing room, it was United who ended up shooting themselves in the foot.
But boss Alex Ferguson was adamant referee Martin Atkinson helped pull the trigger as the Blues came back from a goal down to claim victory.
Fergie was gunning for Atkinson, claiming Chelsea centre-back David Luiz should have been sent off after a number of fouls culminating in a cynical chop on Wayne Rooney.
And he was steaming about what he felt was a soft penalty when Chris Smalling caught sub Yuri Zhirkov and Frank Lampard slammed in the winner from the spot.
The result gives fresh hope to Arsenal, who remain four points behind United but now have a game in hand.
Fergie knew that United were so in command in the first half they should have closed the game out.
Leading through Rooney's strike, they had the Blues where they wanted them and were taking another huge stride towards the Premier League crown.
But it all went wrong after the break as Luiz and Lampard turned the game round.
Just to complete United's misery, skipper Nemanja Vidic was sent off for a second yellow in added time which puts him out of Sunday's trip to Liverpool.
Fergie pronounced himself proud of his team's performance and this is no time for serious inquests.
It was only their second League defeat of the season and the destiny of the title remains in their own hands.
Carlo Ancelotti's men would appear to be too far off the pace to mount a late challenge of their own, being 12 points behind with a game in hand.
However, this season has been so unpredictable you wonder what twists and turns are in store.
At least the Blues are back in the Champions League qualifying places, which is the minimum expected, and they appear to have rediscovered their hunger.
Fernando Torres still cannot score. This was his fourth blank since his £50million move from Liverpool but that does not matter so much when the team wins.
All the same, he will be anxious to get off the mark, especially as defender Luiz, who signed at the same time, is already on the scoresheet.
Rooney and Ashley Cole had been under the microscope with Fergie surprisingly changing tack on TV before kick-off and admitting the striker was lucky to be playing after he elbowed Wigan's James McCarthy at the weekend.
Cole, of course, was the man who shot a work experience lad with an air rifle, which led to ironic chants of 'Shooooot!!' every time he got the ball last night, even when in his own half.
Rooney has not been having a good season, despite his stunning winner in the Manchester derby.
And the manner in which he messed up a free header early on summed up his frustrations.
Nani picked him out but Rooney mistimed it completely and the ball hit his right shoulder, bouncing away from danger.
But Rooney showed his class by firing in the 29th-minute opener.
Nani got loads of space to go forward and fed Rooney, who turned past Branislav Ivanovic with ease before unleashing a 20- yard shot low beyond Petr Cech.
It was no more than United deserved, although goodness knows what Ivanovic was doing.
The Chelsea man thought he had made up for his error five minutes before half-time when Lampard's free-kick was parried by Edwin van der Sar.
Ivanovic kneed the rebound goalwards only for Van der Sar to get a hand to it and Vidic chested off the line.
On 54 minutes though, Luiz got the equaliser. The Brazilian centre-back, signed for £23m, has impressed far more than Torres since the pair arrived.
He was lurking on the right-hand side of the box when Michael Essien's cross was headed on by Ivanovic and his volley flew beyond Van der Sar.
Ancelotti unleashed Didier Drogba in place of Nicolas Anelka as Chelsea went for the win and he was a real handful for the United defence.
Meanwhile, for all his qualities coming out of the back, Luiz was going round like a bull in a china shop, hacking down Javier Hernandez, getting booked for a foul on Rooney and then being lucky to survive upending Rooney again.
Then again, if the FA had done their job and banned Rooney for his elbow at Wigan, he would not have been playing anyway.
Smalling was not so fortunate to be given the benefit of the doubt with 12 minutes left as the ball bounced off him in the box and Zhirkov went over his trailing leg.
A penalty it was and Lampard did the rest.
Zhirkov almost got a third with a shot that hit the post. United had lost their composure now and sub Ryan Giggs, celebrating 20 years of first-team football and a record-equalling 606 League games, showed his frustration as he fouled Drogba and was booked.
Vidic got a second yellow for pulling back Ramires, having been booked earlier for blocking Essien.
Ref Atkinson is Chelsea's lucky charm. In 11 Blues games he has taken charge of they have won 10 and drawn one. If they can have him every week, they might still win the title.
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