Chelsea 3 Manchester United 1
Samuel Eto'o's hat-trick gives Jose Mourinho his 100th Premier League victory and creates more misery for David Moyes
Sam Wallace
Even Jose Mourinho, the man with a word or a gesture for every occasion, did not know where to look as Nemanja Vidic trudged in despair to the touchline after his red card in the closing stages of yet another Manchester United defeat.
The defending champions of England have become the embarrassing relative in the Premier League family; consistently letting themselves down on the big occasions, presiding over a shocking slide in standards and all of a sudden, the subject of pity rather than envy. Their rivals might even feel sorry for them if they were not so busy beating them.
Mourinho, a man given to mercilessly wringing out the last drop of advantage, did not bother to push Phil Dowd hard when it came to a foul worthy of a red card by Rafael Da Silva in the last few moments. All great generals have the knack of knowing when an opponent has been defeated and it certainly seemed that way with Mourinho, who was more disposed to sympathy towards United in his post-match press conference.
He threw some scraps United’s way: they had been the better team in the first 20 minutes of the game – that was true – and that Rafael’s reckless lunge at Gary Cahill was just a mark of frustration. There is no mileage in trying to psyche out a club that are 14 points off the top of the Premier League when he has much more serious rivals to contemplate.
This is where the United of 2014 currently rank in the concerns of the leading teams of the day. With four defeats in five in January, they are an after-thought. Mourinho delivered the bad news that the title race is now over for United with as much compassion as he could muster and a preface of “I am sure David won’t mind me saying ...” His logic was that while one of the top three could possibly blow up, not all of them would.
It was left to David Moyes to put a brave face on it all and talk about the scope of the “challenge” facing United. He blamed defeat on the “terrible defending” for the two set-pieces that led to the second and third goals of the hat-trick for Samuel Eto’o. But it is easier to reduce defeats like these to the details – the runner not tracked, the tackle missed – and ignore the bigger picture.
That picture is that once the effort of the opening stages was expended by United they never looked like finding a way back in. Without Wayne Rooney or Robin van Persie there is not that critical force which will place an opponent of the calibre of Chelsea under the kind of pressure that can break them. United pulled one back through the substitute Javier Hernandez but what they had was never going to be enough.
There were some good performances in the United team, from Danny Welbeck and Adnan Januzaj. Unfortunately for United, these are interesting little guitar solos compared to the might and discipline of Mourinho’s orchestra. This Chelsea team has the nous to dig in when the pressure is on, and the awareness to exploit the weaknesses of an opponent when the opportunity arises.
It was a great afternoon for Eto’o on the occasion of Mourinho’s 100th career Premier League win. His first goal came after an innocuous header away by Jonny Evans. On the right side, Eto’o seemed unsure where to go at first but when Phil Jones bought his dummy so easily he headed for goal and got a shot off as Michael Carrick came over to cover. The ball flicked up off the United midfielder and beat David De Gea at his far post.
Carrick had been one of the prime movers in a positive start for United. It was his ball out left to Ashley Young that created a chance within two minutes. Young exchanged passes with Welbeck on the left side of the area but, with a sight of goal, he could not get the ball past Petr Cech.
In those early stages United looked like a team responding to the demands of their manager to take charge of the game. Carrick stroked the ball around in the centre of midfield, Januzaj would later tie David Luiz up in knots and then slot the ball perfectly across the penalty area where, typically for United, no-one was waiting.
There was more misfortune later in the first half for United when Cesar Azpilicueta took away Welbeck’s standing foot as the forward was in the act of shooting. To Welbeck’s credit he managed to get a shot away and Moyes said later that a penalty on that occasion would have been “soft”.
The second Chelsea goal just before half-time was the first of those abject defensive episodes. Welbeck’s clearance from a corner fell to Ramires who pushed the ball out to Gary Cahill on the right and his cross was turned in relatively easily by Eto’o. The cameras picked out Rafael’s meander away from the left side he should have been defending, but in truth the whole United defence was woefully ineffective.
At that point it became critical for Moyes. Four minutes after half-time, Cahill won a header unopposed which De Gea just about saved with his elbow. With Valencia preoccupied with trying to wrestle Eto’o out of contention, the Chelsea striker prodded the ball into the goal.
The afternoon had begun with United fans baiting Mourinho over missing out on succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson; to which he responded with a cursory wave. By the end it was all about Moyes and the Chelsea fans who sang “we want you to stay”. As his team regrouped after the third goal they looked crushed. Patrice Evra hobbled off. The game was up.
Mourinho later acknowledged that United fought back bravely. Hernandez poked in Jones’ shot after excellent work from Welbeck. There was tiredness in Chelsea’s legs and Mourinho opted to send on the giant Nemanja Matic to shore up a five-man midfield. In the meantime, Fernando Torres, another substitute, sustained a knee ligament injury that could rule him out for a month.
The red card for Vidic for his tackle on Eden Hazard in the closing stages and Rafael’s subsequent rush of blood just added to the theme of raggedness about United. They need Rooney and Van Persie back as soon as possible but when it comes to making good, that really is only the start.
Chelsea: (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Luiz; Willian (Matic, 85), Oscar (Mikel, 68), Hazard; Eto’o (Torres, 79).
Substitutes not used: Schwarzer (gk), Cole, Lampard, Mata.
Manchester United (4-4-1-1): De Gea; R Da Silva, Vidic, Evans, Evra (Smalling, 51); Valencia, Carrick, Jones, Young (Hernandez, 56); Januzaj; Welbeck.
Substitutes not used: Lindegaard (gk), Giggs, Cleverley, Fletcher, Kagawa.
Referee: P Dowd
Booked: Manchester United Young
Sent off: Vidic
Man of the match: Eto’o
Rating: 6/10
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Guardian:
Chelsea's Samuel Eto'o hits hat-trick as Manchester United lose Vidic
Chelsea 3 Man Utd 1
Daniel Taylor
There was a moment, before it became apparent they were about to be subjected to another considerable ordeal, when Manchester United's supporters could be heard reminding José Mourinho of the common suspicion that he had once harboured strong ambitions for David Moyes's job. The Chelsea manager responded with a smile and a little wave, then settled back to watch his team inflict another grievous setback to Moyes's first season at this level. He might as well have made a "w" for "whatever" with his fingers.
Mourinho batted away the insults with the kind of nonchalance with which his players would find a way through the opposition defence. "David Moyes, we want you to stay," Chelsea's fans piped up in response, echoing a song that has become part of the soundtrack to United's season. The champions, 14 points off the top of the Premier League, have been stranded and, from here, nobody can be sure they have the personnel to clamber into the Champions League places.
No one ever assumed it was going to be easy for Moyes but seven defeats in 22 league games still represents an ignominious haul and, for the latest, they helped to transport Samuel Eto'o back to the days when he used to menace the world's most accomplished defences. Mourinho was asked afterwards about the title race and mentioned six clubs, including Everton, Liverpool and Spurs. United were an afterthought and Moyes sounded like a man going through the motions when he insisted he would not give up.
Eto'o will prize the match ball after a hat-trick that acted as a throwback to his younger days. United, all the same, were obliging opponents. They are entitled to have grievances about Nemanja Vidic's late red card, when a booking would have been sufficient for his scything challenge on Eden Hazard, but they were also extremely fortunate Rafael da Silva did not follow him in stoppage time for his two-footed tackle on Gary Cahill. The bigger picture is that a team with their ambitions cannot defend this generously and expect to get away with it. Chelsea played with knowhow; United lacked it.
Chelsea did not even have to reach their most illuminating heights to win convincingly. Mourinho's team withstood some early pressure and there were flashes of excellence that reminded everyone why Adnan Januzaj is attracting so much acclaim, but in other departments the home side were superior. Hazard, Oscar and Willian flickered only sporadically, but this was a victory for their organisation and togetherness. Chelsea are back to within two points of the leaders, Arsenal, and have won six straight games. Mourinho is also showing, once again, his qualities as a manager of rare achievement.
A lot of people would have been surprised to see Eto'o even make the starting line-up ahead of Fernando Torres. The late injury for Torres, damaging knee ligaments after coming on as a substitute, ensures the Cameroonian an extended run.
His first goal, after 17 minutes, was a reminder of the old Eto'o, as he changed direction, cut in from the right and curled a left-foot shot over David de Gea, courtesy of a small yet crucial deflection off Michael Carrick's boot. Eto'o had made his own good fortune, eluding Phil Jones and letting fly with a shot few would have dared to attempt. Jones looked as though his feet were stuck in treacle and the breakthrough came at a crucial time for Chelsea. As Mourinho admitted, they had been slow to settle into the match.
Missing Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, United at least have the basis of an excuse for why they are not the attacking force of old. They are far too reliant on the 18-year-old Januzaj and, again, there was more evidence about the shortcomings of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young in wide positions.
Yet it must be troubling for Moyes that his defence looks so vulnerable. Eto'o's hat-trick goal, four minutes into the second half, emanated from a straightforward corner, a free header for Cahill and a question of who would be first to the rebound after the ball had spun off De Gea. It was only moments before that Valencia had realised Eto'o was unmarked inside the six-yard area and sprinted back to cover him. Yet Eto'o showed the greater anticipation and intent and easily held him off.
Moyes used the word "terrible" to describe it and he must have been appalled as well by the goal that made it 2-0. Again, it came from a corner. Danny Welbeck cleared the first ball but Ramires simply rolled it back into the penalty area and Eto'o was unmarked to turn in Cahill's low centre.
In between the first two goals, United had legitimate reasons to be aggrieved about the way César Azpilicueta came through the back of Welbeck when he was inside the six-yard area and shaping to shoot after John Terry's one lapse of the match. A penalty at that stage would have meant a red card and possibly changed the entire complexion of the match.
Instead, the 78th-minute goal for the substitute Javier Hernández, applying the finishing touch to Jones's shot, was largely irrelevant. United are no longer a team who can rely on late feats of escapology. Vidic's final contribution smacked of frustration and Mourinho killed them with flattery afterwards. He wanted them to finish in the top four, he said, but only because it would mean them taking points off teams with genuine title aspirations.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/gallery/2014/jan/19/chelsea-manchester-united-picture-gallery
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Telegraph:
Chelsea 3 Manchester United 1
By Henry Winter, at Stamford Bridge
Jose Mourinho headed to the Savoy after this comfortable victory, receiving a special tribute night from the Football Writers’ Association, but his team hardly needed to put on the Ritz to put Manchester United to the sword. In second gear throughout, Mourinho’s side were just too organised defensively, a contrast to the visitors, and just too intelligent tactically for United.
That was what should hurt the champions most. Chelsea did not need to be special to win. Adding to the pain, Mourinho offered United his sympathy afterwards, saying the game had been closer. Such pitying almost indicated that Mourinho did not see United as rivals any more, certainly not in the Premier League where David Moyes’s side now lie 14 points behind the leaders Arsenal.
With Roman Abramovich grinning, and David Beckham grimacing, United’s defence of their title ended here as their embarrassing defence dissolved in the face of the 32-year-old Samuel Eto’o, who went home with a huge smile and the match ball.
As Sir Alex Ferguson and Mick Hucknall looked on, United slumped to their fourth loss out of five in January, checking into a heartbreak hotel as Mourinho prepared for the Savoy.
United need a substantial change of personnel and attitude. Of those starting at the Bridge, only David De Gea, Rafael da Silva, Phil Jones, Michael Carrick, Adnan Januzaj and Danny Welbeck are worth keeping. They badly missed the injured Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie but it is the defence most urgently needing to be rebuilt with Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra expected to leave.
Jones needs embedding in at centre-half with Rafael to his right, a high-class centre-half alongside him and someone of Luke Shaw’s quality at left-back.
Central midfield has long required a dynamo, a player of guile and goals. If Rooney departs in the summer as expected, United will also need to strengthen there. It will not be cheap.
The fact remains that United generate fortunes with official sponsors ranging from a motorcycle partner in Thailand to an official noodles partner for Asia, Oceania and the Middle East, from Mr Potato to the Hong Kong Jockey Club. A powerful brand name must now help make a struggling squad powerful again.
Reports that the Glazer family, United’s owners, are now looking at the possibility of a £600 million bond issue to reduce their interest repayments was reflected in one banner held up by United fans in the Shed: “£600m reasons your time is up. Glazers out now. MUFC”.
United’s fans were defiant amid the gloom, telling Mourinho to “sit down” and chanting “Jose Mourinho, you wanted this job”. He would probably have shaped United’s unbalanced squad into a more effective team than Moyes has. Mourinho is an alchemist, improving players. Eden Hazard is a consistently effective force, tracking back as well as attacking. Willian is more imposing. He has revived John Terry.
Mourinho’s judgment was questioned when he brought in Eto’o but it has proved a masterstroke. Mourinho even raised eyebrows when starting Eto’o ahead of Fernando Torres here but only glasses were being raised to his perspicacity at the end. He explained that Eto’o was better at “movement in small spaces” while Torres needed more space.
The Cameroonian’s first goal arrived after 17 minutes. United had actually started well.
Ashley Young was denied by Petr Cech but the champions were soon caught out. Eto’o collected a headed clearance from Jonny Evans, a dummy took Jones out of the way, opening the space up. Eto’o shot left-footed, the ball hitting the sliding Carrick and looping up and in past De Gea.
United still hinted at a goal. Evra hustled Oscar into surrendering the ball but shot into the side-netting. Januzaj, moving briefly away from his unsuccessful role in the hole, then crossed from the left. Welbeck was caught by César Azpilicueta as he shot but Phil Dowd waved play on.
Mistakes and poor marking bedevilled United. Just before half-time, United only half-cleared a corner and then failed to push out.
Chelsea poured back in. Ramires fed Gary Cahill, who whipped the ball across and Eto’o, given the freedom of the United box, swept his second past De Gea from 10 yards out.
Two became three for Eto’o four minutes after half-time.
Willian curled the ball in and Cahill was left free by Evans. De Gea somehow kept Cahill’s header out but as Antonio Valencia dithered, Eto’o was quickest to the loose ball, stabbing it over the line.
The history books needed updating. Eto’o became the first Chelsea player to score a hat-trick against United since 1955 and only the fourth player to net a Premier League hat-trick against United after David Bentley (for Blackburn Rovers, 2006), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool, 2011) and Romelu Lukaku (for West Bromwich Albion in 2013).
Eto’o also struck for Barcelona in their 2009 Champions League final win against United in Rome and he may have compromised their chances of even qualifying for the competition next season.
There was a response of sorts from United, the tireless Welbeck running into the box, cutting the ball back to Jones, whose shot was turned in by Javier Hernández. It was the most hollow of consolations.
They will now miss Vidic for three games after he was dismissed late on for scything down Hazard while Rafael was fortunate not to follow his captain down the tunnel for a two-footed lunge on Cahill. Such indiscipline was borne of frustration and Moyes needs to instil greater leadership into the dressing-room.
The painful fact remains for Moyes that Chelsea were better organised, more in tune with their manager’s tactical demands. In orchestrating his 100th Premier League victory, Mourinho’s ability to prepare teams tactically for the most demanding challenges is arguably unrivalled currently.
Moyes has yet to acquire such knowledge; with United and while at Everton, Moyes has yet to win in the Premier League at Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and United (while at Everton) in 48 attempts.
Yet his United side have progressed promisingly in Europe this season. Moyes is a good manager requiring patience and money. He will continue to be backed by the board, and it is to be hoped backed powerfully in the summer transfer window when more A-list talents are for sale.
Moyes has to be allowed to build his own squad, a reality that may take a couple of years, and United’s board will have to hold their nerve through continued storm clouds. Encouragingly for Moyes, there was not a hint of rebellion amongst United supporters here.
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Mail:
Chelsea 3 Man United 1: Eto'o hat-trick hands Blues impressive win as Moyes' men fail another test
By Martin Samuel
There was no knee slide this time, no joyous arm-whirling sprint along the touchline. If we didn’t know him better, it was almost as if Jose Mourinho’s victory over Manchester United yesterday was, well, expected.
Chelsea defeated the champions as if they were inferiors. They held a two-goal cushion at half-time, added to it soon after the break and then, the challenge over, sloppily conceded a late goal to afford the illusion of contention. In reality, Chelsea were, at vital moments, a significant distance ahead.
At 3-0 they could have risked more in search of greater emphasis in the scoreline but Mourinho is not Manuel Pellegrini. He has little interest in chasing milestones or landslide victories. Once Samuel Eto’o had scored his third — the first Chelsea hat-trick against United since Seamus O’Connell in the 1954-55 title-winning season — Mourinho seemed happy to let his team see out the game in comfort. His substitutions, John Mikel Obi for Oscar in particular, were about preservation not annihilation.
It made United appear better than they were. In spells, they had the best of the play, but Chelsea won the key passages. When Chelsea dominated, they scored. United, by contrast, were kept at arm’s length. Only Adnan Januzaj looked capable of getting into Mourinho’s team and he is still young enough for Chelsea’s old sweats to gang up on him, which they did. United missed Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie — who wouldn’t? — but that was not the reason they lost. Defensive weakness allowed Chelsea to set the agenda here, and that is a part of the game that is supposed to be David Moyes’s strength.
O’Connell was a non-League player with Bishop Auckland and, on the day of the United game, a club official was sent to meet him at King’s Cross station. Unable to make contact, the official retired to the platform cafe and told his forlorn tale to a young stranger carrying a brown paper parcel — who turned out to be O’Connell. The pair got to Stamford Bridge, via taxi, in the nick of time. O’Connell scored a hat-trick, Chelsea lost 6-5.
Eto’o’s route to Stamford Bridge was similarly circuitous. He was the stop gap, the afterthought, the man considered too old to be much of a threat in the Premier League. Tell that to United. What they wouldn’t have given yesterday for a finisher of Eto’o’s quality.
Danny Welbeck was a pale imitation of what was required. In the second minute, he set up Ashley Young for a good chance that Petr Cech saved and in the 38th minute only a last-ditch tackle by Cesar Azpilicueta stopped him, but only when Chelsea’s ambitions lowered did United threaten greatly.
Welbeck had a header from a Januzaj corner in the 69th minute, but missed that, too. Each time the anguish on the United bench contrasted with Mourinho’s ease.
Eto’o was Welbeck’s opposite, performing acts of alchemy. Chelsea had barely been in the game when he opened the scoring after 17 minutes, a goal created by his persistence and United’s negligence.
It is possible to speculate that Eto’o would still be running with the ball now had he not planted it in the net, via a deflection off Michael Carrick, such was United’s aversion to applying pressure or stifling space.
Eto’o collected the ball, ran out to the right, was untroubled by Patrice Evra or Phil Jones, cut back inside, continued to avoid traffic and eventually tried a shot which clipped Carrick and looped over David De Gea.
Chelsea did not deserve to be ahead at the time — but they made the most of it from there.
Willian hit a corner, met by Gary Cahill at the near post, that flew across the face of goal. Branislav Ivanovic had a powerful shot and Oscar an overhead volley from close range, following an Eto’o opportunity that ricocheted. In the final minute of the first half, United slumbered again — and Chelsea took an unassailable advantage.
Another Willian corner was cleared before Ramires put the ball back in to Cahill on the right side of the penalty area. His cross found Eto’o, who reacted quicker than Nemanja Vidic, leaving De Gea no chance from close range.
Within four minutes of the second-half restart, Chelsea had closed the game out after more calamitous defending from United at a set play. Again, a Willian corner was a prelude to carnage as Cahill met the ball unmarked, De Gea saved desperately with an elbow and Eto’o got to the ball before Antonio Valencia to send Stamford Bridge into delirium.
Valencia might have beaten Eto’o in the challenge had he not got on the wrong side, and he might not have got on the wrong side had he chosen to mark properly and make a tackle, rather than engage in another pointless round of Strictly Come Penalty Area
Valencia’s decision to clasp Eto’o allowed him to be spun around to a position of ineffectuality, and the game was lost. God knows what Len would have made of it, let alone Craig.
Substitute Javier Hernandez pulled a goal back from a pass by Jones in the 78th minute, but it was another United mirage. Aside from a header from Hernandez, directed straight at Cech in the 90th minute, there was no grandstand finish from the champions.
The biggest events in the minutes that followed were a red card for Vidic and a lucky escape for right back Rafael.
Moyes thought Vidic was treated harshly in the first minute of added time and, initially, it looked no more than a lousy tackle worthy of a booking. But replays showed the reckless intent of United’s captain in delivering a foul both late and high that could have caused Eden Hazard serious injury.
Moyes conceded Rafael could have been similarly dismissed but referee Phil Dowd clearly had no appetite for reducing United to nine, so only showed a yellow for a two-footed airborne and late tackle on Cahill two minutes later. As a card was issued, the FA will take no further action; an irony considering Cahill could have been kicked out of the World Cup at that moment.
Moyes put defeat down to the defending at set pieces and Mourinho has now mastered the art of patronising defeated managers, so left him to his illusion. The brutal reality is United are no longer a huge scalp this season. Moyes has won one game as United manager against the top nine clubs in the Premier League, and Wednesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final second leg against Sunderland has taken on incongruous importance.
Mourinho made a quick getaway to a reception at the Savoy Hotel in his honour. It was a bigger celebration than any seen at Stamford Bridge — and that should hurt United most of all.
===============
Mirror:
Chelsea 3-1 Manchester United: Samuel Eto'o nets hat-trick as hosts dispatch below-par champions
By Martin Lipton
The veteran striker struck three times to condemn David Moyes' side to another galling defeat
One hundred Premier League wins for Jose Mourinho, Chelsea with their eyes on the main prize.
But the game looks up for United. And it could get worse before it starts getting better.
As Stamford Bridge roared with delight last night, Mourinho wore a satisfied smile, David Moyes a look of sheer disbelief.
Yet with Samuel Eto’o making his manager’s big selection call look like genius, this felt like a defining moment for both these sides.
For Chelsea, simply better in every department until they declared with half an hour to go, this was merely a staging post in their journey.
Their rivals are Arsenal and Manchester City, a three-cornered fight for the glittering trophy, a battle royal between a trio finding their best form at the critical moment.
For Moyes and United, finishing with 10 men after Nemanja Vidic’s reckless leap into Eden Hazard – and lucky it wasn’t nine following Rafael da Silva’s two-footer on Gary Cahill – it looked more like a symbol of their decline.
That, though, is not Chelsea’s fault. It does not matter that this United side is rapidly becoming a pale shadow of the ones built by Sir Alex Ferguson.
They are still, as the Blues boss warned, Manchester United – still a team that evokes concern. But last night, as Mourinho prepared to be feted at the Football Writers’ Association gala dinner at The Savoy, his side fed on United’s carcass, with gluttonous delight.
This was a game that showed the gulf. Once United’s initial spark disappeared, all too quickly, they were simply bypassed, scared witless by the pace and brio of Hazard, Mouirinho’s Premier League century racked up in just 142 games.
The Belgian, though, was not alone as only Adnan Januzaj appeared in the same class as Mourinho’s men.
Oscar was terrific, a constant fizz-ball of energy and intelligence, Willian a menace every time he got the ball.
And Eto’o’s predatory hat-trick, two close-range finishes after his deflected opener, merely demonstrated, once again, how desperate United are reliant on the absent Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.
Maybe, had Ashley Young converted his early chance after a one-two with Danny Welbeck, had Eto’o’s opener deflected off Michael Carrick into David De Gea’s hands, rather than the top corner, it might have been different.
But probably not. When it mattered, when Chelsea found their game and went through the gears, they had far, far too much for United.
The opener, 17 minutes in, summed things up. Jonny Evans headed to Eto’o, who had, seemingly, nowhere to go, first drifting right before realising Patrice Evra and Phil Jones were sleeping.
Jones was bypassed far too easily, Carrick’s reaction far too late, De Gea beaten by the arc of the ball.
Fortunate, perhaps, but with Mourinho in his pomp, Chelsea went for the jugular, Hazard at times unplayable, although Januzaj rolled across goal after picking David Luiz’s pocket.
But, in the final minute of the half, the killer blow, when a corner was cleared as far as Ramires, who picked out a simple ball to find Cahill in a huge hole in the United inside-left channel.
The defender teased across and Vidic was barely in the same postcode as Eto’o – chosen ahead of Fernando Torres – stroked home.
If that was bad, the third, straight after the break, was worse after Oscar and Eto’o combined to win a corner from nothing. Cahill, standing on the six-yard line, barely jumped, utterly unmarked to nod through De Gea’s legs, and while the ball ricocheted back off his trailing elbow, Eto’o could not miss.
Had Chelsea wanted to, they could have piled on the misery. Instead, Mourinho opted to ease off the throttle, sub Javier Hernandez getting the final touch from Jones’ shot after Welbeck burst into the box.
It was irrelevant in the greater context, and United will rue Vidic’s three-game ban for his needless stoppage-time lunge on Hazard, and feel relieved Rafael did not suffer the same fate.
Chelsea, though, are developing the old Mourinho momentum. They are looking up. They are coming. They are ready to pounce.
==================
Express:
Chelsea 3 - Man Utd 1: Samuel Eto'o treble sends Blues on their way
JOSE MOURINHO keeps insisting this Chelsea is a work in progress, a project, a thing to be tinkered with and the kinks ironed out.
By: Tony Banks
Perhaps he is pulling the wool over our eyes.
Chelsea were already title contenders before this consummate command performance, though reckoned by most to be only on the tails of Manchester City and Arsenal.
Now any doubters will know. Mourinho’s team are the real deal.
Of course, this Manchester United are a wounded, hobbling beast compared to the formidable animal of old. Only at the beginning and end of this humbling afternoon did they show any of the fire of recent times.
But they still have to be beaten, and in some style bar a late, late stutter, Chelsea did that in style to give Mourinho his 100th league win as a Chelsea manager.
Samuel Eto’o has had his critics since his expensive summer arrival from Anzhi Makhachkala, but his hat-trick here is something the 32-year-old and many Chelsea fans will remember for a long time.
David Moyes’ dreadful season took a turn into even more grim territory at Stamford Bridge. Yes, there was a late Javier Hernandez goal, but United ended the game with 10 men after Nemanja Vidic was sent off for an awful injury-time tackle on the irrepressible Eden Hazard.
And it could have been still worse – Rafael should have gone too for a lunge on Gary Cahill.
This morning United are 12 points behind Chelsea, 14 off the top, with 16 games to go. The title is long gone, and a top-four place looks a mighty long way away.
United have now lost four of their five games in 2014, but it is the manner of this comprehensive defeat that will strike a chord of fear into Old Trafford.
United started well, but as soon as Chelsea scored they folded – something they never used to do.
At no point did they have any answer to the searing pace and skill of the electric Hazard, Willian, Oscar or Ramires. Even the old boy Eto’o was too much for their rocky defence.
Time and again Chelsea sprang out of defence with a venom and speed which left United’s sluggish midfield trailing in their wake. In Hazard, Chelsea probably have the most electric player in Europe on their hands right now.
Without either Wayne Rooney or Robin van Persie it was always going to be hard for Moyes’ men to have the edge. They did though start with intent, as Ashley Young tested Petr Cech with a sharp drive.
But Chelsea steadied, rode the storm, and struck. Eto’o gathered the ball on the right, meandered inside and as no challenge came, fired in a shot that deflected off Michael Carrick into the far corner.
Chelsea won every loose ball and were first to every challenge, and even though Patrice Evra and then Adnan Januzaj went close, and Danny Welbeck shot straight at Cech and could possibly have had a penalty for Cesar Azpilicueta’s challenge, they were now in control.
Oscar should have scored from Eto’o’s flick, but seconds before the break they struck again. United failed to clear a corner, Ramires found Cahill in acres of space, and Eto’o steered in his low cross. Game over.
Three minutes after the break, yet another corner exposed United’s woeful defending. Willian’s kick was nodded down by the unmarked Cahill, David De Gea somehow kept the ball out with his elbow, but Eto’o was on hand to stab home the rebound.
Humiliation looked on the cards for Moyes and his men. United were shapeless, ragged and lost. Only Januzaj provided any threat.
But Chelsea relaxed with the game won, Oscar went off, and United had their late flurry. Welbeck pulled the ball back, Phil Jones shot low, and Hernandez from six yards out steered it past Cech. It was no more than a consolation.
Moyes has never beaten Mourinho as a manager, and he was thoroughly out-witted here. Once Chelsea settled into their game their strikes were lethal, but just as importantly, Mourinho has instilled a steeliness and ruthlessness into this team, as he has done with all his best sides.
At one point earlier in the season, sloppy goals were being given away, points surrendered. Those traits are now ironed out – this was a sixth win in a row in all competitions.
Mourinho left for a glowing tribute night at the Savoy hotel in the Strand hosted by the Football Writers’ Association, Moyes for his own lonely cloud of gloom.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 7; Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7; Luiz 7, Ramires 7; Willian 7 (Matic 85), Oscar 7 (Mikel 67, 6), Hazard 7; Eto’o 8 (Torres 79). Booked: Luiz. Goals: Eto’o 17, 45, 48.
Man Utd (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6; Rafael 6, Evans 5, Vidic 5, Evra 5 (Smalling 51, 6); Jones 6, Carrick 5; Valencia 6, Jasuzaj 6, Young 5 (Hernandez 55, 6); Welbeck 5. Booked: Young, Valencia, Rafael. Sent off: Vidic. Goal: Hernandez 78.
Referee: Phil Dowd.
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Star:
Chelsea 3 - Man United 1: Champions in disarray as Samuel Eto'o hat-trick downs Moyes' men
SAMUEL ETO’O grabbed a hat-trick yesterday as Manchester United really did play like sleeping giants.
By David Woods
That was how Jose Mourinho described the champions on Friday.
And he was proved spot on as David Moyes’ dopes put to bed any lingering notion they are capable of retaining their crown.
With Sir Alex Ferguson watching, and listening, at Stamford Bridge, United produced another dismal defensive display, which sparked Blues fans to sing over and over that they want Moyes to stay.
United languish in seventh, 14 points off leaders Arsenal - and with 21 less than they had after 22 games last season. It is the fewest points they have ever had at this stage of a Premier League season.
Eto’o may be 33 three weeks today, but age has not taken away his goal-scoring prowess. The previous time he faced United was for Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League final, when he scored the first in Rome in a 2-0 victory.
Yesterday his treble saw the Londoners claw back to two points off the Gunners and one behind second-placed Manchester City.
It was Mourinho’s 100th Premier League win in 141 games, making the Portuguese coach the fastest ever to reach the landmark.
Amazingly, United started far the brighter as they tried to prove Moyes right after he claimed on Friday his team remained the biggest in the world.
Less than two minutes had gone when Ashley Young and Danny Welkeck played a smart one-two in the box following an excellent ball in from Michael Carrick.
The angle for his shot was tight for Young but, by lifting the ball off the ground, he made it easier for Petr Cech to dive and parry.
With Adnan Januzaj buzzing, they looked a major threat, but then Chelsea scored in the 17th minute, much to the shock of just about everyone.
Like all three goals, it was down to United frailties at the back. Eto’o, on the right flank, cut in and shimmied past a dithering Phil Jones, then lined up an angled drive with his left foot.
His 25-yard attempt was well struck but took a big deflection off the outstretched leg of Carrick, causing the ball to loop over the dive of David De Gea and nestle in the top-right corner of the keeper’s net.
Moyes’ men were unfortunate in the 31st minute when Januzaj left David Luiz trailing in the box with a couple of turns, then squared across goal.
But, with no Robin van Persie or Wayne Rooney. no United player had gambled on getting into a tap-in position.
Welbeck had a great chance to score in the 38th minute when another excellent ball in from the left by Januzaj was missed by Gary Cahill.
It landed at the feet of the England striker just six yards out, but under pressure from Cesar Azpilicueta he could only side foot weakly, allowing Cech to save.
Welbeck might have had a case for a penalty as the Spanish full back caught his standing leg as he shot.
Eto’o was sharper in the 45th minute. Ramires picked out Cahill who had stayed up after a corner and, with the backtracking Young nowhere near, him the centreback was able to pick out the Cameroon star in the box, as Nemanja Vidic was also failing to do his marking job.
Eto’s slotted home with a sidefoot to register the 300th goal of his career and claimed his third in the 48th minute.
Willian’s corner from the right was met by Cahill and although De Gea was able to keep the ball out as it bounced against an elbow, Eto’o beat Antonio Valencia to bundle in.
Being second to important balls was pretty much a theme of the afternoon for United.
Welbeck headed wide from a Januzaj corner and United did at least get a goal in the 78th minute.
Welbeck burst in the box and picked out Jones and his attempted shot found substitute Javier Hernandez, who poked home from close range.
But it went from bad for United when their frustrated skipper Vidic was shown a straight red in stoppage-time by referee Phil Dowd, for scything down Eden Hazard.
It was harsh - especially as it means a three-match ban - but equally it was a stupid and pointless challenge.
Rafael could then have joined him for a leaping, two-footed challenge on Cahill, only being spared because he got full contact on the ball.
It was an ugly end to a dreadful day for miserable Moyes and his so-called giants, who have been cut down to size big-time this season.
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