Manchester United 4-0

Independent:

Chelsea 4 Manchester United 0

Jose Mourinho has side stuck in reverse as Blues hit top gear to run riot
Pedro's goal after 29 seconds set the tone for a quick and dangerous Chelsea side against a laboured and predictable United that have serious problems

Mark Ogden

Awful, shambolic, clueless and humiliated, but definitely not special.
Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s Special One, is looking very ordinary at Manchester United, but it took a 4-0 hammering against his old team at Stamford Bridge to expose the magnitude of the job he now has on his hands at Old Trafford.

By the end of his first return to Chelsea with United, the Stamford Bridge crowd were sarcastically chanting Mourinho’s name and giving out ‘oles’ as Antonio Conte’s team stroked the ball around against their shell-shocked opponents.
Mourinho has landed into a black hole at United. He has inherited a team which cannot defend properly or attack with intent.

It is a team bereft of top quality, with expensive additions such as Paul Pogba repeatedly failing to shine and Henrikh Mkhitaryan seemingly already ostracised to a life outside the squad.
Mourinho had insisted United would challenge for the title this season, but this defeat leaves them five points adrift of the top four and facing a battle to qualify for the Champions League.

Chelsea, meanwhile, having romped to victory with goals from Pedro, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante are beginning to look the team Mourinho guided to the title just 18 months ago.
There was a certainly a flatness to Mourinho ahead of this game; none of the old bravado, just a quiet, respectful tone, almost as though this fixture was an ordeal that he simply had to endure.

Within Stamford Bridge, it was also muted. With this game falling close to the 20th anniversary of the tragic death of Matthew Harding, the former Chelsea director, all banners relating to Mourinho and the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard were removed, with only those referring to Harding visible around the stadium.

So there was no Mourinho reception, not even a polite applause as he took his seat.
He was out of it less than a minute later, mind you, thanks to an awful defensive misunderstanding between Daley Blind and Chris Smalling gifting Chelsea their opening goal through Pedro after just 29 seconds.

Mourinho had obviously sent his team out with a strict game-plan, but it was in shreds once Pedro – who came close to signing for United prior to his arrival at Chelsea from Barcelona last season – stroked the ball into the net.

Marcos Alonso’s ball from left-back should have posed no trouble to the United defence, but Smalling allowed it to run behind him, mistakenly believing that Blind was in place to clear.
Blind hesitated, created a gap between himself and Smalling and allowed Pedro to snatch the ball before rounding the stranded David De Gea in the United goal.
Mourinho reacted without reaction. He was motionless in the technical area, projecting a mask of indifference when he must have been seething inside.

It was an awful way to concede and Blind, once again preferred at left-back ahead of Luke Shaw, who was not even on the bench, proceeded to have a terrible first-half.
At one stage, Mourinho made his way to the technical area when the Dutchman was taking a throw-in, simply to pat him on the back in reassurance.

United, with the injured Wayne Rooney also not making the squad, attempted to respond quickly after Pedro’s opener, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic saw a shot blocked by David Luiz before he headed another chance over the bar from six yards.

The Swedish forward started the season well, but he is now looking as though he is feeling the pace of the Premier League after three years of rather less intensity in France with Paris Saint-Germain.
Ibrahimovic embodied United’s attacking efforts in contrast to Chelsea’s. They were laboured and predictable, while Chelsea were quick and dangerous and the home team’s second came on 21 minutes following another defensive lapse by United.
Ander Herrera failed to clear a Victor Moses corner and the ball dropped to Cahill, who volleyed home from six yards.

United responded again, with Marcus Rashford seeing a shot blocked by Cesar Azpilicueta, but Mourinho will have watched his team and worried about their predictability.
And at the other end, Blind continued to suffer his nightmare, losing possession to Pedro before being rescued by a crucial De Gea save.
That was the signal for Mourinho to turn to his substitutes, sending them out to warm up, three at a time.

Ten years ago, during his first spell in charge of Chelsea, Mourinho would have thought nothing of making the change there and then, but he waited until the interval to replace Marouane Fellaini – hurt by a wild knee-high challenge by David Luiz – with Juan Mata.

Mourinho could have made three changes quite easily. Stamford Bridge has never been a happy hunting ground for United – Sir Alex Ferguson’s treble winners lost 5-0 here just five months after lifting the European Cup in 1999 – but the Portuguese will have been dismayed by his team’s meek surrender.

Mata’s introduction enabled United to at least enjoy more control and possession of the ball early in the second-half, but it was soft possession and Chelsea were hardly troubled as the visitors passed and passed, but barely troubled Thibaut Courtois.

Pogba, the £89m midfielder, was anonymous again, doing little to justify his exorbitant fee, with Nemanja Matic and Kante tying him in knots in the centre of the pitch.
Hazard was just as anonymous as Pogba under Mourinho for Chelsea last season, but the Belgian was outstanding in front of his former manager and it was he who set the seal on United’s defeat.
The Chelsea number ten began the move on the edge of the United box, cutting onto his right foot before laying the ball off to Kante.

Kante then fed Matic, who returned the ball to Hazard inside the penalty area. Hazard took a touch, moved the ball outside Smalling and passed it into the net. Game over.
But while the game was won, Chelsea hadn’t stopped inflicting the pain on Mourinho, with Kante inflicting another wound on 70 minutes with their fourth.

Kante, supposedly a destroyer, displayed true flair by dancing around the hopeless Smalling before guiding the ball past De Gea.

Chelsea, having wobbled with heavy defeats against Liverpool and Arsenal, are now beginning to motor under Conte.
But Mourinho still has not been able to get United out of reverse.

Teams

Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill, Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso, Pedro (Chalobah, 71), Diego Costa (Batshuayi, 78), Hazard (Willian, 78). Substitutes not used: Begovic, Aina, Terry, Oscar.

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly (Rojo, 52), Smalling, Blind, Herrera, Fellaini (Mata, 45), Lingard (Martial, 65), Pogba, Rashford, Ibrahimovic. Substitutes not used: Romero, Darmian, Carrick, Young.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Attendance: 41, 424

==================

Telegraph:

Chelsea 4 Man Utd 0: Jose Mourinho suffers nightmare return as Eden Hazard-inspired hosts run riot

Jason Burt
 
Jose Mourinho arrived to block out the emotions but Manchester United calamitously failed to block out Chelsea as their manager was embarrassed on his return to Stamford Bridge. Utterly, unconditionally humiliated. The 'Humiliated One', in fact.

This was an embarrassing scoreline, an embarrassing performance and embarrassing tactics from United. It was the kind of display that should lead to a reckoning with abject contributions from the likes of world-record signing Paul Pogba, Daley Blind, Marouane Fellaini and stand-in captain Chris Smalling. “You’re not special anymore,” sang the Chelsea fans briefly during the first-half and there was nothing special about Mourinho or United.

For Chelsea this was a sweet victory; or rather a sweet and complete rout as Mourinho suffered his biggest ever defeat in the Premier League. Chelsea were ‘at it’ from the off – scoring after just 30 seconds – and rarely relented. Their manager Antonio Conte simply does not allow that and this is the clearest evidence yet that things are coming together under the demanding, meticulous Italian as they moved into the top four.

How different this was to Mourinho’s previous return to the Bridge, in 2010, when he claimed an imperious triumph on his way to winning the Champions League with Inter Milan in a result that holed another Italian manager, Carlo Ancelotti. Then Mourinho appeared at the height of his powers; a master of the universe; a forceful reminder of what Chelsea let go. Here he seemed powerless in his technical area as he surveyed the carnage.

Mourinho will also have seen the keen motivation of some of the players he left behind at Chelsea, and others he has previously dealt with, when he was sacked last December after that remarkable meltdown. And so it was no surprise that Eden Hazard scored, that Diego Costa played well as did David Luiz while two others not given a chance by Mourinho – Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso (at Real Madrid) – were also excellent.

Before them United’s back six were statues; mannequins and their manager also stood frozen on the touchline as the game ran way from him from inside minute one. He later took umbrage at Conte’s attempts to whip up the crowd, when the magnificent United away support were making far more noise, and when the score was 4-0, but that was a pretty pathetic response. “I didn’t do anything to humiliate Mourinho,” Conte later said. But he did. His team destroyed United.

Mourinho needs to get his own house in order. Here that house was on fire. There were blazes all over the pitch, out-of-control causes for alarm that United have to put out if they are to get close to finishing in the Champions League places never mind challenging. They appeared off-the-pace, slow and ponderous and half the speed of Chelsea.

Just like the manager this team looks tired and lacking in ideas and although Mourinho will cop the flak there should be no excuses either for this highly-paid, expensively-assembled team with Wayne Rooney left behind injured but unsure where he stands and Henrikh Mkhitaryan again not in the squad. United looked like Chelsea did last season under Mourinho.

Conte has settled on his formation; his system; his approach. He has settled on his personnel. He is not rushing back John Terry, for example, who would have forced his way in under previous managers and he is using what is available to him well. Moses has found a way in at wing-back, as has Alonso, with David Luiz, who United believe should have been sent off rather than only yellow-carded for a studs-up challenge on Fellaini, nevertheless working well at the centre of a back-three and Nemanja Matic revitalised in midfield alongside the superb N’Golo Kanté. Eden Hazard has been allotted a clear and achievable role – and is fit – and firing and Diego Costa has his desire back while there is a place for Pedro.

The Spaniard capitalised on that in opening the scoring. The goal came as he latched onto Alonso’s angled pass, aimed at Diego Costa, and with Smalling dithering, Blind slow to react and David De Gea rushing out, Pedro rounded the goalkeeper and rolled the ball into the net.

Midway through the first-half it was two and, effectively, game over with more defensive chaos from United – who later lost Eric Bailly for what Mourinho feared was a serious knee-ligament injury. Kanté won a corner, proving too strong for Blind ,and when the kick came in from Hazard the ball flew over Fellaini and Matic, struck Antonio Valencia and then hit Ander Herrera before dropping to Gary Cahill whose half-volley ricocheted off Blind and into the net. Pinball.

Fellaini was hooked at half-time and on came Juan Mata. United had racked up a couple of chances – Zlatan Ibrahimovic should have done better with a header and there was a fine double save from Thibaut Courtois who denied first Herrera and then blocked Jesse Lingard’s follow-up before he thwarted Lingard again – but Chelsea could have added to their advantage before they did eventually claim a third goal.

That, again, owed much to United’s defensive frailty with Hazard toying with Mata before sending the ball inside to Kanté who found Matic whose first-time pass picked out Hazard. Mata failed to track him, Smalling stood off and Hazard curled a wonderful low shot beyond De Gea.
It only got worse for United as Kanté collected the ball, Pogba failed to respond and then barely attempted a challenge as the midfielder easily cut back to simply beat Smalling – once more beaten –with the space opening up for him to then send a shot back across De Gea and into the corner of the goal.

It provoked a chorus of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from some Chelsea supporters aimed at Mourinho but it was quickly drowned out by a warmer chanting of the former manager’s name. Mourinho acknowledged that but there was no comfort and no consolation as Courtois denied Ibrahimovic and, in injury-time, substitute Marcos Rojo who both delivered fizzing shots. For Mourinho, after the warm hugs before kick-off with Terry and former assistant Steve Holland, it was the flattest, darkest of returns.

Jose speaks

"We started bad and after 30 seconds we are losing 1-0.
"We are close to 1-1 but another defensive mistake costs us. Then close to 2-1 and they have a counter attack to make it 3-0 Then we are close to 3-1 and they make it 4-0.
"When you come with a strategy you can't concede after 30 seconds.

"We came to have an offensive approach, We wanted to create chances and goals and took risks in the second half.
"But they were winning having done nothing. After that they played well, and counter-attack very well.
"We made incredibly defensive mistakes, individual defensive mistakes, and you pay for that.
"But then we had chances, and we had control of the game, but control is a bit dangerous because Chelsea have great players to have on the counter attack.

"I don't want to speak about it [the ref]. Today sets us back in terms of points, we are six points from top of the league, three or four from the top four [actually five].
"Now other teams will have to play against each other, and we have to win our matches, which are not easy, but we have to win them to close the gap.

"After two draws and one defeat from last three matches, we need to win.
"The reception was fine, I was not expecting anything different. The friends are friends, and the ones who are not friends are not friends. The crowd were good.
"What I said to Conte at the end of the match is between me and Antonio.

===============================

Guardian;

N’Golo Kanté seals Chelsea rout of Manchester United to ruin Mourinho return
Chelsea 4 - 0 Man Utd
Mourinho blames defensive mistake as Chelsea thump Manchester United

Daniel Taylor at Stamford Bridge

For José Mourinho perhaps the only consolation from a traumatic day is that the Chelsea supporters were not impertinent enough to barrack the returning manager or gloat too much at his misfortune other than the chorus of “olés” that formed the soundtrack to parts of the ordeal.

Not that there was any discernible sympathy, either. They did not sing his name until the fourth goal went in and, when the public announcer mentioned his presence before kick-off, it was a strange kind of indifference bearing in mind, as he frequently reminds us, nobody else has brought more trophies or drama to this stadium. The match started, Chelsea took the lead before a single player in red had touched the ball and nothing will have hurt Mourinho more than his team’s capitulation and the impression it left that the modern-day Manchester United are a long way behind the great Chelsea sides he once managed.

It was certainly remarkable to see a team who defended with such resilience at Liverpool last Monday look so vulnerable and accident-prone. Chelsea were ahead after 29 seconds and Pedro’s early breakthrough set the tone. This was the most satisfying victory of Antonio Conte’s short reign at Stamford Bridge. It was also Mourinho’s worst experience in United’s employment and the defeat was compounded by a potentially serious injury to Eric Bailly, thought to be damaged knee ligaments.

For the most part Mourinho was remarkably undemonstrative, hands embedded in his pockets, while a few yards to his left Conte was never still –cajoling, pointing, shouting, leaping and generally doing his best impression of a man with his socks on fire. Occasionally, though, Mourinho would just hold out his arms, as if imploring his players for more or asking what was going on. He has rarely looked so helpless and it was almost a surprise Chelsea did not make it even more harrowing for him after N’Golo Kanté cracked in the fourth with 20 minutes still to play. Gary Neville, in his television role, described United’s defending as “garbage”. Mourinho called it “humiliating” and Chelsea found great joy exposing their opponents on the day the London club marked the 20th anniversary of Matthew Harding’s death.

Perhaps an argument could be made that United might have been spared if David Luiz had been shown the red card he deserved for a studs-up challenge on Marouane Fellaini late in the first half. It would, however, be a flimsy argument given the scale of the away team’s inadequacies. They were already two goals down by that stage. Chelsea had quickly sensed their opponents’ shortcomings and the game had not even reached the half-hour before Mourinho instructed his substitutes to warm up, as if contemplating changes.

Chelsea moved the ball with speed and purpose. They are unbeaten now in their past 11 fixtures against United and they soaked in the “olés” during that period late on when Conte was able to remove Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, two of the chief tormentors. Kanté, football’s own Duracell bunny, is starting to look like the all-action hero who helped Leicester City to the title. Costa is always better when he plays to his strengths rather than picking imaginary fights and, though the Premier League’s leading scorer was not on target, he was a key figure.

United did sporadically threaten but no team can defend this generously and expect to get away with it. Costa might be the first opponent this season who has physically overwhelmed Bailly. Daley Blind was far too susceptible and Smalling, more than anyone, must have been in Mourinho’s mind when the manager talked of “incredible defensive mistakes”.

Smalling wore the captain’s armband in the absence of Wayne Rooney, missing here with a training-ground injury, but this is far from the only time he had come up short and he must bear a degree of liability for three of the goals.

Kanté beat him far too easily to complete the rout and, eight minutes earlier, Hazard had also eluded the same player when Chelsea moved into a 3-0 lead. Hazard had threatened all afternoon and Juan Mata, who replaced Fellaini at half‑time, did not track his run in the passing exchange, involving Kanté and Nemanja Matic, that finished with the Belgian aiming a low shot to David De Gea’s left.

Conte’s only complaint seemed to be that the crowd were not showing enough appreciation in the last few minutes. His gesturing to raise the volume promoted a whispered lecture from Mourinho at the final whistle – a classic diversion technique, regular José-watchers might suspect – but that should not dilute Conte’s satisfaction about the way the game panned out after an eccentric start. Costa took the kick-off, Chelsea embarked on some routine keep-ball possession, then Marcos Alonso turned a long pass forwards, giving Pedro something to chase, and it must have been startling for Mourinho to see the way Smalling, Blind and De Gea let the former Barcelona player beat them all.

Blind was the first to dither. Smalling was even more disoriented, though to give him the benefit of the doubt he might also have been distracted by the sudden appearance of De Gea, charging out of his penalty area when it would have been much wiser to stay put. Pedro deserves credit for his speed and anticipation but from United’s perspective it was a succession of errors. Pedro’s first touch took him wide of De Gea, leaving the goalkeeper hopelessly exposed, and he made the left-foot finish look easier than it probably was. “Incredible,” Mourinho lamented of his team’s defending, “and I say ‘incredible’ in capitals.”

The second goal came from Hazard’s corner and an accidental ricochet off Ander Herrera that left Gary Cahill with the chance to take aim from six yards out. His volley went in off Blind and the referee Martin Atkinson’s failure to send off Luiz four minutes before the interval, showing him only a yellow card, meant it was always unlikely the home side would surrender their winning position.
Instead, United had to chase the game and that, in turn, meant leaving more gaps in defence. Chelsea could not match their 5-0 victory against United from October 1999 but they did show Mourinho they can get by without him.

“We are six points from the top of the league, not 16,” the United manager argued. But he looked shellshocked.

=============================

Mail:

Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United:

Jose Mourinho endures miserable return to Stamford Bridge as Pedro, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N'Golo Kante net for Antonio Conte's side

Jose Mourinho endured a miserable return to Stamford Bridge as Manchester United lost 4-0

By IAN LADYMAN FOR THE DAILY MAIL

The really painful news for Jose Mourinho and Manchester United is that their opponents didn't have to be that good to embarrass them.

Antonio Conte's team are improving and showing some of the ruthless, clinical football that once characterised Chelsea under the bloke sitting in the away dug-out on Sunday.

But Chelsea will play better than this and win by less. That is why this is not necessarily their story. No, this was an afternoon that told us more about Mourinho and United and two images of this desperately humbling day summed it all up.

The first came after N'Golo Kante had left Chris Smalling on the seat of his pants to score Chelsea's fourth.

On the touchline, as Conte bounded around like a schoolboy on the last day of term, Mourinho looked as though he was about to make one of those 'chin up' gestures he made famous during his time at Stamford Bridge. It turned out he was merely wiping water from his mouth. It was just as well. It was far too late for defiant gestures that his players could not match.

Then, at full time, Mourinho pulled Conte close to deliver a lecture. It did not look pleasant, it looked desperate. At last some emotional energy from somebody associated with United, but, as had been the case with their defending, it all seemed rather too little and too late.

With the score at 4-0, the shots on target stats had actually stood at 4-4. That told us a few things. It told us that Chelsea had notswarmed all over United like bees, peppering shots towards David de Gea's goal.

It just told us that they had been far too good in the one area that really mattered and strengthened the theory that this United team are not equipped to survive when dragged into a bout of punch and counter-punch.

Deep down, Mourinho knows this too. That is why he sent his team out to play in the same manner as they did in drawing creditably at Liverpool a week ago. The Portuguese has always been a pragmatist but the limitations of this current team are drawing him deeper and deeper into his shell.

At United, they say Mourinho seems subdued. Not just in public, but in private. The charismatic, confident coach they hired has arrived in body only.

They say they are working with Mourinho-lite and his team are threatening to reflect that. If a manager does not believe, how can his players?

On Sunday, Mourinho's return to the place where we first felt we knew him began quietly — a quick hug for John Terry and one for a groundsman — and in terms of his team's football it continued in that vein.

Chelsea would have been mugs had they not taken advantage and once their Spanish forward Pedro gave them the lead within 30 seconds, the water was only flowing one way.

United took some stick for their performance at Anfield. That was wrong as they got a point.
Here, the plan was almost identical — in terms of personnel and formation — but it was blown apart before a red shirt had even sniffed the ball, and when that happens the criticism that comes your way will bury you. Mourinho described the opening minute of the game as 'an incredible mistake and I mean incredible in capitals'.

He was right, too. A diagonal hoof upfield from Chelsea left back Marcos Alonso saw Smalling and Daley Blind hesitate and as De Gea advanced injudiciously from his penalty area, Pedro was able to ease past the United goalkeeper and roll the ball into the empty net.

It was the former Barcelona forward's first shot on target all season. Somehow that seemed appropriate in terms of what followed. At times, it looked easier to score than not against a United defence Gary Neville described on television as 'garbage'.

There was one moment in the first half that could have changed the direction of the game. David Luiz should have been sent off for a studs-up challenge on Marouane Fellaini and it was strange that referee Martin Atkinson didn't do more than show the Brazilian a yellow card.

That apart, the story was one of periods of United possession undermined by a complete lack of control whenever they didn't have the ball.

The second goal was a poor one to concede, too, as Gary Cahill crashed home from a corner after Ander Herrera failed to control in the 21st minute. At the other end, Thibaut Courtois saved from Herrera and from Jesse Lingard.

United's threat was not invisible but at times in football some things just seem inevitable, and so it was here. Mourinho made changes at half-time as Juan Mata replaced Fellaini, Marcus Rashford was released to play up front with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and United moved to something akin to 4-1-3-2.

Again United enjoyed some territory but the back door was open for a Chelsea team playing swift attacking football with which their opponents' forwards are currently not familiar.

Hazard warned United once as his scamper and shot rebounded from a defender's leg before, in the 61st minute, he ran off Mata's shoulder on to a pass from Nemanja Matic, stood up Smalling and curled the ball round him into the far corner with his right instep. It was a sumptuous finish but the devil was in the detail. Once Mata didn't track Hazard, the odds were with the Belgian.

United collapsed in a heap again 10 minutes later when Kante fooled Smalling on the way to scoring his first Chelsea goal and the fourth of his team's stellar day.

Mourinho's subsequent chastising of Conte was unnecessary and summed up his day. Mourinho now heads into a Manchester derby on Wednesday with his team's season at a critical point already. For all their limitations, United are only six points off the top of the Premier League.

Currently, though, Mourinho has issues to solve relating to Luke Shaw and Henrikh Mkhitaryan — who he refuses to select — and Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba, from whom he is getting nothing at all.
United managers should always look up and not down, but Mourinho will know how close the likes of Watford, Southampton and Bournemouth are in his team's rear view mirror.

Improvement must arrive very quickly indeed if this battering at the Bridge is to stand out as his season's low point by the start of winter.

He now heads in to a Manchester derby against City on Wednesday with his team's season at a critical point already.

For all their limitations, United are only six points off the top of the Premier League. Currently, though, Mourinho has issues to solve relating to Luke Shaw and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – who he refuses to select – and Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba, from whom he is currently getting nothing at all.

United managers should always look up and not down but Mourinho will know how close the likes of Watford, Southampton and Bournemouth are in his team's rear view mirror. Improvement must arrive very quickly indeed if this Battering at the Bridge is to stand out as his season's low point by the start of winter.

PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE

CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois 6.5; Azpilicueta 6.5, Luiz 6.5, Cahill (c) 7.5; Moses 6.5, Kante 7.5, Matic 7, Alonso 6.5; Pedro 7 (Chalobah 71, 6), Costa 7 (Batshuayi 78), Hazard 8.5 (Willian 77)
Unused subs: Begovic (GK); Aina, Terry, Oscar
Goals: Pedro 1; Cahill 21; Hazard 62; Kante 70
Booked: Luiz, Pedro, Alonso
Manager: Antonio Conte 8.5

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): De Gea 5; Valencia 6, Bailly 5.5 (Rojo 52, 5.5), Smalling (c) 5, Blind 5; Herrera 5.5, Fellaini 5 (Mata 46, 5); Rashford 5.5, Pogba 4, Lingard 5.5 (Martial 65, 5); Ibrahimovic 5
Unused subs: Romero (GK); Darmian, Carrick, Young
Booked: Bailly, Pogba
Manager: Jose Mourinho 4

Attendance: 41,424
Referee – Martin Atkinson 5
Man-of-the-Match – Eden Hazard
Ratings by ADAM SHERGOLD

=================================

Mirror:

Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United: Blues run riot on Mourinho's nightmare return - 5 things we learned

BY DAVE KIDD

United were behind after 30 seconds and things didn't get any better as Pedro, Cahill, Hazard and Kante found the net for Chelsea

Jose Mourinho suffered abject humiliation on his return to Stamford Bridge as Chelsea obliterated his Manchester United side – seizing the lead after 30 seconds and never easing off.

Goals from Pedro, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard handed Mourinho the heaviest Premier League defeat of his career as he faced the club where he won three titles for the first time in a competitive domestic match.

With Chelsea operating at an entirely different pace to their sluggish visitors and United's defence suffering a series of collective brain freezes, Mourinho's men now find themselves five points adrift of the Champions League places having taken just five points from their last six league games.

And midway through the second half, United were caught with a devastating one-two when Hazard cut inside Smalling and drilled home the third before Kante was virtually waved through to score the fourth – as Chelsea sauntered to within a point of leaders Manchester City.

1. Conte's switch pays off

Antonio Conte has switched things around tactically in a way Jose Mourinho used to do.
It's the ability to identify a problem and fix it in a decisive way which marks out a top manager.
Mourinho, at his best, had that knack. Over the past couple of years it has been less apparent.
Yet after Chelsea's 3-0 drubbing at Arsenal last month, Conte re-shaped his side into a 3-4-3 and has seen them win three on the bounce since, scoring nine goals and conceding none.
It's a system which seems to suit every member of this Chelsea starting line-up – including wing-backs Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso, two men rejected by Mourinho at Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively.

2. Pedro shines against former boss

Mourinho's hijacking of Pedro back-fired.
Manchester United looked certain to sign Pedro from Barcelona in the summer of last year but when Ed Woodward was caught napping, Mourinho swooped to sign him for Chelsea.
While Pedro has often been on the periphery over the past 15 months, his quick thinking put Mourinho's gameplan through the shredder as he opened the scoring after just 30 seconds.
It meant that the Special One was unable to park the bus, even at a place where used to have his own personal parking space.

3. Ibrahimovic needs to be more lethal


The Swede has failed to score in five Premier League matches and has managed just one in eight in all competitions.
For the third match running, Ibrahimovic missed a clear, crucial opportunity, this time when he headed over an Antonio Valencia cross from just four yards out with the score at 1-0.
Despite his physical presence, Zlatan has never been a great scorer of headers – and he's missed two glorious chances with his nut in the space of six days. At Paris St Germain, he would receive shed-loads of chances, at United he'll need to be more clinical.

4. The 'rats' are all right

Eden Hazard and Diego Costa were two of the players branded as 'rats' by Chelsea fans in the immediate aftermath of Mourinho's sacking last December.
Yet both have rediscovered their peak form under Conte.
Hazard, who has admitted he enjoys playing in this narrow front three, netted his fourth league goal of the season – as opposed to a big fat zero at the same stage last term.
Costa didn't score yesterday but was full of menace and has seven to his name this season.

5. Fellaini disrupts fluency

United are not fluent enough with Marouane Fellaini in the team.
While the Belgium has obvious qualities for a side intent on keeping things tight and snatching a goal from a set-piece, he slows things down for a side wishing to attack with any sort of tempo.
It appeared when David Moyes signed him that while not a bad player, Fellaini simply isn't a United player – and little has changed since.
Mourinho may have to lose his obsession with height and ditch him.

John Cross' player ratings

Chelsea
Courtois 7 - Made a couple of good saves but United didn’t work him that often.
Azpilicueta 7 - Looks perfectly at home in a back three, top quality defender.
Luiz 7 - Booked. Caught Fellaini with a high challenge which left stud marks.
Cahill 7 - Smashed home Chelsea’s second and celebrated as if it meant the world.
Moses 7 - Clearly had a point to prove against Mourinho. Industrious and hard working.
Kante 8 - Scored a wonderful goal and bossed midfield. Terrific all round performance.
Matic 8 - Brilliant assist for Hazard’s goal. Had a very good game in midfield.
Alonso 8 - Booked. Played well at left wing back, Conte’s new system suits Chelsea.
Pedro 7 - Booked. Shown the yellow card for celebrating his opening goal. Spoilsports.
Hazard 9 MotM - Scored a wonderful goal and looked to have so much to prove. Excellent.
Costa 8 - Was a menace in the first half, bullied United’s defence and made them nervous.
Subs
Chalobah 7, for Pedro, 71 mins
Batshuayi, for Costa, 77 mins
Willian, for Hazard, 77 mins

Manchester United
De Gea 6 - Made a couple of good saves but was helpless on Chelsea’s goals.
Valencia 6 - One good cross for Ibrahimovic but was part of a shambles of a defence.
Bailly 5 - Booked. Went off injured early after catching Hazard but was fortunate ref missed it.
Smalling 4 - Had an absolute nightmare on Chelsea’s opening two goals. Indecisive.
Blind 4 - Clumsy performance. So poor defensively and conceded possession countless times.
Herrera 5 - Tried to get United moving forward but was completely overwhelmed in midfield.
Fellaini 6 - Substituted at half time after getting injured in the first half.
Lingard 6 - Tried hard and saw one long range effort well saved by Courtois.
Pogba 5 - Another poor game. Chelsea fans took delight in singing: “What a waste of money.”
Rashford 6 - Had very little impact on the game and had to cover for the hapless Blind.
Ibrahimovic 6 - Headed over a big chance at just 1-0 down. Isolated but was very poor.
Substitutes
Mata, for Fellaini, 46 mins, 5
Rojo, for Bailly, 52 mins, 5
Martial, for Lingard, 65 mins, 5

==========================

Sun:

BATTERED AT THE BRIDGE Chelsea 4 Manchester United 0: Jose Mourinho stunned as the Blues thrash United at Stamford Bridge

Red Devils boss says goodbye to 'Special One' tag as his side are humiliated by former club in west London

BY WALLY DOWNES JR

JOSE MOURINHO’S ego took a battering on his return to Stamford Bridge with Chelsea hammering Manchester United and Blues fans mocking their former idol.

A howler from the United defence after just 34 seconds, that let Pedro score, set the tone for the Portuguese’s embarrassing afternoon.

And goals from Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante killed United off and left them six points off the top of the table and only seven off the drop zone.

The fastest goal of the Premier League season so far came when Marcos Alonso dinked a hopeful ball down the line that befuddled the centre-back pairing of captain Chris Smalling, Daley Blind and keeper David de Gea. Pedro nipped in to poke home leaving Mourinho with a stunned smile as he turned away in shock.

And Smalling was again at fault for United’s second. The defender was supposed to be marking opposite captain Gary Cahill at corners, but he lost his man and the England defender smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

David Luiz got away with a spiteful challenge on 40 minutes. Marouane Fellaini had been dishing it out a bit but the Brazilian went over the top with a knee-high tackle that left the Belgian wiggling about on the floor in pain, briefly.

On 62 minutes, Mourinho’s nightmare was complete. Hazard, accused last season of downing tools for his former boss in the wake of the Eva Carneiro row, made a mockery of Smalling’s marking and poked home.

And the best was still to come when N’Golo Kante – the defensive midfielder famous for his discipline and selflessness – danced through the pathetic United defence, leaving Smalling all at sea, and scuffed the ball perfectly past David de Gea.

FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS

Mourinho’s return to the Stamford Bridge touchline was muted, to say the least. No welcome-back roar from anyone.

£30m defender Luke Shaw couldn’t even get on the bench for this United horror show. Daley Blind started at left-back and Marcos Rojo was a second-half sub.

Jose's return got a lot louder after his side shipped the first goal after just 34 seconds. Stand-in skipper Chis Smalling let Pedro in to score.

A section of Chelsea fans turned on Mourinho after the second goal was thumped in by Gary Cahill. The unoriginal ‘You’re not special any more’ rang out.

Conte looks like a well-dressed crab as he shuffles up and down the touchline side-to-side. His technical area is a waste of paint for how much time he spends in it.

With United staring another embarrassing league defeat down the barrel at half-time, Mourinho rolled the dice and replaced Marouane Fellaini with playmaker Juan Mata. It looked like it might work – until Hazard struck.

Smalling had a nightmare. He dithered for the opener, lost Cahill for the second, allowed Hazard too much time and space for the killer third and was made to look like a pub player by Kante for the fourth.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic disappeared when his side needed him most. Chelsea might have been vulnerable without John Terry but the Swede never tested them.

Kante’s goal was brilliant. The idea that such a defensive player, known mainly for his running and tackling, could do that to the Manchester United defence caused giggles.

Mourinho has now lost three of his first nine top-flight matches as Manchester United manager. His third defeat as Chelsea boss came in his 64th Premier League fixture.

=============================

Star:

Chelsea 4 Man United 0: Jose Mourinho humiliated on return to Stamford Bridge

HAPPY Birthday Roman Abramovich, and many happy returns.

By Paul Brown

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho had an unhappy return to Chelsea

Antonio Conte joked in the build-up about giving Chelsea’s billionaire owner the gift of victory against the man he’s paid off twice, and he did just that – in style.

Blues fans who spent so long adoring Jose Mourinho sang: “You’re not special any more” as goals from Pedro, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante routed Manchester United.

And surely no-one enjoyed it as much as Abramovich, who never did see completely eye to eye with Mourinho during either of his spells at Stamford Bridge.

The Russian billionaire is 50 tomorrow, and his side are back up to fourth, five points ahead of Mourinho’s United and just one behind leaders Manchester City.

But it was the manner of victory which will stick in the minds of both men, because this was a humiliation for Mourinho on his return to his old club.

Where Liverpool couldn’t find a way to score against United in 90 minutes at Anfield, Chelsea took just 31 seconds at the Bridge.

De Gea has saved their bacon many times over the years, and it was his two saves which helped United earn a point last Monday.

But the Spaniard was guilty of a huge error of judgement here, racing off his line but failing to get anywhere near a Marcos Alonso flicked long ball.

Chris Smalling also failed to deal with it, allowing Pedro to nip in and slot home into an empty net to give Chelsea, unchanged from the team that beat Leicester, a dream start.

It was the former Barcelona winger’s first shot on target of the season, and boy did he enjoy it, racing straight over to the home fans to celebrate.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed the best chance of the game at Anfield with a wayward header, and he soon missed another here, heading a searching Antonio Valencia cross over the bar.

With Wayne Rooney missing because of a thigh injury, the only change from the United team which drew with Liverpool was Jesse Lingard coming in for Ashley Young.

But it got even worse for the visitors when Cahill fired in the second off Daley Blind in the 21st minute after Nemanja Matic won a header from a corner.

He too made the most of his celebration, roaring with delight, chest puffed out and mobbed his team-mates.

Some of these players were booed by Chelsea fans last season after Mourinho was axed. They looked like they were enjoying getting their own back.

Thibaut Courtois was finally called into action shortly afterwards, making a fine double save from Ander Herrera’s long-range effort and then Lingard’s close-range follow-up.
It was brutal at times. David Luiz was particularly lucky to escape a red card for a dangerous, studs-up tackle on Marouane Fellaini’s knee which left him writhing in agony.
          
Fellaini did not come back out for the second half so Juan Mata took his place. But Chelsea were straight back on the attack with Costa having a goal ruled out for offside.

Conte was as animated as his team, shouting, screaming and waving his arms around. Mourinho was as subdued as his, pacing around quietly with a grim look on his face.

United started to show signs of a rally when Lingard forced a diving save from Courtois. But it didn’t last long.

Kante was given all the time in the world to pick a pass on the edge of Chelsea’s box and found Matic, who quickly picked out Hazard.

Of all the players Mourinho criticised publicly during his last spell here, Hazard got it more than most. He took revenge by firing in the third to effectively kill this one off.

But criminally, not a single United player attempted a tackle in that move, and the same was true when Kante added to the embarrassment.

By the end, Chelsea fans sang Mourinho’s name in mockery. They also sang: “You’re getting sacked in the morning.” It’s not quite that bad yet, but something certainly needs to change.

Chelsea (3-4-3): Courtois 7; Azpilicueta 7, Luiz 6, Cahill 7; Moses 6, Matic 7, Kante 6, Alonso 7; Pedro 7 (Chalobah 71), HAZARD 8 (Willian 78), Costa 7 (Batshuayi 78). Subs: Begovic, Oscar, Terry, Aina

UP NEXT: West Ham (a) EFL Cup, Wednesday

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea 5; Valencia 6, BAILLY 7 (Rojo 52, 6), Smalling 5, Blind 5; Herrera 6, Fellaini 5 (Mata 46, 6); Lingard 6 (Martial 65, 6), Pogba 4, Rashford 6; Ibrahimovic 5. Subs: Carrick, Young, Romero, Darmian

UP NEXT: Manchester City (h) EFL Cup, Wednesday

Referee: Martin Atkinson 6
Star man: Eden Hazard – electric
Star shocker: Paul Pogba – so poor

==============================

Express:

Chelsea 4 - Man Utd 0: Pedro, Cahill, Hazard and Kante strike to spoil Mourinho’s return

ONCE UPON a time Eden Hazard walked off the pitch to snub Jose Mourinho. On Sunday, he simply walked through his team.

By TONY BANKS

The night that Hazard decided he was injured and walked off at Leicester despite his manager wanting him to stay on was the lowest point of Mourinho’s second reign at the club.

Three days after that dismal 2-1 defeat last December, the Special One was sacked and Hazard, along with Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, booed by angry Chelsea fans in their next game.

On Sunday at Stamford Bridge Hazard played like a man possessed, a man with a point to prove. He scored one glorious goal, made another - and when the crushing fourth went in, he raced over to celebrate deliriously with scorer N’Golo Kante and the entire Chelsea team. This result clearly meant something to the Special One’s former players.

Because what Hazard and co did was quite simply humiliate their former manager. Manchester United were not just beaten by the most significant performance yet from Antonio Conte’s Chelsea team, they were torn apart. The goals came from Pedro, Gary Cahill, Hazard and Kante. But they could have come from anywhere at any time, so poor were United.

On Monday night Mourinho had given a master class in defensively organising his team as they frustrated Liverpool at Anfield. The old master has not lost it, the pundits said.

Yesterday he was undone after just 30 seconds as that much vaunted defence fell disastrously asleep. And it only got worse. It was the most un-Mourinho-like performance probably ever seen from a Mourinho team.

United lacked punch in attack, were sloppy in midfield, and chaotic at the back. The sight of the £89 million man Paul Pogba simply waving an ineffective foot at Kante as he jinked through for that fourth goal signifies that all is not well in the Portuguese’s camp.

The wags afterwards were saying this shows that Mourinho can still get a performance out of Chelsea - just ten months too late.

But there is no question that this was a triumph for Conte. The Italian has not had an easy ride since taking over at Stamford Bridge, and had insisted he would need time to repair the damage of last season - and by implication the wreckage left by Mourinho.

Defeats by Liverpool and Arsenal had raised doubts, but since switching to a three at the back system it has been three wins, nine goals scored and none conceded. This win though sent out a message that Conte’s methods may just be beginning to pay off.

Roman Abramovich’s celebrates his 50th birthday today, and he will not have had a better present. Before kick off yesterday it was all about the return of Jose, but also a commemoration of the life of Matthew Harding, the popular vice chairman who had tragically died in a helicopter crash 20 years ago on Saturday.

United could not have been more generous visitors. After just 30 seconds Marcos Alonso lofted a harmless ball over the top. Chris Smalling left it to Danny Blind who was asleep, and Pedro nipped in to take the ball round David De Gea and score.

United should have levelled when Zlatan Ibrahimovic headed over from six yards - but that was as good as it got. Kante and Nemanja Matic bossed the midfield for Chelsea, and Victor Moses was again a revelation at wing back. Mourinho’s team fell apart again as Hazard’s corner was inadvertently flicked on by Antonio Valencia - and Cahill slammed the ball home.

Anders Herrera forced a good save from Thibaut Courtois as United fought to get back into the match, but every time Hazard got the ball it was panic stations.

Just after the hour the Belgian, whose fall-out with Mourinho was perhaps the most blatant of all of the disintegrating relationships last year, fed Kante, who moved the ball on to Matic, and there was Hazard racing onto the return to slide his shot home.

United were by now a shambles, and when Pedro flicked the ball on for the galloping Kante to race into the penalty area, the Frenchman emulated Hazard as he dribbled round his defender to shoot home. Humilation complete - and there were still twenty minutes left on the clock.

Mourinho had never lost a game in England by such a margin. But then as he knows, English football can be a Hazardous business.