McTominay’s Brace Seals Dominant Victory Over Chelsea
Scott McTominay secured a double for Manchester United in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Wednesday, relieving pressure on manager Erik ten Hag and placing Mauricio Pochettino in the spotlight.
Ten Hag, seeking a positive response after a lackluster 1-0 defeat to Newcastle, witnessed United deliver arguably their best performance of the season. The win, United’s sixth in eight league games, propelled them to sixth place, just three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
Despite Chelsea’s substantial investment of over £1 billion ($1.26 billion) in new players across three transfer windows, they find themselves in 10th place. Pochettino’s tenure, initially met with hopes of a quick turnaround, has faltered with only five wins in his first 15 league games in charge.
Under increased scrutiny and amid reports of dressing room unrest, Ten Hag’s pivotal decision to relegate Marcus Rashford to the bench among four changes proved beneficial. The Dutchman’s strategic choices were rewarded with a more energetic and enterprising display.
Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez, played a crucial role in keeping his team level at halftime. Despite facing 18 shots on goal in the first half – the most Chelsea has encountered in one Premier League half in 20 years – United managed only one goal.
A VAR-awarded penalty after Enzo Fernandez’s foul on Antony gave United a golden opportunity to open the scoring, but Sanchez saved Bruno Fernandes’ spot-kick and Alejandro Garnacho missed the rebound.
McTominay broke Chelsea’s resistance, scoring his fifth goal of the season and becoming United’s top scorer in the Premier League. However, Chelsea leveled the score before halftime as Cole Palmer found the far corner.
In the second half, Chelsea missed a chance to turn the game around, with Nicolas Jackson heading over unmarked from a corner. United regained control, and McTominay’s header from Garnacho’s cross secured the winning goal 21 minutes from time.
Despite a chance for McTominay to secure a hat-trick, United’s profligacy allowed Chelsea an opportunity to snatch a late point when Armando Broja hit the crossbar with a header. However, Pochettino struggles to mold Chelsea’s abundance of young talent into a cohesive unit, leaving them with more than they deserved.
