- Lukaku the star
- Assists Lingard winner
- Willian gave Chelsea lead
- Sides split season series
Romelu Lukaku scored and set up Jesse Lingard for the winner as Manchester United came back to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Willian scored the Blues’ opener.
The win moves Manchester United back into second place with 59 points. Chelsea now sits fifth with 54 points.
[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]
The visitors were nearly in front when Morata belted Marcos Alonso’s cross off the bar, and the rebound popped over the goal.
The 10th minute saw Paul Pogba win a free kick off Morata at the corner of the 18.
Anthony Martial broke up a long spell of Chelsea possession with a dribble and cross that failed to meet a receiver in the 25th minute.
Antonio Rudiger blocked a Lukaku chance moments later, then Courtois stopped Alexis Sanchez.
A yellow card came N’Golo Kante’s way after the Frenchman chopped down countryman Pogba following a nifty move in the 30th minute.
Willian broke up a cross and then was there at the other end to finish his move and start the scoring. There was a rare David De Gea mistake on the finish, but Willian hammered his effort.
Lukaku then defied critics of his big match record in starting and finishing a terrific team goal with Nemanja Matic, Sanchez, and Martial.
Andreas Christensen was stunned after head-to-head contact with Lukaku just before the goal, but play was not stopped.
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19 - Willian has been directly involved in 19 goals in all competitions for Chelsea this season (12 goals and seven assists); his most in a single campaign for the Blues. Handful. pic.twitter.com/UnLZuq1uJC
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 25, 2018
[ MORE: Full lineups, stats, box score ]
A slow first stanza of the second half hoped for change with Jesse Lingard’s entry for Martial.
Courtois made a fantastic tip save of a Lukaku side volley in the 68th, off a Sanchez cross.
Lukaku did his best Lingard in a role reversal with the wide man, working the right to send a cross inside for the Englishman to head home.
Willian tried to answer back within a minute, but De Gea went low to collect the shot.
Fabregas was offside by a razor-thin margin when his clean finish slid inside the far post with five minutes to play.
Lukaku effectively killed the game with a 60-yard dribble and shot, blocked out for a throw, deep into stoppage time.
