Manchester United vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League result and final score as United seal Champions League place | OneFootball

Ten Hag quizzed on Neymar links as he hints Rashford ready to return for Manchester United

Manchester United secured qualification for next season’s Champions League as Erik ten Hag’s men roared to a comprehensive 4-1 victory against wasteful Chelsea.

The Dutchman has led the Red Devils to Carabao Cup glory and next month’s FA Cup final during a promising first season that looked certain to end in a top-four finish until a recent wobble.

But Ten Hag has righted the ship and United secured a return to European football’s top table with a game to spare as Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford scored against toothless Chelsea.

This was a club record 16th defeat in a 38-match Premier League season for Frank Lampard’s Blues, who saw a bad early Mykhailo Mudryk miss punished by a sixth minute Casemiro header.

Further Chelsea chances went begging across the evening, including the miss by Conor Gallagher in first half stoppage time that was followed by Martial scoring.

Bruno Fernandes’ penalty and substitute Marcus Rashford’s goal – his 30th of the season in all competitions – wrapped up a victory that was only dampened by Antony’s exit on a stretcher and a late Joao Felix consolation.

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FULL TIME! Manchester United 4-1 Chelsea

Manchester United owe Champions League return to Casemiro, their serial winner

Last May, Casemiro won the Champions League. This May, he has qualified for it. It sounds the lesser achievement. A player who played in four Champions League final victories is now mathematically assured of a top-four finish. As Manchester United returned to the top table of European football, it owed much to Casemiro.

Over the season, he has been a catalytic force. On the night when they condemned Chelsea to defeat and Liverpool to the Europa League, he was again. United had been short of goals of late but Casemiro started a rout of the 2021 Champions League winners.

Erik ten Hag bought a defensive midfielder, but Casemiro has contributed much in attack. He scored the opening goal and helped set up the second with a sand wedge of a pass.

Anthony Martial scored it, Bruno Fernandes added a third from the penalty spot before the substitute Marcus Rashford became the first player to score 30 goals in a season for United since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. But the name that echoed most around Old Trafford, unsurprisingly, was Casemiro’s.

By Richard Jolly at Old Trafford

Jamie Braidwood25 May 2023 22:19

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FULL TIME! Manchester United 4-1 Chelsea

Erik ten Hag on United’s return to the Champions League: “It’s important. This club belongs in the Champions League. But it is not easy in the Premier League, it’s tough. A lot compete for those positions - seven or eight teams. It’s a massive performance when you get this done.

“We are back in the Champions League. That is an important step. If you want to be successful you have to be in that competition.”

Jamie Braidwood25 May 2023 22:50

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Manchester United 4-1 Chelsea

SAVE! Kepa denies McTominay this time! It could have been even worse for Chelsea and Frank Lampard.

Jamie Braidwood25 May 2023 21:57

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Manchester United 4-0 Chelsea

84 mins: Fernandes is taken off to be wrapped in cotton wool after the FA Cup final.

De Gea takes the armband for the final few minutes.

Jamie Braidwood25 May 2023 21:50