Cunha steers Man Utd towards Champions League at Chelsea's expense
Matheus Cunha scored the winner as Man Utd beat Chelsea (Glyn KIRK) Manchester United took a giant step towards ending a two-year exile from the Champions League as Matheus Cunha scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Saturday. United's victory opens up a 10-point gap between the Red Devils in third place and sixth-placed Chelsea, with only 15 points left to play for this season. The top five in the Premier League will qualify for the Champions League next season.
But a fourth consecutive league defeat leaves Chelsea's chances of being back among Europe's elite next season in tatters and piles pressure on Liam Rosenior just over three months into his reign. "I don't want my team to feel things are against us. We have to keep fighting," said Rosenior.
"I put myself under the most pressure. We just have to keep working with the staff and the players to turn things around. " Chelsea once again bemoaned the lack of a clinical striker as they failed to break down a makeshift United defence ravaged by injury and suspension.
Michael Carrick was forced to name a backline featuring three full-backs and 19-year-old Ayden Heaven. But they held out to boost the former England's midfielder's case to get the job at Old Trafford beyond the end of this season. "It was massive for us, a big win," said Carrick.
"To come here and keep a clean sheet like we did, and defend the way we did, I thought it was a magnificent performance. " Chelsea were missing their top scorer Joao Pedro through injury and one-time United target Liam Delap failed to take his chance to shine up front. Rosenior recalled Enzo Fernandez after the Argentine was given a two-game suspension by the Blues for suggesting he would be open to a summer move to Real Madrid.