De Gea Flops As Chelsea Hold Man United At Old Trafford

By Max Wise

Chelsea stole a point at Old Trafford after David de Gea fluffed his lines again in the battle for a top four place.

Spaniards, Juan Mata and Marcos Alonso, got on the scoresheet for both sides in a 1-1 draw that leaves Manchester United needing to win their remaining two games while hoping for their peers to slip up in order to qualify for the Champions League.

Chelsea, thus remain fourth on 68 points, while Manchester United are two places and three points further back.

Romelu Lukaku got ahead of Antonio Rudiger to gather Luke Shaw’s pass over the top but the Belgian’s effort was smothered by Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Chelsea goal after four minutes.

Manchester United’s bright start was rewarded with a goal from former two-time Chelsea Player of the Year, Juan Mata, after good play by Lukaku and Shaw in the 10th minute.

Lukaku’s chipped pass over the top found Shaw, whose cut back from the bye-line was converted by Mata to give United the lead.

Eric Bailly headed a Manchester United corner just wide of the Chelsea far post in the 29th minute before Chelsea got their equalizer on the cusp of half time following a David de Gea howler.

De Gea has gifted the opposition some cheap goals in recent weeks, notably in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona, and the Spaniard provided the Old Trafford faithful with another head-shaking moment when he parried Antonio Rudiger’s long range strike into the path of Marcos Alonso, who finished from a tight angle.

Willian curled a free-kick over the bar after half time before stoppage time saw the second half’s best action.

Substitute Marcos Rojo saw a header cleared off the line by Pedro, and after Gonzalo Higuain finally beat the offside trap, the much-maligned David de Gea was on hand to block the Argentine’s effort.