The forward wasted four chances in the 1-1 draw although their much-loved interim coach can be pleased with how well his side defended
Ruben Amorim has been chosen to clean up the mess at Manchester United but as he watched on from Lisbon, he may have felt that the job facing him was not as daunting as it first seemed. His soon-to-be employers could not beat Chelsea in a blockbuster fixture which failed to live up to the hype, but there were big improvements from the previous displays against top-six opponents.
United looked like a cohesive defensive unit. Matthjis de Ligt nullified Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, while Noussair Mazraoui had a standout display, showing he can be an asset in both areas for his new boss. But Amorim should be worried about one of United's most promising stars, Alejandro Garnacho.
For the second league game in a row, the young forward was let down by his finishing and his inability to score gilt-edged chances is becoming a real concern, especially as his fellow attackers are also struggling to score. Indeed, it took a penalty scored by Bruno Fernandes after more terrible goalkeeping from Robert Sanchez for Ruud van Nistelrooy's side to find a breakthrough.
They had to settle for a draw though due to a moment of brilliance from Moises Caicedo, who is beginning to repay his eye-catching transfer fee.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Old Trafford…
Getty Images SportWINNER: Moises Caicedo
The £115 million ($149m) midfielder was written off as one of the worst signings of last season, showing none of the steel and skill which had made him so highly valued while he was at Brighton. He was a common scapegoat for Chelsea's awful campaign but he ended the season well and has carried that vein of form into this campaign.
Caicedo has thrived in Enzo Maresca's system and looked just like his old self. He has won the most tackles in the Premier League this season and ranks top for tackles and interceptions combined. He has won 61 percent of duels and he outshone his fellow South American Manuel Ugarte, winning nine duels at Old Trafford. And of course he produced the moment of the game, a pin-point volley which nestled into the bottom corner.
"Since we arrived Moi is doing fantastically," said Maresca. "I said during the week the problem with Moi and Enzo [Fernandez] is the club paid them big money so people expect them always to be best but they are humans, it's normal for them to be up and down. Moi is showing how good he is. One plus one does not equal two in football, Chelsea is a big club, one of the best in world. It's not so automatic, you need a bit of time now Moi is showing how good he is."
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Alejandro Garnacho
Garnacho set up the winning goal for Scott McTominay in last season's home fixture against Chelsea and scored twice at Stamford Bridge, but nothing went right for him today. The forward had four chances and only came close with one of them, his 89th-minute shot from just inside the area which crept just over the bar. And in each half he had a chance which he should have buried in the net but instead passed the ball into Robert Sanchez's hands.
The Argentina international had been one of the biggest culprits in the defeat at West Ham but he appeared unaffected about his recent profligacy when interviewed in the club programme ahead of Chelsea's visit. "I have always been this type of player. To be daring, to always try and try again and, if it doesn’t work, try again and never give up," he said. "I always try to do the best I can. Sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn't, but I always try to do the best for the team."
Sooner or later, though, he needs to start scoring, not least because he has a new manager to impress. Garnacho is one of the most talented players the Portuguese will get to work with, capable of unbelievable moments of skill like his bicycle kick against Everton and rising to the biggest occasions as in the FA Cup final. Yet recently he has looked incapable of scoring even the easiest of chances.
It will be up to Amorim to restore Garnacho's confidence and prevent the youngster from becoming the latest of United's array of talented attackers to lose their nerve.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Ruud van Nistelrooy
There will be plenty of focus on the chances United missed and Van Nistelrooy was disappointed that they could not put them away. But the coach deserves credit for how organised the team looked – for a change – against a top opponent. This season, Liverpool and Tottenham have ripped their way through United's defence at Old Trafford with very little resistance and Chelsea must have felt confident of doing the same.
Van Nistelrooy, however, had a carefully thought-out plan, lining up with a 4-2-3-1 shape which meant his side were never outnumbered in midfield, even with Caicedo bossing Ugarte. It wasn't just picking two holding midfielders that made the difference, though. It was the players' willingness to track back and support each other.
One Tottenham analyst, according to , had remarked after the 3-0 battering in September that the problem with United under Erik ten Hag was that their players love to run forward but they don't like to run back. That was not the case with Van Nistelrooy on the bench. The interim coach closed the massive gaps that would frequently appear under his predecessor's watch and even when when his side lost the ball, they worked hard to get it back.
United might have been craving a galvanising win under one of their favourite former players but they at least avoided another heavy defeat, which is no small victory.
Getty Images SportLOSER: Robert Sanchez
Chelsea have made huge strides under Maresca but they still have the same weak link as last season: their goalkeeper. Sanchez has swelled his number of clangers from the last campaign, making a feeble attempt to keep out Mateo Kovacic's strike in August and being at fault for both of Brighton's goals in Chelsea's 4-2 win last month.
Even on a day when he had faced very few dangerous attempts, the Spaniard managed to add to his collection by giving away the penalty, snatching at Rasmus Hojlund's ankle when the Dane tried to dribble around him. Caicedo's wonder goal meant that he will escape further scrutiny but once more it felt like he had let the team down.
Maresca said after the game that he was "in love with this squad" but he could be forgiven for falling out of love with Sanchez.
