Chelsea vs Manchester United
6PM - 20/7/20
Wembley Stadium, London. - FA Cup Semi-Final.
Olivier Giroud and Mason Mount were on target as Chelsea marched on to a 3rd FA Cup final in 4 years, where they will meet Arsenal in a repeat of the 2017 final. The two sides met for the fourth time this season, with United coming out on top in the last 3. Chelsea won 1-0 when the sides last met in Wembley in the 2018 final. With the instrumental Kante out with a hamstring strain and United unbeaten in their last 19, the odds looked in the Reds favour pre-match.
While Solskjær left the in-form Greenwood and Pogba on the bench, the selection of De Gea raised few eyebrows, although the Spaniard has endured a testing season following a series of mistakes, most notably against Tottenham and Watford. Lampard on the other hand named a strong but modified starting 11, using 3 at the back for the first time since the restart. Caballero also retained his familiar cup place, unlike United who dismissed regular cup keeper Sergio Romero for De Gea. Giroud was chosen over Abraham, with Pulisic rested on the bench ahead of our final 2 league games next week.
The game began with both teams starting 3 at the back. It must have been encouraging for Lampard to see Chelsea’s opening attacks involving his advanced full backs. A Reece James effort stung the palms of De Gea before Marcus Alonso headed over from close range inside the first 15 minutes. Fernandes, who was super when the sides met last February, tested Caballero with a free kick before Zouma headed over De Gea following ambitious forward play from Mount.
The games opener came following a 10 minute break as Eric Bailly was stretchered off with a head injury. This forced United into a formation change, with Martial introduced as they moved to a more familiar 4-2-3-1. De Gea’s poor performance began just before the half time whistle blew. Williams totally switched off as he allowed Willian to play Azpilicueta in down the right flank. Giroud got a foot on the cross and managed to squirm the ball past De Gea, who helplessly watched it trickle over the line. No doubt Solskjær’s original half time team talk was much changed as a result.
For De Gea the second half began much like the first half ended, horribly, as a mere 45 seconds after the restart Mount’s 20 yard effort was fumbled into the corner by the Spainard. A nightmare start to the half for United. Rashford went close on 50 minutes, shooting just wide from a tight angle before United introduced Pogba and Greenwood in an effort to find a goal. Their breakthrough almost came as Maguire headed just wide of an open goal, following a misjudgement from Caballero. With United’s best chance of the tie wasted, Chelsea’s 2-0 cushion started to look comfortable as they sought a third.
To his credit, De Gea made two fine stops as Chelsea piled on the pressure, one from Giroud in search of his second, and another from a fine James header. Mount Jorginho and Willian’s link up play was causing United trouble as they looked to put the tie to bed. Chelsea’s third came from an Alonso cross, turned into the net by Maguire. Rudiger’s pressure in the 6 yard box was instrumental. Hudson-Odoi needlessly fouled Martial to give Bruno Fernandes a consolation penalty, which he converted. It was too little too late for the Red’s as Mike Dean blew the final whistle to top off a fine day for Frank Lampard and his men, who now have an FA cup and top-four finish destiny in their own hands. That sentence would have sounded unthinkable last August, when United thrashed the Blues 4-0. Today displayed much improved Chelsea side
Lampard, who before the game spoke of the “pride of walking out the club I love at Wembley” now has the opportunity to walk his men out in the final on August 1st where they will face London rivals Arsenal. Tactically, the move to a back 3 with attacking full backs proved a masterstroke for Lampard, as Alonso and Azpilicueta provided assists either side of Mount’s goal, who was encouraged by Frank to take his chances. “I said to Mason at half time that I wanted to see him strike through the ball more, and 3 minutes later he did”.
Lampard was immensely pleased about his teams all round performance and intensity in Wembley this evening, “I can't ask for much more than what they gave me, what impressed me most was the work ethics of the performance”.
Lampard looked ahead to the final as well as our remaining two league games, “We have finals ahead now, Arsenal is one, but before that we have two finals in the league this week, recovery will be huge for us”. Chelsea will have to recover as best they can before they travel to Anfield to face the league champions on Wednesday night, before the final Premier League game vs Wolves on Sunday who are also eyeing a European place. If Chelsea can pick up 3 points in either game, they will play in the Champions League next season.