Marc Cucurella became Chelsea`s hero last night, securing a vital win that significantly boosts their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
The Spanish defender netted the decisive goal with a spectacular header following a superb move, propelling Enzo Maresca`s side back into the Premier League`s top five.
Chelsea`s aspirations of returning to Europe`s elite competition are now firmly within their control after a recent dip in form.
They struggled at times to break down Manchester United`s defence and had temporarily slipped in the race for the top five following rivals Aston Villa`s earlier win.
However, the curly-haired full-back dramatically changed the game. He rose high to head the ball into the net, igniting the crowd at Stamford Bridge and prompting enthusiastic renditions of the fan chant dedicated to him.
While fans sing about him drinking a Spanish lager, Cucurella is said to prefer wine, but that detail was lost in the wild celebrations after his decisive goal 18 minutes from time.
This victory elevates Chelsea to fourth place. A win against Nottingham Forest next Sunday would guarantee their return to the Champions League after a two-season absence.
The winning goal was a moment of quality, stemming from a superb turn and floated cross delivered by captain Reece James for the assist.
James executed a precise turn and chipped the ball from the edge of the box, finding Cucurella who powered a header past Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana.
The result was a perfect response to the disappointing 2-0 defeat at Newcastle the previous Sunday, which had seemed to significantly damage Chelsea`s European prospects.
Compounding their challenges, the Newcastle defeat resulted in striker Nicolas Jackson receiving a three-game ban for his red card. This meant manager Enzo Maresca had to give rookie striker Tyrique George his first Premier League start on this important night for the club.
Chelsea could have secured the win more comfortably earlier in the match.
Noni Madueke missed an early golden opportunity to put Chelsea ahead in only the fourth minute from Cole Palmer`s cross.
Reece James, a loyal servant returning from a series of hamstring injuries and surgery, provided a crucial moment of composure and quality. He also struck the outside of the post with a powerful shot in the first half.
Cole Palmer also came close to scoring with a well-placed curling shot from the edge of the area, forcing a diving save from Onana.
Despite making hard work of the win, manager Enzo Maresca is convinced his team has made progress this season, finally showing their capabilities late in the second half.
For Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, this loss extends their winless streak in the Premier League to eight games, despite a slightly improved performance compared to their poor showing against West Ham last weekend.
For United, the 1-0 defeat, while a loss, was perhaps a minor improvement compared to their rivals Tottenham, who lost 2-0 to Aston Villa earlier.
However, based on current form, neither of these teams – Chelsea, Manchester United, or Tottenham – have consistently shown the level required for elite European competition.
Manchester United had an early goal by Harry Maguire disallowed for a narrow offside. In the opening 20 minutes, they appeared to show a response to criticism from manager Erik ten Hag regarding their attitude.
Former Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount had a significant opportunity to score against his former club but missed, and was later substituted to jeers from the crowd.
