Manchester United secure Champions League football for next season after dismantling Chelsea

When Brighton won at Old Trafford in August, we wondered if Erik ten Hag would make it to September as Manchester United manager, let alone the Champions League.

However, it was the last time United had been beaten at home in a Premier League season ending at home to Fulham on Sunday, and the victory over Chelsea here confirmed that Ten Hag has indeed brought the club back into Europe’s elite.

That was his number 1 goal when he came over from Ajax last summer and United needed a point from these last two games to make sure he made it.

They did it the first time again largely thanking Casemiro who scored for the second game in a row and then produced a magical moment as Anthony Martial claimed the second.

However, victory came with a price. Brazil winger Antony was carried off in the 28th minute after sustaining an injury to his right ankle during a challenge with Trevoh Chalobah and must now be a serious doubt for the FA Cup final against Manchester City in eight days.

However, the win came with a price, as Antony was carried off the field early in the first half

Casemiro opened the scoring for United before Anthony Martial (above) added the score

Despite the score, it could get ugly for United to play like this at Wembley. Defense has been their base this season: they are the lowest scorers in the top six by some distance and this would have been their seventh straight league clean sheet at Old Trafford had Joao Felix had a late consolation.

But Chelsea were guilty of a terrible finish and City will not be so charitable.

United also squandered their fair share of chances in a game full of mistakes. There have been some epic encounters between these two clubs over the years, and this was not one of them.

For Chelsea, the end of a miserable season – and the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino – can’t come soon enough.

They were already guaranteed to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League for the first time in 27 years, setting a new record of 16 defeats in a 38-game season. Caretaker boss Frank Lampard has now lost eight of his ten games.

Ten Hag fielded an unchanged team, although Marcus Rashford was fit enough to return to the bench, remaining there for less than half an hour before scoring the fourth.

“I hope you are all prepared and ready to use your vote tonight because as we welcome Frank Lampard and Chelsea to Old Trafford we should all be excited,” the United boss wrote in his program notes.

Lampard, meanwhile, faced a considerably more difficult challenge to raise his troops after Sunday’s visit across town to Manchester City saw his seventh defeat in nine games in all competitions since he took over as interim manager last month .

Bruno Fernandes (centre) found the back of the net from the penalty spot after a foul

Marcus Rashford (right) added Manchester United’s fourth and final goal of the game

He took the opportunity to rest Raheem Sterling and Thiago Silva, bringing Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke into Chelsea’s youngest-ever starting line-up in the Premier League at 23 years and 238 days.

“This moment is difficult, but you have to be proud to be playing against a really good team in a great arena to play football. Some days I wish I could still do that,” Lampard lamented before kick-off.

Even a month short of his 45th birthday, Lampard would probably have outperformed his players as United took the lead in the sixth minute.

Christian Eriksen snapped an excellent free-kick from the left and Casemiro was able to break through the thin blue line too easily, sauntering between Wesley Fofana and Kai Havertz to nod past Kepa Arrizabalaga from close range.

While not as spectacular as the bicycle kick that proved decisive for victory over Bournemouth on Saturday, it was just as effective. The VAR, of course, looked at it for a long time, but the Brazilian was clearly offside.

For Chelsea, it seemed typical of their malaise. It was evident at the other end of the field when Mykhailo Mudryk made a terrible stunner of an early chance and again when Havertz had the simple task of getting the ball to Conor Gallagher in front of goal but somehow the pass exceeded.

Antony managed to knock out Anthony Martial in a similar situation when United broke soon after, but the Frenchman’s lack of urgency allowed Cesar Azpilicueta to return and save a goal – a point that Bruno Fernandes did not hesitate to point to to make martial.

United would have been penalized for it if Chelsea hadn’t been so wasteful in front of goal before half-time.

Havertz headed wide of goal from a Lewis Hall cross and Enzo Fernandez sent Gallagher through, but his shot went wide of the far post.

United made the most of the indulgence in the fifth of six minutes added to Antony’s injury. Casemiro again played a vital role in goal, scoring a fine pass over the top of the Chelsea defense for Jadon Sancho. He controlled the ball and pushed it towards the back post where Martial this time lived in Azpilicueta’s presence as he scored into an empty net.

Joao Felix managed to score a consolation goal for Chelsea in the 89th minute of the game

The result means Manchester United have secured Champions League football for next season

Lampard’s expression when Stuart Attwell blew his whistle at half time said it all. Chelsea had given their best in an open first half, but went down in two.

The chances continued to beg in the second half. Fernandes rattled the crossbar from 15 yards within two minutes of the restart and Eriksen was unable to bundle the ball all the way over the line from inches away.

Fernandes eventually got third from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute after being brought down by a careless challenge from Fofana. Rashford tapped in for fourth before a late reply from substitute Felix.

Chelsea’s misery will come to an end at home against Newcastle on Sunday. This victory lifts United above Eddie Howe’s side into third place, but it would be a surprise if Ten Hag risked further injury before the cup final by going full strength against Fulham. Only one game counts now.