WATCH: Morata leaves Mourinho's title dream in tatters

After the horrors of Rome in midweek, this was some performance from Antonio Conte’s Chelsea.

Committed, aggressive and assured, Chelsea were superior to Manchester United by a greater margin than one goal. Only a late United comeback caused Antonio Conte’s team any discomfort at all and had the late aerial pummelling of the Chelsea penalty area brought Jose Mourinho and his players anything at all it would have felt a little unjust.

There was no drama between the two managers this time but as Mourinho waited for a handshake from his conqueror at the final whistle, Conte chose instead to celebrate with fans behind the dugout and then moved onto the pitch to congratulate his players. 

Only then did Mourinho head down the players’ tunnel to reflect on a second defeat in three Premier League games.

United were recognisable throughout here. They came to contain Chelsea and try to impose themselves on the counter attack. 

At half-time, it looked as though it may work. Chelsea had enjoyed more of the ball but the game was tight. Mourinho would have been satisfied.

But when the excellent Chelsea centre forward Alvaro Morata scored with a towering header ten minutes in to the second half the game changed. United were forced to chase the game and did so via a predictable route, Maroune Fellaini being sent on to cause a little havoc.

It looked briefly as though it may work. Fellaini brought a plunging save from Thibaut Courtois in the 90th minute and there were some heart in mouth moments for Conte’s team as they saw out the game.

But this now feels like a huge result for Conte. It feels as though the only way the Italian can calm the storm that constantly rages around him at Stamford Bridge is by winning. So as he heads in to an international break he can at least do so on the back of something to be proud of.

undefined

As for Mourinho, his United team have now scored just one goal away against a top six team in all his time at the club. As much as United remain dominant at Old Trafford, their failure to impose themselves in games like this is beginning to feel like a handicap.

The handshake between Conte and Mourino before kick-off was certainly lacking in warmth. More important than friendship to both men was a performance and ideally a victory to at least give their pursuit of rampant Manchester City at least an air of credibility.

With Pep Guardiola’s team so relentless at the top of the Premier League, those trying to chase them do so knowing that every point lost is felt very deeply indeed.

Conte was hoping that a win may restore some sense of calm to an increasingly unsettled Chelsea reign. Mourinho, meanwhile, wished only for another scalp to add to that of Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, taken at Old Trafford eight days earlier.

In the first half Chelsea were more assertive. United tried to get on the front foot whenever they could but it was the home team that was able to enjoy greater possession. 

Chelsea are certainly a better team when N’Golo Kante is back in it and he and the determinedly resourceful Eden Hazard were Conte’s best players early on.

Talking points are not usually thin on the ground when these two play and we waited only seven minutes for the first one. A cross from the left from Marcos Alonso was volleyed on the fall in to his own goal by United defender Phil Jones only for referee Anthony Taylor to blow for a push by Alvaro Morata.

At first sight it looked the right decision and it still looked so on the first replay. Subsequent close ups did introduce some doubt in to the argument though as it appeared Jones may have initiated contact by reaching back to hold Morata at bay with his left arm.

No matter, though. The game remained scoreless and so it did for the rest of the half.

United’s best – and probably only – chance of the opening period fell to Marcus Rashford in the eighth minute and it was a good one. Romelu Lukaku brought wing-back Ashley Young in to the play and when he crossed to the far post the unmarked Rashford should have done better than head over.

Lukaku did bring a low save from Thibaut Courtois with a turn and low shot from the edge of the area and the United striker wasn’t hiding as he looked to score his first goal since the end of September.

Morata was also heavily involved at the other end, often dropping deep to link play. Had one of two early Chances fallen to the Spaniard then maybe Conte’s team would have had the lead they craved. 

But instead Tiemoue Bakayoko spooned one over from ten yards after good work down the right from Davide Zappacosta and then waited too long to get his shot off when the ball fell to him on the edge of the penalty area.

The Frenchman was willing and keen to take up good positions. There was a lack of conviction about his work in front of goal, though, as he showed on more than one occasion.

On the touchline, Conte was the more animated and one stage Mourinho appeared to ask the fourth official to tell the Chelsea coach and his staff to stop complaining. Conte was on his feet again shortly before half-time, though, as Antonio Valencia cut down Hazard in front of him.

Hazard was a constant menace and remains Chelsea’s most potent attacking player. The shot he unleashed from 20 yards with his right foot midway through the first half was pushed away acrobatically by David de Gea and Cesc Fabregas headed the rebound down in to the ground and up in to the side netting.

That was perhaps as close as Chelsea came before half-time though defender Andreas Christensen did advance to head over from a corner in the 40th minute.

So the opening period had probably brought us what we had expected. Some containment from United and san attempt to take the initiative by Chelsea.

With Hazard and Morata the home team’s two most dangerous players by some margin, it was always likely that a breakthrough, if it came, would involve one of them.

Hazard actually passed up a good chance in the 54th minute, sweeping a first time shot rather tamely in to De Gea’s arms when unmarked inside the penalty area. That was a very good chance.

Jose Mourinho shakes hands with a Chelsea coach while his counterpart Conte walks straight onto the playing surface. Photo: AP

Within a minute, Morata had his opportunity and he took it absolutely beautifully.

United were conceding too many fouls in their desire to restrict United’s space and as a result Chelsea were finding it increasingly easy to play the game in United’s half.

It was after one of several free-kicks that Chelsea picked up play 40 yards from United’s goal and when Cesar Azpilicueta dropped a right foot cross on to Morata’s head 12 yards from goal the Spaniard directed it beautifully high to De Gea’s left and in to the top corner.

It was probably the only place Morata could have placed the ball to be sure of beating the United goalkeeper and his application of the necessary skill was perfect. United now had to chase and that was always going to change the shape of the game entirely.

Mourinho, perhaps predictably, changed shape and personnel. Marouane Fellaini replaced the invisible Henrikh Mkhitaryan while Anthony Martial came on for Jones as United went to a back four.

Inevitably this did bring United a bit of territory as the game entered the final third. Chelsea also seemed comfortable sitting back and trying to kill the game on the break.

Ander Herrera volleyed a half chance wide from a corner and then Chris Smalling was penalised for jumping all over Courtois at another set piece.

There was something of a haphazard threat about United as they tried to get back on terms but still the more controlled attacking football came from Chelsea, albeit on the counter. 

Bakayoko was lacking in composure and cleverness when a mistake by Fellaini allowed him to run clear. It would have made sense to turn on to his left to open up the goal as red shirts retreated he seemed to want to go right and when he did he was only able to shoot wide of the near post.

Hazard then had a low shot saved by De Gea after standing up Smalling in the penalty area. This had been a good afternoon for the Belgian but he had not quite been at his sharpest in front of goal.

He was eventually replaced with four minutes of normal time remaining, the Brazilian Willian sent to help shore up the game. That came immediately after a half volley from the edge of the area by Rashford had passed the wrong side of the post by about a foot.

At such a late stage of the game, Chelsea did begin to find themselves under pressure at last. United did not try to hide the gameplan as they knocked it long to Fellaini and hoped for the best.

Not sure how Mourinho can claim it’s not a concern that Lukaku didn’t have any touches in the opposition box. That’s a BIG concern.

— Scott Patterson (@R_o_M) November 5, 2017

It almost worked, too, as the Belgian controlled a cross on his chest in the 90th minute and delivered a falling volley that Courtois dropped to save. 

As the ball was worked wide and crossed in to the box again, Fellaini fell under a challenge from Gary Cahill. Penalty? Probably not.

Still United would not lie down and die and after Morata spurned a 93rd minute breakaway chance Mourinho’s team earned one final chance. 

But Rashford couldn’t keep his free-kick down and United’s rather belated attempt at a comeback was over.

Daily Mail

WHAT MANAGERS SAID

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte on Sky Sports:

 "It’s an important victory. When you play against Manchester United it’s always a massive game. 

"We know very well this team is very strong. This type of win is important for our confidence. We showed great desire and passion to win this kind of game.

“We can win or lose but our spirit must be this. Last season our spirit was in every game – we started this season with a lot of problems. We were up and down. This game showed if we want we can.

“Alvaro Morata showed great personality to be very strong to play in this league. 

"There is disappointment because he could score more but today he was very good. He’s a young player but it’s great for his confidence and the confidence of Chelsea."

On the lack of a handshake with Jose Mourinho:

 “It’s not important. It’s important to win the game. You have to have the respect on the pitch not outside the pitch.”

Asked if David Luiz has a future at Chelsea:

 “I don’t know. He has to work really hard otherwise they are on the bench or in the stand.”

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, speaking to Sky Sports:

 "It was an even match. Both teams could win. The first to score would be in more defensive control and to win the match.

"The first half was really even. In the second half in the only period where they were on top of the game, they scored.

"It frustrates us to concede a goal in this situation. We lost ourselves after the goal emotionally. We found again the balance and desire in the last 15 to 20 minutes. 

"It was all us. We had big chances to equalise but we couldn't."

Asked whether he is concerned about the big gap Manchester City is opening up:

"We are second - not fifth, sixth or seventh or eight. We have several teams in a more difficult position than we have. Eight points is eight points.

"We went through a very difficult phase with important matches against Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea without important players."