Chelsea 0-2 Manchester United: Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba score headers to send United through

The scoreline told the story: these are two clubs going in very different directions now.

Whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ends up a permanent fixture at Manchester United, he has done what he was employed to do in December. He has turned this ship around, United are in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, the top four in the Premier League and on course to be in the Champions League next season. 

They will do this, it seems, at the expense of Chelsea – a club that has lost its way under Maurizio Sarri, and that United deservedly dumped out of the FA Cup last night, just as they have evicted them from the Champions League places.

Pogba is congratulated by his team-mate Marcus Rashford after making it 2-0 to United

Ander Herrera celebrates after opening the scoring for Manchester United against Chelsea in the FA Cup

Herrera headed the ball into the back of the net after latching onto Paul Pogba’s excellent cross

The United players are jubilant after Herrera’s goal put them in the ascendancy at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea’s defeat to United will further increase the pressure on Blues manager Maurizio Sarri

Pogba celebrates after scoring just before half time to double United’s lead against Chelsea

Pogba scored with a spectacular header in the 45th minute after impressive work from Marcus Rashford

Chelsea will contend the Carabao Cup final with Manchester City on Sunday, but fans will travel in hope more than expectation, and not even much of that with City winning their most recent meeting 6-0. It was never going to be that against the red half of Manchester, but United were comfortable, two goals clear at half-time and contained Chelsea beyond that. 

Victor Lindelof got a vital block in on a rare Eden Hazard shot and it may be argued that United’s Nemanja Matic was lucky not to receive a second yellow for some ferocious tackling in midfield, but these are minor quibbles.

United were better and appear to have been liberated by Solskajer as much as Chelsea seem shackled by Sarri. His second half substitutions – the inevitable Ross Barkley-Mateo Kovacic switch, plus full-back Davide Zappacosta for Cesar Azpilicueta – bought equal parts mockery and disdain, with Callum Hudson-Odoi again imprisoned on the bench. 

‘You don’t know what you’re doing,’ sang the locals, but that’s just the problem. He does. It’s just that what he is doing is increasingly unsuccessful and maddeningly repetitive. The same moves, born of the same principles, repeated endlessly with diminishing returns.

Sarri did not even put N’Golo Kante, a defensive midfielder supreme, on Paul Pogba, despite seeing the Marquinhos effect when Paris St Germain came to Old Trafford last week. The upshot? A goal and an assist for the player who will run the game for Manchester United if he is allowed. And while it is precisely Solskjaer’s job to allow him, if Sarri the super-coach is to live up to his billing, how did he let this happen? 

More to follow… 

Pogba fends off Chelsea defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger to get to the ball first and score

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard attempts to push forwards but finds himself tracked by United’s Ashley Young

United midfielder Nemanja Matic battles for possession with Chelsea striker Gonzalo Higuain

Higuain goes for goal in the first half but finds himself thwarted by United goalkeeper Sergio Romero

Juan Mata attempts to win the ball for Manchester United from Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso

MATCH FACTS & MATCH ZONE 

Chelsea: Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta (Zappacosta 82), Rudiger, David Luiz, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic (Barkley 71); Pedro (Willian 58), Higuain, Hazard

Subs not used: Caballero, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Christensen

Booked: Rudiger, Kante 

Manchester United: Romero; Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw; Herrera, Matic, Pogba; Mata (Pereira 76); Rashford (McTominay 90), Lukaku (Sanchez 73)

Subs not used: De Gea, Bailly, Fred, Dalot

Booked: Matic, Young

Goals: Herrera 31, Pogba 45

Ander Herrera opened the scoring for Manchester United following a move that was started by goalkeeper Sergio Romero

Pedro attempts to go for Chelsea during the first half of the FA Cup fifth round clash at Stamford Bridge

Pogba battles for possession with Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta during an intense encounter

United striker Romelu Lukaku attempts to get away from Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante

Antonio Rudiger of Chelsea tussles with United defender Chris Smalling at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea winger Eden Hazard shows his frustration during his side’s FA Cup defeat to United

United attacker Rashford finds himself held back by Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante

David Luiz goes for goal for Chelsea while Matic attempts to close his effort down