Jesse Lingard clinches comeback victory for Manchester United over Chelsea

Jesse Lingard was the hero for Manchester United as they sealed a 2-1 comeback victory over Chelsea in the Premier League at Old Trafford.

The England forward headed home in the 75th minute after Romelu Lukaku had equalised seven minutes after Willian’s opener for the visitors in the first half.

Chelsea made their mark on the game early with heavy attacking pressure. The visitors came close to opening the scoring when Alvaro Morata turned Marcos Alonso’s sublime volleyed cross onto the bar.

Alexis Sanchez was gifted an opportunity to make an impression on his new side when an Anthony Martial cross found him with space and time in the Chelsea box. The Chilean took a touch and squandered his chance, when one might have expected him to bury the opportunity with a first-time shot.

Chelsea broke the deadlock with a rapid counter-attack movement engineered by Willian. The Brazilian carried the ball out of his own box, picked out Eden Hazard and found the ball back at his feet as he advanced on the United area. He finished low at David De Gea’s near post.

The equaliser came seven minutes later as Martial picked out Romelu Lukaku in the box with a delightful flick. The Belgian showed composure to finish low to Thibaut Courtois’ left for his first United goal against a top six opponent.

Lukaku nearly doubled his tally in the second half when he attempted a spectacular overhead kick from a Sanchez cross. Courtois did well to tip the effort over the bar.

The talismanic striker was also involved in United’s winner, providing the cross that substitute Jesse Lingard deftly headed inside Courtois’ near post.

It was Lingard’s thirteenth goal of the season.

Substitute Cesc Fabregas put the ball in the net with minutes on the clock, but his effort was ruled out for a narrow offside decision, denying Antonio Conte his fourth win in five meetings with Jose Mourinho.

The victory allowed United to climb back into second place in the table, while Chelsea remain two points behind Tottenham in fifth.

Will Alexis Sanchez settle in at United? Once again, Alexis failed to light up the action in a Manchester United shirt. The Chilean squandered a chance to give United the lead early on and was generally ineffective going forward.

It could be argued that Sanchez has made United’s side unbalanced; and that Mourinho will not get the best out of his talents.

On the evidence presented so far, these theories certainly have some credence.

Willian (Chelsea). Eden Hazard was typically influential in Chelsea’s attack, but Willian stole the show with his movement, dead balls and attacking prowess. His box-to-box run for Chelsea’s goal was sublime.

Manchester United
De Gea 7, Valencia 7, Smalling 8, Lindelof 6, Young 7, McTominay 7, Matic 8, Pogba 7, Sanchez 5, Lukaku 8, Martial 6.
Subs: Bailly 6, Lingard 7.

Chelsea
Courtois 6, Azpilicueta 6, Christensen 7, Rudiger 6, Moses 7, Drinkwater 7, Kante 6, Alonso 7, Willian 9, Morata 6, Hazard 8.
Subs: Fabregas 6, Pedro 6, Giroud 5.

29 - CHANCE! Martial advances down the left and picks out Sanchez in the area with a glorious square ball! The Chilean takes a touch and only manages a weak shot. He probably should have hit that first time.

32 - GOAL! Willian breaks and finds Hazard near the halfway line. The Belgian finds the Brazilian sprinting through the middle and he's in acres of space! Willian advances and shoots powerfully past De Gea from the right, ignoring the options to play a square ball to an unmarked Morata!

39 - GOAL! Sanchez passes to Martial on the edge of the box and the Frenchman plays a delightful flick to the advancing Belgian. He takes a touch and finishes low to the right!

67 - CHANCE! Sanchez picks up the ball at the top of the area, dribbles left and cuts an aerial cross back to Lukaku, who attempts a spectacular overhead kick! Courtois just tips it over the bar!

Manchester United have won two of their last 15 games against Chelsea in all competitions. The wins were the last two games at Old Trafford.

There hasn't been an away win in a league meeting between these two sides since Chelsea came away from Old Trafford with a 1-0 win in May 2013.

Willian has been involved in 19 goals for Chelsea this season (12 goals, seven assists).