Cesc Fàbregas keeps calm amid the chaos to steer Chelsea towards a worthy win | Barney Ronay


Aided by N’Golo Kanté’s return, the Spaniard stood out with patience and craft as José Mourinho was unable to change the course of a game United lost 1-0

And then there was one. With just over an hour gone at Stamford Bridge and Manchester United trailing 1-0 thanks to Álvaro Morata’s sublime second-half header, José Mourinho leapt up out of his seat for perhaps the 30th time, quilted grey anorak billowing behind him, and waved his arms in a gesture of trapped rage.

Mourinho’s exasperation was directed at Marouane Fellaini, who was standing too deep inside his own half to get a flick on to a David de Gea clearance. Fellaini rumbled a little mournfully into position. Two minutes later he was booked for trailing an elbow into Morata’s face. In the final moments, as United roused for a late grandstand attack like a rusted trawler being hoisted from the ocean floor, Fellaini trapped an Eric Bailly punt on his chest, brought it down with a roll of the shoulders and punted a bobbling shot that Thibaut Courtois palmed away.

Related: Álvaro Morata heads Chelsea to victory over Manchester United

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