Manchester United 4-1 Chelsea - Hosts seal Champions League spot with shellacking of Blues at Old Trafford

Manchester United booked their place in next season’s Champions League with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag’s men needed just a point to confirm a top-four finish and Casemiro settled any early nerves with a free header on six minutes to net his fourth league goal of the campaign.

Ad Chelsea, who named their youngest ever average starting XI in Premier League history, had some big moments in the final third in the first half but the profligacy that has blighted their season was evident once more with Mykhailo Mudryk, Kai Havertz and Conor Gallagher the main culprits. Premier LeagueTen Hag warns Man Utd that Chelsea problems show 'you need a strategy' with spending11 HOURS AGO United suffered a blow just prior to the half-hour mark when Antony was stretchered off with just nine days until the FA Cup final, but they doubled their lead going into the interval when Anthony Martial tapped in Jadon Sancho’s unselfish pass.

Bruno Fernandes hit the woodwork and Casemiro fizzed inches wide as the hosts pushed for a third in the second period before Fernandes made completely sure of the win with a composed penalty on 73 minutes. Substitute Marcus Rashford then took advantage of some shocking Chelsea defending to add a fourth five minutes later and snare his 30th goal of the season.

Joao Felix added a consolation goal late on, but it mattered little. The result sees the Red Devils move up to third spot, two points ahead of Newcastle United in fourth and effectively ends fifth-placed Liverpool’s slim hopes of gate-crashing the top four at the death.