Manchester United hammer Chelsea 4-1 to seal Champions League return

To February’s Carabao Cup triumph Erik ten Hag adds the gilded prize of Champions League qualification, and his first year in charge of Manchester United could still end with FA Cup glory too.

The coup de grâce was applied by the irrepressible Bruno Fernandes in the closing stages. The Portuguese nutmegged Wesley Fofana, and the defender clipped his ankle. The referee, Stuart Attwell, awarded a penalty: Fernandes took the spot-kick by waiting for Kepa Arrizabalaga to commit himself, then aimed the ball straight and in.

Cue some needless anger from each set of players for reasons unclear before Fernandes turned creator. The hapless Fofana decided to clear a regulation ball straight to his nemesis. He fed Marcus Rashford, who dummied Arrizabalaga and finished.

United hunted for the point they needed to seal qualification with Rashford a substitute after illness and the momentum of two wins in a row pushing them forward. There was, too, a snap in the challenge of Fernandes on Conor Gallagher that led to a corner, as United attacked in waves.

A Carney Chukwuemeka shot offered a response but it was only a brief glimmer for the visitors because they were soon breached. The concession was simple – annoyingly so for Frank Lampard – as Christian Eriksen dropped a free-kick from the left on to Casemiro’s head. The Brazilian, unchallenged, did the rest.

One should have become two seconds later. Jadon Sancho, along an inside channel, tapped the ball into Fernandes in front of Arrizabalaga’s goal but his touch was clumsy. As regret lingered over the Portuguese, Chelsea went close to forcing him into self-recrimination mode. Kai Havertz broke down the right and squared for Gallagher but he was off the pace and inches from connecting.