S Poddar
Well, that was an edge-of-the-seat kind of match at Old Trafford where Manchester United and Chelsea managed a 1-1 draw. And there was record signing Moises Caicedo to come through with an outstanding volley that rescued a point for the Blues.
Expectations were high at kickoff as both teams wanted to put something straight. Under caretaker manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, Manchester United kick-started with an onslaught. The early pressure bore its fruits when Manchester United won a penalty. Legend striker van Nistelrooy was on the spot as well, and he made his trademark celebration for scoring that goal.
Chelsea, however, wasn’t going to let their rivals steal the show without a fight. Enzo Maresca’s charges responded with some quality display, and in a perfect display of class, Caicedo proved his price tag by silencing the doubters with a volley that seemed to have the United goalkeeper beat.
This brought the score level and gave ample proof of the great talent Caicedo has within him, showing the impact he could make on Chelsea’s midfield.
The draw was a disappointing affair for both teams, but it was an important point for Chelsea as it edged them into the top four of the Premier League table. For Manchester United, this was a missed opportunity to get a crucial victory at home, especially when they have been struggling lately.
The match also revealed the tale of two very expensive signings for midfield. Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea’s biggest signing, again was warmed up on the bench during the match while Casemiro, another big summer signing for Manchester United had a mixed game.
But for now, with the season well and truly underway, this will be interesting to observe in the development of Maresca with Caicedo and Fernandez. What Chelsea fans would have cherished is more moments of Caicedo brilliance while for Manchester United, it should look for a way towards solving the problem of being short of midfield.
Meanwhile, the highly rated Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim has the massive task of turning the club back into its former self when he takes over Manchester United. He will have to repair the defensive frailties and make the midfield creative for the club to regain the glory.
