'Sacked in the morning' – Chelsea fans turn on Maurizio Sarri as Man Utd stroll into FA Cup quarter-finals
Maurizio Sarri felt the familiar refrains for a beleaguered manager as Chelsea crashed out of the FA Cup. This was a brilliant away performance from Manchester United and another, dare it be said, throwback of a display in which they defended resolutely and counter-attacked ruthlessly to emphatically earn their place in the last eight.
They were driven on by Paul Pogba with yet another goal and yet another assist and yet another dominant display. Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over in December the reborn, rejuvenated midfielder has had a hand in 15 goals, scoring nine of them, in 12 games.
Against this Sarri was met with chants of “you don’t know what you are doing” and “sacked in the morning” and an even angrier one emanating from the Matthew Harding Stand of “f--- Sarri-ball”. Not one for the purists.
These are intensely difficult times for the Italian as he heads towards Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, who whipped his team 6-0 little over a week ago.
How much longer will he last? Every predictable substitution, every usual change Sarri made was met with open rebellion by the supporters. He is the first Chelsea manager for a long time to lose the fans like this and it appears unsustainable. It feels like the fag end, already, of the chain smoker’s tenure.
Off went Pedro and Mateo Kovacic. On came Willian and Ross Barkley, while the final change, which saw full-back Davide Zappacosta used while winger Callum Hudson-Odoi kicked his heels on the bench, tipped some fans over the edge. The boos at the end were long and full of fury and it was also telling that a large number stayed behind to express that anger.
At the same time Solskjaer gave his chances of earning a permanent contract another significant boost, bouncing back from the Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain, in which Pogba was sent off, with an 11th win in 13 games.
Solskjaer became the first United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson, who was here, to win at Stamford Bridge. It was also the first time in five meetings in this competition that United had prevailed against Chelsea – including Solskjaer’s last game for United, the 2007 final – and that will be noted. As will the incredible, high-energy support he again received from his club’s travelling fans, who raised the decibels and did not relent.
Given Solskjaer recalibrated his side – with a midfield diamond that placed Juan Mata at its tip to occupy Jorginho, and David Luiz when he stepped forward – and got his tactics spot on, the PSG disappointment points towards the personnel being at fault rather than his approach. The dismal state of Chelsea, however, has to be factored in.
This was the last of the fifth-round ties and the heavyweight one. It felt like a lot was at stake for the clubs who met in last season’s final. The pace was fierce, although another indictment of Chelsea was that they did not achieve a single shot on target in the second half. That owed much to United’s body-on-the-line defending that was epitomised by Luke Shaw hurting himself as he stretched every sinew to poke the ball away from Pedro when the winger threatened to run on to N’Golo Kante’s through ball at the beginning of the second period.
After that Victor Lindelof, who had been turned inside out by Eden Hazard, recovered to deflect the forward’s shot over the bar.
Such commitment will have given Solskjaer as much satisfaction as the goals. He turned to his bench in the final minute of injury time, as goalkeeper Sergio Romero collected one last corner, and winked. And why not? He had earned that moment.
The goals were superbly taken even if there were extenuating circumstances – otherwise known as bad defending.
Still United moved the ball across the pitch, with Mata knitting the play, before Pogba shifted it to his right boot and swung in a cross that picked out the run of Ander Herrera. Chelsea had been slow to react; slow to track Mata, slow to close down Pogba and slow to respond as Herrera stooped to head past goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Marcos Alonso – once more – appeared particularly guilty as he realised too late where Herrera was.
It was down the other flank that United claimed their second goal. Just before half-time Marcus Rashford and Pogba combined with the latter sending the former running towards the byline. Showing brilliant awareness, Rashford, who had such a strong evening, delayed until Pogba had made up the yards to sprint into the area. The cross picked Pogba out and he dived in before Cesar Azpilicueta, his header squirming into the net via Arrizabalaga who, probably, should have done better.
Before the goals Chelsea had chances. After them, they had none. Gonzalo Higuain should have done better than steering a header wide, while Romero unconvincingly beat away a Luiz free-kick and just about repelled Pedro’s follow-up.
But that was it. Their only other gripe was their former midfielder Nemanja Matic was fortunate to escape a dismissal for a second yellow card as he tripped Kante.
Yes, Chelsea had the majority of possession, the majority of crosses, but this was an emphatically deserved victory for United and a familiar sense of the end approaching for another Chelsea manager.
Team details
Chelsea (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta (Zappacosta, 82), Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic (Barkley, 71); Pedro (Willian, 58), Higuain, Hazard.
Subs not used: Caballero (gk), Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Christensen.
Manchester United (4-1-2-1-2): Romero; Shaw, Lindelof, Smalling, Young; Matic; Pogba, Herrera; Mata (Pereira, 76); Lukaku (Sanchez, 73), Rashford (McTominay, 90+4).
Subs not used: De Gea (gk), Bailly, Fred, Dalot.
Attendance: 40,562.
Referee: Kevin Friend.
FT: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
United hadn't won at Stamford Bridge since 2012 - but they have tonight, and they deserved it no question. Another feather in Solskjaer's ickle alpine hat, where this leaves counterpart Sarri is anybody's guess. Sacked in the morning? Could be.
Jason Burt's match report is coming up, thanks for following this enjoyable game with us. See you soon.
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I would very much enjoy Terry taking over
90+ mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Lino holds up the board. Five more minutes for Chelsea to endure. Pogba is still busting a gut, a worthy Player of the Match. Scott McTatty-Troosers is coming on for the brilliant Rashford.
90 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Gie it Big JT til the end of the season. #captain #leader #caretaker
"Despite the introduction of Davide Zappacosta..."
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) February 18, 2019
87 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
I would not say Chelsea are playing badly, lots of attacking moves but they cannot really threaten. United just look... better. Brighter, stronger, fresher, busier. Like that Daft Punk record.
Chelsea's fans have had enough
I wonder if Roman has?
83 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Sarri makes his final change... Davide Zappacosta replaces Cesar Azpilicueta! No way?! He's just asking for it now, is Sarri. 2-0 down and he has brought on a full back for a full back?
81 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
No chances of late, no real incidents as such.
Even Sanchez has got the memo and is playing with vim, zip, snap, and the like.
Chelsea fans are singing: "you're getting sacked in the morning."
79 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Sarri mooches along the touchline looking lost and bemused. Chris Sutton on the Radio Five Live: "Sarri won’t survive tonight. Well he might until 9am tomorrow. If he does survive tonight, do you have to question the owner's ambition?"
FA Cup fifth-round has saved its best until Monday, but it was asking a lot of it to entertain the nation for four whole days. Don’t dilute the drama of a competiion you’re trying to save.
— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) February 18, 2019
76 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
John O'Shea on the Radio: "Eden Hazard is going to be at Real Madrid in the summer, it's fairly clear it's heading that way."
Chelsea fans are now singing: "F*** Sarri Ball." Oof. I wonder if he's gonna be out of a job soon?
Mata off for Pereira.
Chelsea are really struggling. Not playing badly by any means but they are being bested here. United are assured, first to everything, composed, hungry and determined. Fair play to OGS.
75 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Alexis Sanchez replaces Romelu Lukaku. United have been putting in a shift form 1-11. Or 1-whatever fool numbers they wear these days.
71 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Kovacic (player rating: whevs) is coming off.
Ross Barkley on.
Why doesn’t Sarri just merge Barkley and Kovacic into a single player to save himself the bother of replacing one with the other every week.
— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) February 18, 2019
Meanwhile, the Chelsea fans...
"You don;t know what you're doing" coming from the Matthew Harding stand after that change, presumably because it's not Hudson Odoi coming on.
— Jack Pitt-Brooke (@JackPittBrooke) February 18, 2019
69 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Big moment in the game as Chelsea have a freekick. Luiz, Alonso and Willian debate. It's the last-named who gets the nod. And blooters it 25 rows back. Sigh.
65 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Rudiger reckons he has been fouled from the corner by Smalling but nobody, including VAR VAR VAR, shares that view.
63 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Quick throw from Chelsea, Hazard drives forward, he cuts inside at incredible pace. The balance is something else. He is a lovely mover. He cracks it at goal and Lindelof does well to block.
60 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Rudiger has gone through the backa Mata. Booking.
58 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Willian takes a quick freekick, Azpilicueta gets to the byline, has the beating of Pogba. Crosses. Lindyhop turns it behind for the corner.
Again it comes to nothing. And again young Rashford breaks at high speed.
56 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Matic should have got the second yellow for that foul on Kante by the way.
Anyway, Pedro is coming off and WIllian is coming on.
54 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Chelsea have three corners in quick succession but none of them especially demanding.
51 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Matic has already been booked, and the ref has blown up for a foul. Does not seem like he did actually Hazard there?
Anyway, Matic gets cross, the Chelsea players are trying to get him sent off.
And now again a minute later when he clips Kante. None of these fouls is vicious but Matic must surely be very close to el bano earlyo.
48 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Chelsea have a corner. it drops to Kante who has an effort blocked. United break! Rashford and Azpilicueta in a race, and the MUFC man is haring away. Crosses for Lukaku, Luiz tidies up with the chest and it hits Azpilicueta on the... shoulder. Some thought on the hand at first. Good decision, Kevin Friend.
46 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Chelsea kick off. Something from the training ground - as in covered in dog's poo - as Luiz launches the ball long at Alonso, who fails to win the header.
Not exactly a tone-setter, is it?
Wayne Bridge
also doing a bit of puditry. "Chelsea look deflated." Both he and Fletcher doing a good job on the touchline chat IMH. Not seem much of either with mike in hand.
Half time: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2
Excellent time to score for MUFC, nothing else of note happens in the last minute or so. Paul Pogba set up one and scored another: and Chelsea's players are booed off by some (not all) of their own fans!
The expert view on the BBC is that Jorginho and Kante are in each other's positions.
Really enjoyed that half. The speed of passing and some of the off-the-ball running has been exceptional.
— Michael Cox (@Zonal_Marking) February 18, 2019
GOAL! Chelsea 0 Manchester United 2 (Pogba 45 mins)
Paul Pogba is having a goal! Superb stuff from him, his vision, his passing, his engine. He slides the ball to Rashford and the young Englishman crosses it. Poggers meets it at full tilt and absolutely nails the header. The term "bullet header" was invented for just such an effort and even though Kepa gets a hand to it, he simply cannot stop it.
THAT is the Pogba that United paid all that money for.
A brilliant cross and a power header is still my favourite sort of goal. It's a simple sort of poetry but really hard to get right.
— John Nicholson (@JohnnyTheNic) February 18, 2019
39 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 1
Rashford and Hazard challenge for the ball. Rashford follows through with his tackle and catches Hazard high and hard.
60-40 in Chelsea's favour in terms of possession, but sadly for them it is not 9/10ths of the score.
38 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 1
The lad Jorginho has not had his say at all so far.
37 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 1
United impressing. They win the ball with the press, they make nice triangles, they keep it. Isn't that what that Sarri ball business was? That guy will be dusting down his resume sharpish I would have thought.
36 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 1
United fans are in good voice. HARD eye-roll from me when the BBC commentator says "Solskjaer sprinkling his magic dust again."
Pedro crosses from the right, it hits Shaw and nearly foxes Romero.
GOAL! Chelsea 0 Manchester United 1 (Herrera 31 mins)
Ander Herrera! He stoops to head the ball home after a quite simply excellent ball in from Pogba. Great ball and great movement from Herrera, but the Chelsea marking was shocking. Herrera in acres at the back stick.
Manchester United lead and errrr Herrera with the goal.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) February 18, 2019
23 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
Eden Hazard, quicksilver, beats Smalling and works Romero.
Chris Sutton on Radio Five: "If this turns flat, everything is possible tonight in what could happen to Sarri. He could be out of a job if they lose by a couple."
20 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
United are pressing hard and urgent, and the downside of that is that you are going to commit fouls. Young here is just a fraction late in on Pedro, and Kevin Friend has his yellow card out.
"Magnificent thought your commentary is," writes Shane O'Leary. "I lack some news.
"Namely, is Ole Gunna-Runna running the show tonight or has Sir Purple Of Conk still got a hand up the younger man's jumper?
"Come on United."
17 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
Rashford and Rüdiger tangle, Marcus Rashford reckons he has been wellied in the head and goes down in keeping with that.
He himself takes the freekick, whipping a drive in low but the keeper can throw his expensive cap on that.
16 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
Chelsea into the United box once again, Chris Smalling tries an injurious sliding tackle, slipping around like a dog on lino. Higuain! Effort wide.
15 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
Gonzalo H runs onto a ball and brings it down with a lovely touch but he does not quite get the break of the ball. Angle takes him too wide and eventually out.
10 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
And now Alonso tees up Hazard, he cracks a drive not far wide of the post. All happening here!
9 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
Kovacic knocks it past Ander Herera, who sticks his mitt out like he is doing a rugby style hand-off! Herera makes a big apology, presumably worrying about a card. Ref is lenient.
It gives David Luiz a freekick chance. He runs up and side foots it. HARD. Can't be many players in history who have side-footed a freekick with that much whip. It bends in the air and the United keeper can but parry it. I drops to Pedro, who crunches a shot of his own. Romero takes it on his chest!
8 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
An energetic start from both sides. Alonso is under pressure from Rashford and fouls him. United take it quick... they build a move, Matic clips it in and there is Chris Smalling with the header! Cannot get enough oomph on it.
5 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
Hazard cuts inside, Young hauls him down. Might be a theme.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Alexis Sanchez: “You have that bottle of ketchup when it never comes out, but when it suddenly comes there’s loads of it. When it comes I’m sure he’ll be fine." #MUFChttps://t.co/bKNmq3ebE2pic.twitter.com/bBHTPWNlYh
— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) February 18, 2019
4 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
It's all United. Lukaku tries a hopeful effort. Way over.
2 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
Pogba surges down the left, cuts inside, it's out to Lukaku on the left and he crosses low and hard looking for Rashford. Luiz slides in and turns it behind for a corner. A United foul from that.
United the brighter starters.
1 mins: Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0
Mata the first man to show. Against his old club, he tries a ball forward but just puts too much mustard on it for Rashford.
Nice round of applause
For Gordon Banks.
Manchester United as so
Chelsea line up
Interview time
Guillem Balagué has done a cute double interview with Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera. It's quite sweet actually. They seem to be firm pals. If only Alexis could show some of that passion and joie de vivre ON the pitch...
Ooh and talking of fwends: it's referee Kevin Friend, he has got the players in the tunnel and we are nearly ready to roll here.
Decent punditry from Darren Fletcher
I mean the former United midfielder, not the BT broadcaster. He's pitchside with Mark Chapman. He says:
"Defending against Hazard you want to show him down the line onto his left foot, he is still dangerous but it is the lesser of two evils. You have to double up on him."
Both clubs
have major teams out. I think the duel between Kante and Pogba could be a bobbydazler. Phil Neville says: "if you stop Pogba, you stop United."
Exceptional intro on the BBC
Last of the Summer Grime. All very Lahndahn. Well, nice for United fans to have a day trip in from Surrey. Sorry. Don't write in.
Right then
Fans of the One Show: it's not your night. Sir Gary of Lineker is on the television and that's just the way it is.
The teams
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic, Pedro, Higuain, Hazard. Subs: Barkley, Caballero, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Zappacosta, Willian, Christensen.
Man Utd: Romero, Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, Ander Herrera, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Lukaku, Rashford. Subs: de Gea, Bailly, Sanchez, Andreas Pereira, Fred, Dalot, McTominay.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
FA Cup weekend
Continues. Good news for FA Cup fans, and even better news for Chelsea and Manchester United fans. Those two teams do battle in the FA Cup fifth round with a 7.30pm kick off tonight.
With the Premier League not gonna happen for these two sides, and United facing a huge ask to get past PSG in the Champions League, both of these sides must probably think that the FA Cup is no longer an irrelevance and a distraction but a possible target. Chelsea are obviously in the League Cup final as well as the Europa League last 32 so this is not do or die for Sarri but, yeah, I reckon both managers would love and FA Cup on their CV.
Also this evening it is the draw for the FA Cup sixth round which will follow the game. I will have the team news as soon as.
