Manchester United secure Champions League place after defeating Chelsea
Manchester United has been able to book a place in the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League after a 4-1 victory over Chelsea at OId Trafford on Thursday, May 25.
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.
Chelsea who named their youngest-ever average starting XI in Premier League history, had some big moments 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.
Casemiro also helped set up another for Anthony Martial and spurred United on to a memorable thrashing which was completed by a Bruno Fernandes penalty and a late strike from Marcus Rashford, his 30th goal of the season.
Joao Felix ruined David De Gea’s clean sheet with a low drive in the 89th minute.
The result sees the Red Devils move up to third spot, two points ahead of Newcastle United in fourth. It also effectively ends fifth-placed Liverpool’s slim hope of gate-crashing the top four.
Chelsea are 12th on the Premier League table and they’ve set a new club record with a 16th defeat in a 38-game Premier League season to compound finishing in the bottom half of the top-flight for the first time in 27 years.
Manchester United will end the league season at home to Fulham on Sunday afternoon while Chelsea hosts Newcastle United.
