Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea: Five Talking Points
The legend came and he went. Didier Drogba was instrumental here, scoring Chelsea’s opener which was cancelled out by Robin Van Persie in the dying seconds. The ‘Theatre of Dreams’? Old Trafford was momentarily the ‘Theatre of Relief’, wildly celebrating Van Persie’s drilled finish in stoppage time.Here are five talking points from an eventful Premier League encounter at Old Trafford
#1 Drogba anything but finished
A player devoid of his previous brilliance, devoid of the previous mercurial quality which endeared him to Stamford Bridge? Didier Drogba is anything but finished, anything but a player not worth treasuring.
His goal at Old Trafford mirrored his header in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, an eternal leap of great benefits. The Ivorian rose gallantly above a grounded Rafael, heading powerfull beyond the despaired De Gea. He showed too that his footballing intelligence is as refined as ever, his movement, a dart across the disinclined Manchester United resistance and United right-back Rafael, opening up the space to head home Chelsea’s opener.
His return to Chelsea, after spells at Shanghai Shenhua and Galatasaray, was viewed as a decision taken on the mere basis of sentiment but Mourinho knew what he was getting in Drogba, knew the Ivorian had more than affection to offer. Drogba was a prominent physical presence up front, harrying, in particular, Marcos Rojo and expertly holding up the ball for a compact Chelsea team.