Manchester United tightened their grip on third place in the Premier League after running out 1-0 winners over rivals and fellow Champions League hopefuls Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Matheus Cunha scored the only goal of the game shortly before half-time to maintain interim manager Michael Carrick’s impressive tenure since taking charge in January.
For the Blues, who saw a goal ruled out and twice hit the woodwork, they remain in sixth but failed to make a dent in the four-point gap between them and fifth-placed Liverpool.
The result means Liam Rosenior’s side are on a run of four successive top-flight defeats for the first time since the 1990s – doing so without scoring a single goal.
A frantic start at Stamford Bridge
Given that this is the most drawn fixture in the Premier League era (27), it was perhaps unsurprising that for long periods there was little to separate the two sides.
After a frenetic start, Estevao had the game’s first real chance when his effort curled inches wide of the goal.
The Brazilian prodigy hobbled off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury just moments later, replaced by former Red Devil, Alejandro Garnacho.
Midway through the half Chelsea had a great chance to take the lead when Enzo Fernandez wriggled free in the United area before bending a low effort that flew just past the post.
The hosts were in the ascendency, Delap seeing a goal ruled out for offside after Fernandez’s strike was parried by Senne Lammens.
But against the run of play, Bruno Fernandes found space down the right before drilling a low cross that found the run of Cunha.
The Brazilian playmaker made no mistake, arrowing a fine first-time finish beyond Robert Sanchez to give the Red Devils the lead before half time.
An enthralling second half
After the break, the Blues were unlucky not to draw level when Delap’s header from Pedro Neto’s threatening cross cannoned of the crossbar.
At the other end, Sanchez was forced to claw away a Fernandes pass which had taken a wicked deflection off Wesley Fofana and looked destined to roll into the corner of the net.
With the game opening up, the hosts again rattled the woodwork as they searched desperately for a way back into the contest.
Moises Caicedo’s fierce effort whistled agonisingly wide for Chelsea and it proved to be the final action of the match as United held on to record an impressive win in the capital.
