Little Pea Has Chelsea Green With Indigestion

FT: Manchester United 2 (3)-1 (1) Chelsea

The “little pea” Javier Hernandez and Ji Sung Park helped Manchester United to a 3-1 aggregate win over Chelsea at Old Trafford in the quarter final of the Champions League. Sir Alex Fergeson’s memories of 1999 are starting to edge a little closer as the treble dream is still alive.

This was also the night the biggest waste of £50 million, Fernando Torres beat David Blaines record of 640 minutes doing nothing in a box.

Both sides made lively, positive starts to the game, with Chelsea clearly aiming to score an early goal.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side created several chances through Frank Lampard and the impressive Ramires, although Nicolas Anelka and especially Fernando Torres had not made as many chances as they would have liked.

Hernandes breaks the deadlock at Old Trafford

At the other end, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez were looking lively for United, and although Chelsea overall had bossed the half, it was the home side who took the lead just before half-time when John O’Shea played a lovely reverse pass down the right which released Ryan Giggs, who crossed by Javier Hernandez to tap in at the far post.

The goal made it 2-0 on aggregate to Sir Alex Ferguson’s side and meant that Chelsea would have to come out attacking in the second half if they were to get themselves back into the tie.

Torres was substituted at half-time and replaced by Didier Drogba, who immediately caused problems for the United back four.

The game was played at a similar pace to the first half but as the hour mark passed, United were looking comfortable.

Chelsea’s night got worse on 70 minutes when Ramires was sent off for bringing down Nani from behind and picking up his second yellow card of the night.

But Didier Drogba got the Blues back into the game after 76 minutes when Michael Essien’s ball over the top of the United defence was chested down by the Ivory Coast striker who slotted the ball beyond Edwin van der Sar to make it 1-1 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate.

However just as Chelsea thought they were back in the game, United wrapped things up less than a minute later when Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney combined on the right, with Giggs’ cross finding Park Ji-Sung unmarked in the box, with the South Korean firing the ball low and hard into the far corner to make it 3-1 on aggregate.

Chelsea pushed forward trying to get back into the game but United’s second killed the game and ensured the Premier League leaders deservedly advanced to the semi-finals.

With Chelsea almost certainly out of the Premiership title race, the result will no doubt lead to fresh speculation about the future of Carlo Ancelotti as Chelsea manager following reports prior to kick-off that the Blues were considering sacking him should his side have lost this game.

Elsewhere Lionel Messi scored for Barcelona in a 1-0 win to give them a 6-1 aggregate victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.