Chelsea at Manchester United: six of the best Blues wins
CLICK THE ARROW ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO SEE SOME CLASSIC PICTURES FROM DOWN THE YEARS, INCLUDING A BRILLIANT PHOTO OF PETER OSGOOD AT OLD TRAFFORD!
Few teams have a record as impressive as Chelsea's at Old Trafford…
Manchester United 1 CHELSEA 3, 2004/05 PREMIER LEAGUE
Newly crowned champions Chelsea came from a goal down to win 3-1 and beat Manchester United's Premier League points record with a game to spare, taking them to 94 (United won 92 points in 1993/94, Chelsea would finish on 95). United showed their class by forming a guard of honour for the champions, but the Blues showed them no favours by stamping their class on the occasion with goals from Thiago, Gudjohnsen and Joe Cole.
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 CHELSEA 2, 2009/10 PREMIER LEAGUE
After his 2005 effort, Joe Cole returned to score an even more important goal at Old Trafford, giving Chelsea the lead in this top of the table clash. Didier Drogba added a late, controversial second (he was offside), before Federico Macheda grabbed a dubious consolation (via a handball). The result meant Chelsea leapfrogged United into first place with five games to play, en route to winning their first ever Double.
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 CHELSEA 2, 1986/87 DIVISION ONE
This win for Chelsea was actually one of the best things that could have happened to Manchester United. Two missed penalties for the home side helped the Blues take three points away from Old Trafford, but the long term significance was that it hastened the departure of then Man United manager Ron Atkinson. One month later a Mr Alex Ferguson took up residence at Old Trafford. You know the rest!
Chelsea also came away with a 2-1 win at Old Trafford the season before, as this classic footage recalls…
MANCHESTER UNITED 0 CHELSEA 1, 1993/94 PREMIER LEAGUE
Under the management of Glenn Hoddle, Chelsea began their rise to Big Four status by winning home and away against Man United in 1993/94. Gavin Peacock scored the winner on both occasions, but he could only hit the bar when the two teams met in that season's FA Cup final. United made amends for the previous two defeats by clinching a more valuable double of their own: the Premier League and FA Cup.
MANCHESTER UNITED 0 CHELSEA 3, 2001/02 PREMIER LEAGUE
This thumping win for the Blues in early December saw Manchester United drop out of the top six, en route to a rare season without silverware under Fergie. Chelsea completely outplayed United and goals from Mario Melchiot, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen saw them stroll to three points at Old Trafford.
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 CHELSEA 2, 2005 CARLING CUP SEMI FINAL 2ND LEG
It may only have been a League Cup semi final, but both teams were desperate to win this tie and sent out full-strength sides. A 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge meant it was finely balanced going into the second leg and when Ryan Giggs equalised a Frank Lampard opener, extra-time was beckoning until Damian Duff swept home a late winner. Chelsea were on their way to a first trophy under Jose Mourinho as Fergie was left potless in 2005.
BONUS CHELSEA WIN AT OLD TRAFFORD…
1970 FA CUP FINAL AT OLD TRAFFORD
Chelsea's happiest memory of Old Trafford didn't even involve Manchester United, as they won their first ever FA Cup by beating Leeds United in a 1970 replay at the Theatre of Dreams. The first game was a 2-2 draw played on a terrible Wembley pitch that had been cut up by the Horse of the Year Show just days earlier, leading to the replay being held at Old Trafford. The game was watched by an incredible 28 million people on TV, who saw future Chelsea manager David Webb grab an extra time winner as the Blues triumphed 2-1.
Can Chelsea turn it round at Old Trafford, or are this Man United side just too good? Let us know by commenting below and listen to live commentary of the Champions League match between Man United and Chelsea on 12 April, on talkSPORT 1089/1053AM.