Chelsea 2-3 Man Utd

Chelsea were beaten for the first time
in this season's Premier League as two
red cards ushered Manchester United
to a 3-2 win in west London.
Two goals down inside 12 minutes, the
leaders fought their way off the ropes
to level through Juan Mata (44) and
Ramires (53) and were looking likelier
winners until Branislav Ivanovic was
sent off on the hour.
But a second red card for Fernando
Torres meant the end of any genuine
attacking ambition, and substitute
Javier Hernandez bundled a
contentious winner (75) to haul United
within a point of the leaders and give
them a first league success at Stamford
Bridge since 2002.
Despite the result there was plenty in
Chelsea's performance to reinforce
their credentials as real title
challengers, though they were
handicapped by a haphazard start as
United's £24m man Robin van Persie
made one goal and scored another.
United's defence was under scrutiny
before the game following another
porous display against Braga in
midweek, but it was a home back four
missing John Terry which was exposed
during the opening exchanges as
Ashley Cole was repeatedly isolated
and David Luiz too often in a different
district to Gary Cahill.
Ashley Young strolled into a gaping
hole between the centre-halves to feed
Wayne Rooney, and when his cut-back
was met by a firm first-time van Persie
shot the ball hit a post, cannoned off
Luiz and bobbled beyond Petr Cech.
Van Persie's movement in the box for
the opener was bright enough, but it
was an identical checked run which
caught out Cahill soon afterwards and
this time the striker's right-footed
effort from Antonio Valencia's low
centre beat Cech by itself.
Luiz was slow to close down Valencia
and continued to unsettle home
supporters at the back, but it was the
Brazilian's free-kick which forced David
De Gea into the first of several feet-first
saves and sparked an improvement in
Chelsea's performance.
Jonny Evans miscued a clearance
against a post, De Gea denying Cahill
from the corner which followed, and
the goalkeeper then used his right
hand to claw out a Torres header from
his near post.
A goal was coming and Mata's precise
free-kick left his compatriot little
chance before Ramires rose above
Tom Cleverley to head a second-half
equaliser.
In between the two De Gea's feet
denied Mata a second, and Eden
Hazard then went close as Chelsea
threatened to become the first side in
Premier League history to topple
United from 2-0 down.
But Ivanovic saw red for clipping a
clean-through Young and Torres
followed for a second booking -
referee Mark Clattenburg deciding he
dived unnecessarily over Evans' lunge.
Chelsea were left hanging on and the
task proved too much as Cech kept out
van Persie only for Hernandez -
loitering in what appeared an offside
position - to turn in Rafael da Silva's
follow-up.