Moises Caicedo Volley Earns Chelsea a Draw as Manchester United Struggle for Quality at Old Trafford

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A great volley from Moises Caicedo earns Chelsea a point as the Old Trafford match is drawn 1-1. United interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy's men seemed well on course to secure victory when Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty in the 70th minute after Chelsea's Robert Sanchez clumsily fouled Rasmus Hojlund in the box.

However, United's celebrations were short-lived as four minutes later Caicedo timed a perfectly weighted volley from the edge of the area to outjump Andre Onana and equalize.

United's Lack of Cutting Edge

Since being appointed as a caretaker manager, Van Nistelrooy has been bringing plenty of life to the side but here was a match they fell just short of claiming in this very tight affair that ebbed and flowed as a thrilling contest. A very resolute United played solid bits of defensive football for stretches, but a cutting edge for the attack lacked creative intent, and apart from Rashford's acrobatic volley which both came back off post and hit bar before half-time was perhaps their best opening prior to the penalty.

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Young forward Rasmus Hojlund was quiet while Alejandro Garnacho was all toil without a fine finish, particularly in a blatant chance when he sends a weak shot straight to Sanchez.

Van Nistelrooy's excitement in celebration after the Fernandes goal is a testament to how an emotional lift the Dutch striker has brought to Old Trafford; however, they could not hold on to their lead, and it reflects the reservations that have surrounded the club ahead of Ruben Amorim's takeover at the end of the international break.

Chelsea look promising but need a killer instinct

Chelsea, under the stewardship of Enzo Maresca, looked much more fluid than United and played with an enormous amount of control during the match. They dominated over possession, using their crisp passing style to dominate matters but often overplayed as they failed to test the United defense at times when it mattered most.

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Chelsea broke its silence with a little bit of brilliance from Caicedo, a fitting reward to his dominant midfield play and the hefty £115m price tag he bore. Caicedo has already not only broken up United attacks but initiated Chelsea's plays forward.

That goes for Maresca with their potential looking very bright, but that over-complicated affair in the final third remains one place Chelsea do need to continue making further progress.

With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies

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