Reaction as Man Utd beat Chelsea & return of European football

One more thing to cover before we move on from last night’s game is Paul Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola…

Chelsea are fourth with 41 points while Burnley, in 11th place, are only seven points adrift.

Manchester United’s current reduced status, and the reason why questions are constantly asked about Solskjaer’s suitability to revive this fallen Premier League giant, is emphasised by the fact they only have half of Liverpool’s 76-point tally.

It is a galling statistic but somehow, helped by the failings of others and their own ability to grind out the occasional vital result, they find themselves right in the chase for the top four.

And with Manchester City fighting a two-year ban from the Champions League after being accused of “serious breaches” of Uefa’s club licensing and Financial Fair Play regulations, fifth place might yet be precious and lucrative.

It is also a sign of the new reality at United that fourth place might even be regarded as success for Solskjaer and his players these days.

You can read more from BBC Sport’s Chief football writer Phil McNulty on last night’s game here.

Lewis Starks: Neither was violent but just like Son’s kick out… They were both red cards by the letter of the law. VAR 1-0. The Zouma goal… Everyone has said that should have stood. How can you disallow a goal for a push when the accused was pushed first? A joke. VAR 2-0.

Noel Fitzpatrick: We have to have a #VAR injustice table of the season. What’s top, Pukki’s offside? Firmino’s armpit? Azpilicueta’s “push”?

Oldandwizend: I watch Bundesliga and Hyundai A league (Australia). Both use VAR. it works with minimal delay/controversial decisions. Why is it so difficult for the FA/Premier league to get this right? Perhaps if they were less interested money and more interested in the fans…

Here’s a reminder of how things are shaping up in the Premier League’s race for Europe then.

In the immediate future, Chelsea v Tottenham on Saturday afternoon is another huge game.

Looking further ahead, Manchester United face Everton, Manchester City, Tottenham and Sheffield United in key games in March.

Okay, so it’s not quite a title race, but still…

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I have to say, fair play to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the way he set this team up. I thought they played with a real desire and a hunger, I was impressed by Bruno Fernandes, his touches and set pieces, but they were lucky to finish the game with 10 men on the pitch.

Harry Maguire should’ve been sent off and I’m still bamboozled as to why the Kurt Zouma goal was ruled out? So, United did have luck on their side as well.

SMS Message: Why is everyone blaming VAR all the time? It’s not the cameras or the replays who are at fault and to blame, it’s the standard of the refs who are in charge at stockley park. All the var official should be doing is suggesting to the on pitch ref as and when to check the pitch side monitor for a potential infringement. Offsides I think they should get rid of the lines and go by eye like a linesman would. That way its either clear and obvious or it’s not. from Jack, King’s Cliffe

Why is everyone blaming VAR all the time? It’s not the cameras or the replays who are at fault and to blame, it’s the standard of the refs who are in charge at stockley park. All the var official should be doing is suggesting to the on pitch ref as and when to check the pitch side monitor for a potential infringement. Offsides I think they should get rid of the lines and go by eye like a linesman would. That way its either clear and obvious or it’s not.

SMS Message: For too long players, fans, pundits, managers etc have complained and whined every time a decision (they feel) has been wrong and gone against them, and have been unable to deal with referees being human beings who make mistakes like they everyone else, including them. So, they cried, ‘make it perfect, we have the technology, football is too important to have wrong decisions’. So VAR happened, and, to the shock of no one who thought it thru, it’s not perfect either. So, “Football”, decide what you want; a system with a greater percentage of accurate decisions but with some delay, or just the refs and assistants, and be grown ups about it not always being accurate and deal with it. from Andy

For too long players, fans, pundits, managers etc have complained and whined every time a decision (they feel) has been wrong and gone against them, and have been unable to deal with referees being human beings who make mistakes like they everyone else, including them. So, they cried, ‘make it perfect, we have the technology, football is too important to have wrong decisions’. So VAR happened, and, to the shock of no one who thought it thru, it’s not perfect either. So, “Football”, decide what you want; a system with a greater percentage of accurate decisions but with some delay, or just the refs and assistants, and be grown ups about it not always being accurate and deal with it.

Speaking after the game, January signing Bruno Fernandes said: “I feel great, I’m really happy in a difficult game. We needed to win and we can do much better with the ball. Chelsea are really good with the ball.

“I feel good. I play for the biggest club in England, it’s a dream come true.”

A disappointing night for Chelsea was also made worse by an injury to midfielder N’Golo Kante.

It appears the France international could now face a spell out of action, according to manager Frank Lampard’s initial reaction.

“It’s an adductor injury so we’ll have to assess it, but it doesn’t look great,” he said.

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SMS Message: In memoriam for the beautiful game killed by VAR. Whether it’s for your team or against, it’s killing the passion fans have for the game. It may suit the armchair fan who sits at home and gets a buzz out of VAR but for the fans in the ground that make the atmosphere, it sucks. It’s said that the PL is successful with TV money because of the atmosphere us fans make. To date I have probably NOT celebrated half the goals we’ve scored as I wasn’t sure it would be given. By the time VAR gives it it I’ve lost interest. When you look around it’s clear I’m not alone. It won’t be long before all celebrations are so muted it will be hard to tell that a goal has been scored. I really do wonder for how longer spectators will continue to pay £50+ for a ticket to attend and fork out a further £50 per game in travel and other match related spending. It’s always been said that the sign of a good referee is when you don’t realise he’s on the pitch until he blows the final whistle. The same most certainly cannot be said of VAR. from Steve

In memoriam for the beautiful game killed by VAR. Whether it’s for your team or against, it’s killing the passion fans have for the game. It may suit the armchair fan who sits at home and gets a buzz out of VAR but for the fans in the ground that make the atmosphere, it sucks. It’s said that the PL is successful with TV money because of the atmosphere us fans make. To date I have probably NOT celebrated half the goals we’ve scored as I wasn’t sure it would be given. By the time VAR gives it it I’ve lost interest. When you look around it’s clear I’m not alone. It won’t be long before all celebrations are so muted it will be hard to tell that a goal has been scored. I really do wonder for how longer spectators will continue to pay £50+ for a ticket to attend and fork out a further £50 per game in travel and other match related spending. It’s always been said that the sign of a good referee is when you don’t realise he’s on the pitch until he blows the final whistle. The same most certainly cannot be said of VAR.

I *think* most people are agreed Olivier Giroud’s goal was rightly ruled out for offside…

But having initially celebrated a good finish, that third blow saw hundreds of Chelsea fans leave Stamford Bridge with more than 10 minutes remaining.

“It’s a bit soul destroying [for the fans] but it’s the culmination of a few incidents,” said Lampard.

“VAR is there for that and a toe offside is a toe offside, even if we don’t like it.”

SMS Message: The way VAR is being used is killing the games, there are many fans suspicious of the way it is being used. Last night Man U, got every VAR decision go their way. Maguire should have been sent off, also what was the Chelsea player supposed to do, when he himself was pushed. from Andy, from Essex.

The way VAR is being used is killing the games, there are many fans suspicious of the way it is being used. Last night Man U, got every VAR decision go their way. Maguire should have been sent off, also what was the Chelsea player supposed to do, when he himself was pushed.

SMS Message: For me, top level football is done. VAR has killed the game and made it more detached from the fans than ever. The inevitable will be a relegation place decided by a man looking at a monitor. I will stick to Non-League football and enjoy football how it should be: a game, not a science. from Ian, Colchester.

For me, top level football is done. VAR has killed the game and made it more detached from the fans than ever. The inevitable will be a relegation place decided by a man looking at a monitor. I will stick to Non-League football and enjoy football how it should be: a game, not a science.

What happened? With the score at 0-1, Kurt Zouma headed Chelsea level from a corner but the goal was ruled out after Brandon Williams was pushed by Cesar Azpilicueta. However, that was only after the Chelsea skipper himself appeared to be shoved by Fred.

Azpilicueta said: “Of course for Zouma’s goal I pushed Williams but I was pushed. At least go to the monitor – it takes 30 seconds. The referee on the pitch has to be the one to take the decisions.

“My intention when I ran to the front post was not to push Williams. I’m not saying the push from Fred was a penalty but my push is a consequence of his push.”

United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “I didn’t see a foul by Fred for the disallowed goal.”

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SMS Message: Harry Maguire is the luckiest guy around. Clear intent to kick. Jan 31st 2019 should have been sent off against Liverpool for Leicester, pops up scores the equaliser. Liverpool cheated out of the league, again. How does a Manchester born referee not look at the pitch side monitor when that rule has been tweaked recently. VAR stinks on decisions such as these. from HJ. Maidenhead

Harry Maguire is the luckiest guy around. Clear intent to kick. Jan 31st 2019 should have been sent off against Liverpool for Leicester, pops up scores the equaliser. Liverpool cheated out of the league, again. How does a Manchester born referee not look at the pitch side monitor when that rule has been tweaked recently. VAR stinks on decisions such as these.

SMS Message: Maguire lucky but all the same Chelsea played poorly. Had they started Giroud then unlikely we’d even be discussing VAR as they’d have won. United clinical! from Shaun Pereria, Reading

Maguire lucky but all the same Chelsea played poorly. Had they started Giroud then unlikely we’d even be discussing VAR as they’d have won. United clinical!