THE NOTEBOOK: Man United’s media ban lasts ONLY 24 hours, Robert Sanchez frustrates the home side and Jeremy Clarkson makes surprise appearance on MUTV

• Man United claimed a 2-1 victory against Chelsea on Wednesday evening 
• Scott McTominay scored twice to help Erik ten Hag’s side secure victory   
• United are like a rotten window frame that you paint over to make it look better, but the problem is still there – It’s All Kicking Off

Man United claimed a 2-1 victory against Chelsea on Wednesday evening, with Scott McTominay scoring Twice to help Erik ten Hag’s side bounce back from their defeat by Newcastle last week. 

The Scotland international got the first, collecting a rebound before hammering the ball into the back of the net. 

Chelsea star Cole Palmer would hit back on the stroke of half-time, placing the ball into the bottom-right corner of the goal. 

Yet, McTominay would score again to give United the win, even after Bruno Fernandes had missed a penalty in the first half, heading in a cross from Alejandro Garnacho at the far post. 

Mail Sport’s Joe Bernstein was at Old Trafford and brings you all the things you may have missed from an enthralling game of football.  

Scott McTominay scored twice to help Man United defeat Chelsea at Old Trafford on Wednesday

The Scotland international now ranks as United top scorer across all competitions  

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Media ban lasts only 24 hours 

Manchester United’s media ban lasted only 24 hours allowing representatives of the “Forbidden Four” – ESPN, the Daily Mirror, Manchester Evening News and Sky Sports – to take their regular press seats at Old Trafford last night.

There were smiles all round and even a quip from one returnee – ‘I had to tunnel my way in’ – as United were satisfied they’d made their point and there wouldn’t be any value in prolonging the exclusion.

United had stopped the quartet of media organisations from attending Erik ten Hag’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday as punishment for running stories about dissent in the United dressing-room without giving a right of reply from the club.

Meeting of two sleeping giants 

Once considered the most important fixture of the season, this Manchester United and Chelsea felt like a meeting of two sleeping giants, and with good reason.

They claimed 18 of the first 25 Premier League titles between them but neither currently sits in the top five in the table.

The last time neither United or Chelsea finished a season in the top five was way back in 1990/91 before Sir Alex Ferguson’s unparallelled league success or Roman Abramovich’s money. On that occasion, United finished sixth and Chelsea 11th – could history repeat itself this year?

United did not allow either Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol (left) or ESPN’s Rob Dawson (right) to attend Tuesday’s press conference, but their ban was lifted ahead of the match 

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have now suffered their sixth defeat of the season and are currently 10th in the league

Robert Sanchez was a standout for Chelsea tonight, stopping a penalty from Bruno Fernandes

Pochettino’s plan to frustrate United 

Chelsea came up with an updated version of the Spanish inquisition to temporarily frustrate United again. The Blues last league win at Old Trafford in 2013 was under Rafa Benitez when Juan Mata – later to join United – scored the only goal.

Fast forward 10 years and their compatriot, giant goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, was another thorn in United’s side. 

He reacted brilliantly to stop Bruno Fernandes’ penalty and made a series of other early saves before the deadlock was broken. Another brilliant double-save to deny McTominay became all the more important when Cole Palmer levelled on the stroke of half-time.

Scott McTominay, United’s leading goal scorer

You would have got long odds on Scott McTominay becoming the first Manchester United player to reach four Premier League goals this season.

Credit to the midfielder for winning Erik ten Hag round. His second goal also made him United’s leading scorer in all competitions this season.

Cole Palmer’s Man United links! 

If Cole Palmer’s equaliser at the Stretford End was reminiscent of Wayne Rooney, don’t be surprised – the Mancunian grew up as a United fan, went to school only a couple of miles from Old Trafford and Wazza was the player he looked up to.

Palmer’s boyhood Red connections were seized upon by Manchester City fans when he left The Etihad for Chelsea last summer but they’ll have liked the way he scored past Andre Onana on the stroke of half-time, showing balance and quick feet – just like you know who.

 Cole Palmer scored just before half-time with a fantastic equaliser that pulled Chelsea back into the match

Jeremy Clarkson made a surprise appearance on MUTV and was pictured watching on inside Old Trafford 

From the Clarkson’s Farm to MUTV 

Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson made a surprise guest appearance on Manchester United’s in-house TV station MUTV after travelling up to Old Trafford to support his club, Chelsea.

MUTV was jokingly known as “Pravda” at one time for the biased way it covered the club so they would have been delighted when Clarkson praised the catering at Old Trafford compared to Stamford Bridge – something that goes against the common threat that The Glazers are driving United into the ground.

‘The restaurant here is so much better. Whoever runs the restaurant at Stamford Bridge needs a smacked bottom,’ he smirked. By happy coincidence his current series Clarkson’s Farm airs on Amazon Prime – who also screened all of this midweek’s Premier League matches.

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify

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