Three things Tuchel got right as Chelsea successfully frustrate Fernandes

Don’t wait 30 years – sign up for our daily football email newsletter today!

Chelsea moved to within a point of the top four of the Premier League after a goalless draw at home to Manchester United.

In a game of few clear-cut chances, both sides were evenly matched, with new boss Thomas Tuchel likely happy to have avoided defeat against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.

The draw does though extend Chelsea's poor run against the top six, with the Blues winning just once against them this season.

But with Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood kept relatively quiet during the Stamford Bridge encounter, it can be viewed as a good point by Chelsea fans.

Here we examine three things Tuchel got right to see Chelsea close the gap on West Ham.

Chilwell's rare start

Ben Chilwell has found himself out of favour under Tuchel so far since the German took over from Frank Lampard, but was handed a start in an attempt to combat United’s pace in attack.

The English left-back is seen as more solid defensively than Marcos Alonso, who has been Tuchel’s favoured man on the left side of defence.

But Chilwell proved his manager had made the right decision just 10 minutes in when United broke from a Chelsea corner.

Marcus Rashford got the better of N’Golo Kante and sent a pass towards Mason Greenwood, but Chilwell had raced back and was able to head the ball clear.

Bruno plan

Bruno Fernandes is arguably Manchester United’s most dangerous player, having reached double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League this season.

Tuchel’s plan to keep him quiet revolved around the midfield pairing of N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, and it seemed to work.

The Chelsea boss had described Kante and Kovacic’s mission to shut down Fernandes as a ‘challenge’ before the game.

But it was a ‘challenge’ the midfielders excelled at, with Fernandes not having a major impact on the Premier League match.

Moving Mount

Top trending sport stories right now

  • England star 'loves sleeping pills'
  • Jockey 'took cocaine four times a week'
  • Wilder goes on 'lefties' rant
  • VanZant shares naked snap on bed

    • Mason Mount has become a key player under Tuchel since the German arrived at Chelsea, mainly playing to the right of Chelsea's main striker.

    But the Blues lined up against United with Mount to the left and Ziyech to the right of target man Olivier Giroud.

    But after a first half largely devoid of attacking threat from the hosts, Tuchel switched Mount and Ziyech at half-time.

    It proved to be the right call, with Mount frequently bursting into the United box and Chelsea enjoying far more attaching threat down their left-hand side.

    READ MORE: Timo Werner admits guilt over Frank Lampard sack during 'worst time of his career'

    READ MORE: Thomas Tuchel admits he tried to sign Man Utd superstar Bruno Fernandes

    • Premier League
    • Chelsea FC
    • Thomas Tuchel
    • Manchester United FC
    • Bruno Fernandes

    Source: Read Full Article