Chelsea pegs Manchester United back to set up an FA cup replay

For a long time it had looked as though this could be added to the considerable list of indignities engulfing Rafael Benítez. It is not often the chants of "sacked in the morning" emanate from both sets of supporters and, at 2-0, it was shaping up to be the kind of result to accelerate the process of changing that word he dislikes so much. "Interim" might conceivably have become "former" if Chelsea had finished this match as they started.What happened instead can be partly attributed to the sapping effects a traumatic defeat to Real Madrid had had on Sir Alex Ferguson's players. They looked weary, mentally as well as physically, and were fading badly by the end. Yet those excuses only stretch so far and this still represents a victory of sorts for Benítez. There were cries of "You don't know what you're doing" from Chelsea's supporters when he took off Frank Lampard and Victor Moses early in the second half. He should cherish what followed because these kind of moments have been all too rare in his brief, often tumultuous spell in charge.

The transformation was remarkable bearing in mind the way they began the match, riddled with errors, looking short of confidence and perhaps suffering their own fatigue. Ferguson was entitled to blame tired legs and minds but Chelsea, lest it be forgotten, did not get back from their Europa League tie against Steaua Bucharest until the early hours of Friday.
It started with Hernadez in the 5th minute and the lead further increased by a free kick by Rooney but it was to be a game of two halves with Chelsea owning the second half equalising through goals from Hazard and Ramires.