Soccer

MANCHESTER UNITED eased the pressure on boss Erik ten Hag with a hard-grafted stalemate at in-form Aston Villa.Ten Hag brought in Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans – after bringing on both centre-backs three days earlier to help United snatch a 3-3 Europa League draw at Porto.Veteran Jonny Evans brilliantly tamed Ollie Watkins and Jhon DuranCredit: RexAlejandro Garnacho, seen evading Lucas Digne, finished poorlyCredit: ReutersAnd the Dutchman will surely feel that decision was vindicated, even though the Red Devils have just eight points from seven Prem games.Here’s how 14th-placed United rated at Villa Park on Sunday.ANDRE ONANA – 7 Guilty of sloppy distribution once or twice but his hands were safe enough and he did well to beat away a piledriver from Youri Tielemans to keep United on level terms.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 6Managed to contain Jaden Philogene comfortably enough in the first 45 minutes but failed to appear for the second half and was replaced by Victor Lindelof.READ MORE TOP STORIESHARRY MAGUIRE – 6 Booked for a high forearm challenge on Ollie Watkins but his afternoon ended at half-time after he appeared to jar his knee defending a corner.FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSJONNY EVANS – 9 Handled Ollie Watkins well in the first 45 and showed all his experience to deal with the twin threat of Watkins and Jhon Duran for the final half hour. Rolled back the years with a five-star display to earn his Man of the Match rating.Moment ex-Man Utd star was given bonus over 100 TIMES his salary after Sir Alex Ferguson’s incredible birthday gestureDIOGO DALOT – 7 Sat in and rarely got forward but snuffed out the threat of Leon Bailey and was tidy enough. Crucial block to deny Philogene a stoppage time winner.CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN – 7 Used all his experience to plug any gaps in United’s carefully constructed midfield. Dealt with the threat from Morgan Rogers well.Most read in FootballKOBBIE MAINOO – 7 Nothing flashy from the England midfielder who had his work cut out preventing Youri Tielemans carrying out his magic.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 6 Fired in a first-half shot which Emi Martinez dealt with comfortably but shot hopelessly wide a couple of times after the break. Sloppy finishing let him down. BRUNO FERNANDES – 8 United’s skipper only played after his red card against Spurs was overturned on appeal. Kept his cool here to avoid a third red card in three games – came closest for United with a free kick which crashed off the Villa crossbar.MARCUS RASHFORD – 7 Taken off at half-time in Oporto and taken off after 64 minutes to save himself a second yellow card here! Looked United’s likeliest match-winner after forcing an early save from Martinez before bringing the best out in the Argentine World Cup winner with a sizzling effort which the ‘keeper tipped over. Booked for a foul on Cash.RASMUS HOJLUND – 6 Put himself about and was involved in the clash which led to Ezri Konsa limping off. But lacked service and was replaced by Zirkzee just beyond the hour mark. Below par.Red Devils’ keeper Andre Onana foiled Villa midfielder Youri TielemansCredit: RexSUBSTITUTESMATTHIJS DE LIGT for Maguire (46 minutes) – 5 – Conceded a few fouls in dangerous areas. Still finding his feet.VICTOR LINDELOF for Mazraoui (46 mins) – 6 – First appearance since March but fitted in well as a stand-in right-back. Booked for a foul on Morgan Rogers.JOSHUA ZIRKZEE for Hojlund (64 mins) – 5 – Miles off the pace, failed to make any impact.ANTONY for Rashford (64 mins) – 6 – Brought out the best in Emi Martinez with a curler which was heading for the top bin until the keeper plucked it out of mid-air.READ MORE SUN STORIESCASEMIRO for Mainoo (85 mins) – 6 – Helped see out the match for United. More

CHELSEA’S draw with Nottingham Forest descended into chaos late on as a huge brawl broke out.The touchline fracas even saw the managers get involved as tempers boiled over.A brawl broke out during Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham ForestCredit: Premier LeagueThe fracas started after Neco Williams shoved Marc Cucurella into Enzo MarescaCredit: Premier LeagueIt came in the 89th minute of a feisty Premier League affair at Stamford Bridge.James Ward-Prowse had earlier been sent off for the visitors with 12 minutes remaining.However, it all kicked off in front of the dugouts as stoppage time approached.As Neco Williams and Marc Cucurella chased the ball down, the Forest man pushed the Spaniard into Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Italian was sent flying before bedlam broke out around him.Players from both teams piled in as the pushing and shoving continued.Maresca and his opposite number Nuno Espirito Santo could both be seen attempting to calm the situation.Nicolas Jackson even appeared to slap Forest defender Morato during the scuffle.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSHowever, Maresca is not concerned about his side’s ill-discipline, explaining after the match: “I like the way the team is fighting – I don’t see any problems with that.”Referee Chris Kavanagh was finally able to get players back under control before restarting the match.Enzo Maresca insists identity of Chelsea is starting to take shape Williams and Cucurella were both booked for their involvement, along with Blues defender Levi Colwill.The late melee failed to inspire either side to find a winning goal, though, as the match ended 1-1.Forest had taken the lead early in the second half through Chris Wood before Noni Madueke’s equaliser eight minutes later.It means Chelsea sit fourth in the table heading into the international break, four points behind league leaders Liverpool.As for Forest, they are ninth with just one defeat from their opening seven matches.Players from both sides joined in before Williams and Cucurella were shown yellow cardsCredit: Premier League More

FOR THE SECOND Premier League game in a row Chelsea had to come from behind.But while Forest threw a large spanner into the works of the Blues’ goal machine, nothing can short fuse the electricity when Enzo Maresca’s team is in full flow.Noni Madueke sealed a point for Chelsea in their 1-1 draw with ForestCredit: GettyThe visitors put in a resilient defensive performance after a goal from Chris WoodCredit: PAJust like last weekend when Brighton were beaten 4-2 in a thriller, the spills and ills of this feisty young team took over to produce an absolute cracker of a climax that had everything.Bust ups, brawls, brilliant saves and Chelsea head coach Maresca taking an unexpected flight into the air when clattered by one of his own defenders in the technical area.Just three days ago Maresca talked of the quiet calm inside his camp and how he is unaffected by ‘noise’ that follows his club around.That may be but he should try telling that to his players – and those of feisty Forest – who combined to produce an explosive ending to a game that started out as a Sunday afternoon kickabout.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLEleven bookings in all – including two for James Ward-Prowse that meant the visitors held on for 12 minutes of normal plus 13 of added time with ten men to claim a draw and stay unbeaten on the road this season.Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo was also given a yellow card as the tension and temperature cranked up with two teams scrapping for a point in October as if Premier League survival depended on it in May.Chris Wood and Noni Madueke scored the goals but what normally constitutes the pivotal act of a game became minor talking points.Chelsea’s recent blistering run of five straight wins came to an end, as did the incredible scoring run of Cole Palmer. Four in the first half alone against Brighton.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThe club’s top four hopes took a minor dent and they will be fined £25,000 for the second time this season for picking up six bookings or more in one match. As they did at Bournemouth.They will also have defenders Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella banned for their next league game after the international break – a trip to Liverpool.Watch incredible moment ex-Chelsea star Diego Costa starts BRAWL during U20s game as fans ask ‘what did they expect-‘Chelsea have also become the first team to have players banned for picking up five bookings this season as the testosterone rush of Maresca’s young squad took over from football discipline.But anyone whose mortgage doesn’t depend on having 11 players available for a game will not be complaining.From the moment Forest took the lead five minutes into the second half, the starting gun went off on a crazy fifty minutes.The high point – if you like a punch up – was the full on scuffle triggered by Neco Williams pushing Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella as they tussled for a ball heading for the touchline.Wood put Forest ahead just minutes into the second halfCredit: PAThe visitors were jubilant with their shock lead at Stamford BridgeCredit: ReutersThe Spaniard was bundled into his boss who went a**e over t*t, prompting a furious reaction from Levi Colwill in particular.More than a dozen players became embroiled in the heated shoving match with Chelsea Nicolas Jackson leaping from the dugout to get involved, having already been taken off.In the melee, few even noticed Chelsea scorer Noni Madueke being helped from the pitch by one of the backroom staff as he hobbled off with injury.How ref Chris Kavanagh maintained a sense of order is testament to his professionalism although Palmer wasn’t best pleased and confronted the officials at full time.Madueke levelled things up 10 minutes laterCredit: GettyThe winger had missed several chances beforeCredit: PAIn injury time Forest keeper Matz Sels double-saved from Palmer and denied Malo Gusto AND Chris Nkunku. Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez, guilty of a horrendous howler last week, saved one-handed from Jota Silva as Stamford Bridge erupted in excitement.Ultimately, Chelsea failed to break down ten men of stubborn resistance who showed you can hold out against Maresca’s team if you are prepared to give everything.Forest took the lead from a set-piece when Jackson pushed Ward-Prowse over in the centre circle. Chelsea played out the last 12 minutes, plus the 13 of stoppage time, a man upCredit: GettyJames Ward-Prowse saw a second yellow for stopping play with a handballThe dead-ball specialist delivered a swinging cross into the box and Nikola Milenkovic provided the knockdown for Wood to poke the ball in.Chelsea levelled seven minutes later when Madueke cut in from the right to score with his left. A probing shot across the face of goal into the opposite bottom corner.And as the rejuvenated Blues pushed for a winner, Ward-Prowse, already booked for a foul on Palmer, took one for the team by diving onto and grabbing the ball as he tried to stop Jackson from breaking away.Forest, experts at ‘game management’, sought to frustrate Chelsea and hold on, which caused frustration to rise.READ MORE SUN STORIESA mass brawl broke out near the end of the gameCredit: AFPBooking were shown to Neco Williams, Levi Colwill and Marc CucurellaCredit: Premier LeagueAnd as if the Chelsea players weren’t battered enough during the shoving match in front of the dugouts they will be kicking themselves for not winning.Palmer was desperately unlucky in the first half when he shot through the legs of Sels only for the ball to hit the foot of the post and rebound into the keeper’s grateful hands. More

CHELSEA were held by ten-man Nottingham Forest as frustration filled Stamford Bridge. Chris Wood opened the scoring before Noni Madueke capped off a sublime performance with a goal. Joao Felix looks on in frustrationCredit: AFPThe Blues pressed for a winner by Forest stubbornly held out to prevail with a well-earned point. Here is how Jack Figg rated Enzo Maresca’s side. Robert Sanchez – 8 Excellent positioning to snuff out Forest counter on hour mark and made two sensational late saves to deny the visitor’s a winner.Malo Gusto – 6 Wasn’t able to prevent Nikola Milenkovic’s flick on to set up Wood’s opener but he produced a great block to deny Gibbs-White in the box. READ MORE IN footballWesley Fofana – 7 Forming a good partnership at the back with Colwill. Finally some consistency at centre-half for Chelsea. Levi Colwill made some important blocksCredit: GettyLevi Colwill – 7 Made a huge block to prevent Yates in the first half. John Terry-esque defending. Marc Cucurella – 5 Lacked attacking creativity down the left having filled in at centre-back at times. Failed to form much of a threat with Sancho.Moises Caicedo – 6 Agonisingly close to getting ahead of Wood to prevent the Forest opener. Took the role as deep-lying midfielder in front of back line. Most read in FootballMoises Caicedo put in a good defensive shiftCredit: ReutersEnzo Fernandez – 5 Still looks to be finding his best position under Maresca. Not a natural holding midfielder but denied preferred advanced role by Palmer. Cole Palmer – 6 Looked lively when afforded space in the centre but the Chelsea superstar saw a huge chance saved thanks to Matz Sels double save. Noni Madueke – 8 Constant threat down the right side with his goal well deserved. But the winger finds himself guilty of making the wrong choice in the final third.Noni Madueke was a bright spark throughoutCredit: EPAJadon Sancho – 4 Largely absent throughout the match with Aina doing a stellar job in keeping the tricky forward quiet. Lacked killer instinct going forward. Nicolas Jackson – 4 Apart from pressing, quiet throughout. Slow to react in the box in a frustrating sign of inconsistency after recent goalscoring form. Spent more time arguing with team-mates at points. Subs Joao Felix (for Fernandez 80 mins) – 6Christopher Nkaunku (for Jackson 80 mins) – 6Mykhailo Mudryk (for Sancho 89 mins) -5READ MORE SUN STORIESPedro Neto (for Madueke 89 mins) – 6Tosin Adarabioyo (for Colwill 90+3 mins) – 5 Enzo Maresca insists identity of Chelsea is starting to take shape More