Explainers

CHELSEA have beaten Manchester United 4-3 in one of the games of the season at Stamford Bridge. Conor Gallagher and Cole Palmer put the Blues ahead after just 20 minutes but a mistake from Moises Caicedo allowed Alejandro to ghost in and pull a goal back. Bruno Fernandes equalised soon after with a header and Garnacho grabbed his double with a deft finish deep into the second half. Palmer then equalised with a 100th-minute penalty to rescue a point for Chelsea before securing his hat-trick a minute later.
Kick-off time: 8.15pm BST
Stream/TV: TNT Sports 1
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERFollow all the action below with our live blog… Who will be the star men?Cole Palmer has been Chelsea’s standout player this season and bailed them out with a brace against Burnley.The former Manchester City man is one of the few players that have justified their price tag under Todd Boehly’s £1billion revolution and is no doubt Chelsea’s most important player.United seem to be back to their old ways despite going into the international break off the back of a thrilling 4-3 win over Liverpool.Mason Mount was a bright spark in the dismal display against Brentford and could play a crucial role should he start this game.Most read in FootballWhat have the managers said?When Ten Hag was asked if his team were lucky to draw with Brentford, he said: “Yes. I think so. But if you are winning, you shouldn’t give it away. Normally we are a strong side, we are strong in situations and we bring it over the line. It’s very disappointing.”Pochettino meanwhile admitted his side are “missing something” from their “hearts and heads” after their 2-2 draw with Burnley.He said: “That is why I’m so upset and disappointed. It’s more here [in the heart] and here [in the head] than in your legs. It’s about being strong like a group, strong like a team.”We are too slow evolving in this area. That was the key today. The team played well, we had energy. When we have the ball, we go forwards.”But when we didn’t have the ball, we don’t have the same energy. Today, sorry, I am not happy with the performance when we don’t have the ball.”It’s difficult to accept not to win. It was a must-win game to be in a position to attack.”When is Chelsea vs Man Utd?
Chelsea’s clash against Manchester United takes place on TONIGHT, Thursday, April 3.
The game will kick off at 8.15pm GMT.
Chelsea vs Manchester United will be held at Stamford Bridge.
What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
United’s visit to Stamford Bridge will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
You can live stream the action from the Discovery+ app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
READ MORE SUN STORIESOdds
Chelsea – 1/1
Draw – 14/5
Man Utd – 9/4
*Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication.That’s all from Stamford Bridge
It’s probably just as well midweek Premier League games aren’t a regular feature in the calendar. I’m not sure supporters could cope.
A thrilling round of fixtures was brought to a close with the most dramatic match of the lot, a game that swung one way and then the other, an end-to-end classic that had us stunned all the way to its finale.
At the final whistle, it was Chelsea that emerged victorious, having won from the jaws of defeat – jaws they had only entered when seemingly in an unassailable first half lead.
Utterly absorbing, exhausting stuff.
And there are little more than 36 hours before the Premier League goes again. We’ll be back to cover every kick. Nights like this are why you should join us.
Goodnight.
Copy linkCopiedExtra! Read all about it!
Before we bring the most eventful, bonkers and chaotic night to a close, let us try to make sense of what we’ve seen with Charlie Wyett’s match report of Chelsea’s 4-3 win against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
United had turned the game on his head when Palmer levelled for 3-3 with his second penalty in the 100th minute after Diogo Dalot fouled Noni Madueke. And that was not enough. Certainly not for this brilliant midfielder who simply has to go with England to Euro 2024. Smelling blood, he grabbed the winner in the 101st minute with a shot which deflected into the net off Scott McTominay.Charlie WyettThe Sun

Copy linkCopiedTen Hag bemoans sloppy mistakes
Erik ten Hag looked a broken manager as he faced up to the cameras following an extraordinary evening at Stamford Bridge.
Yet the Manchester United boss was quick to praise his players for how they performed for large parts of the contest – until he was forced to relive his side’s late errors that cost them once again.
It was an amazing game for the neutral. A fantastic football game with a lot of quality. We dominated the game but we made individual errors that cost us the game. We have to learn from it. When you are a Man Utd player you should already know how to deal with this circumstance. I enjoyed how my team were playing. We dominated the ball and we dominated the opponent. In five days we dropped five points. That is unacceptable. We should have a high standard if we want to compete for Champions League football.Erik ten HagBT Sport

Copy linkCopiedUnited have 99-minute problems
In their last five Premier League games, Manchester United have conceded goals in the 90+1st, 90+7th, 90+9th, 90+10th and 90+11th minutes.
In fact, with United leading in this game at 99:17, it has become the latest a side has ever led a Premier League match that the have gone on to lose.
Fergie Time has gone through the looking glass.
Copy linkCopiedPalmer produces more late magic
When all at Stamford Bridge were losing their heads, one young man remained cool as ice – cold, if you will.
Cole Palmer bagged two penalties and a deflected winner to turn defeat to victory in the blink of an eye, and afterwards paid tribute to his manager for encouraging them all the way.
It was a crazy game. A hat-trick is a hat-trick. It was my first and I’m really happy about it. When we scored [Mauricio Pochettino] said ‘two minutes, come on!’ He’s always trying to drive us on. We went for it and thankfully we scored. It’s a big winner. It’s a massive momentum booster. It puts everyone in a good mood. Hopefully we can kick on.Cole PalmerBBC Sport

Copy linkCopiedMatch stats from Stamford Bridge
Since 2015-16, there have only been two Premier League matches with 47+ shots recorded – tonight (47) and Chelsea’s game on Saturday against Burnley (51).

Copy linkCopiedFull time – Chelsea 4-3 Man Utd
One of the most bonkers Premier League games of all time.
A game which Chelsea had no idea how they lost – right until they inexplicably won it.
From two-nil up and cruising to three-two down and losing, time was running out for the Blues.
But Cole Palmer continues to shine at Stamford Bridge. He held his nerve to dispatch a 99th-minute penalty, and then 81 seconds later belted in a deflected winner.

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90+11. CHELSEA HAVE WON IT!
Downhearted from the equaliser, Manchester United’s players felt they had seen off a last-gasp Chelsea charge by seeing the ball out of play.
But they switched off from the corner, and when it was played short to Cole Palmer, the young Mancunian star had time and space to line up a drive goalwards.
It thumped into the legs of Scott McTominay, evaded Andre Onana, and sent those Chelsea fans still inside Stadium Bridge into raptures.
Three for Palmer. Four for Chelsea. Reprieve for Poch. Heartbreak for Ten Hag.

Copy linkCopiedUNBELIEVABLE!

Copy linkCopiedChelsea 3-3 Man Utd
90+11. This game is still going!
Chelsea are still going! They could win it here!
A great challenge from Mount inside the box holds them up, and then Chukwuemeka’s shot is blocked behind for a corner.
They couldn’t, could they?
Copy linkCopiedChelsea 3-3 Man Utd
90+10. Equaliser!
A different end but same player, same foot, same spot, same outcome.
Cole Palmer just doesn’t miss penalties, and he wasn’t going to start now.
The young man from Manchester has denied his boyhood club and earned Chelsea a point.

Copy linkCopiedPalmer does it again!

Copy linkCopiedChelsea 2-3 Man Utd – Penalty to Chelsea!
90+7. One last break from the Blues sees Madueke get in around the back of Dalot.
As the substitute darts towards goal, the United defender loses his balance n his attempt to get back, clipping the winger on the way down.
The Matthew Harding Stand roar for a spotkick, and – after another dramatic pause – Jarrod Gillet duly obliges.
Cole Palmer has the ball, Chelsea have their second penalty, and it could not have come any later in the game!

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90+4. Ally McCoist has just misspoken by saying Chelsea should be expecting more from Fernandez and Caicedo given the ‘quarter of a million that they spent on the pair.’
Let’s face it. That’s exactly what they should have cost.
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90+2. The Chelsea fans warm-up for the booing of their own players, manager and owner at full time by booing Mason Mount each time he touches the ball.
Copy linkCopiedChelsea 2-3 Man Utd
90. The board goes up to signal EIGHT minutes of additional time.
That means it’s a last throw of the dice for Mauricio Pochettino, who chucks on Noni Madueke for Conor Gallagher.
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89. It’s hearts in mouth time as the ball ricochets dangerously around inside the Manchester United penalty area.
Sterling tries to wriggle free in the chaos until it drops into the path of Chukwuemeka.
The sub looks set to strike until a perfectly-timed tackle denies the substitute.
Copy linkCopiedChelsea 2-3 Man Utd
87. There have been some worrying moments tonight when Antony has looked a really good footballer.
Thankfully, he’s still got some of his old tricks in his locker and runs straight into Cucurella when presented with an opportunity to kill the game.
Copy linkCopiedChelsea 2-3 Man Utd – Man Utd substitution
85. Mason Mount comes on for two-goal Alejandro Garnacho.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Copy linkCopiedChelsea 2-3 Man Utd
83. Mason Mount is getting stripped in the Manchester United dugout, and is preparing to come on against his former club.
“You suspect he’d get a warm welcome from his old supporters,” ponders TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher.
Erm…
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Chelsea 2-3 Man Utd

81. Into the final ten minutes, and the game is being played almost entirely in the Manchester United half.
It’s just that Chelsea are no longer challenging the Red Devils defence and creating chances with ease.
Copy linkCopiedChelsea 2-3 Man Utd
79. On the edge of his own penalty area and facing the Chelsea goal, Rashford somehow manage to slice so wildly that it goes behind for a corner.
He should be on the plane to Germany just for that.
Copy linkCopiedChelsea 2-3 Man Utd
77. Gilchrist almost makes an instant impact.
The substitute connects with a corner, but – having travelled through a crowd of players – Gilchrist is almost caught by surprise as he heads it up and over.
Copy linkCopiedChelsea 2-3 Man Utd – Chelsea substitutions
75. The hosts make another double switch, this time of a defensive persuasion.
Alfie Gilchrist and Trevoh Chalobah are sent into action, taking over from Malo Gusto and Axel Disasi.
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74. It’s the United fans that have been making all the noise this past hour, but now the home supporters decide to have one last go at lifting their team.
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