3️⃣ points as VAR steals the show in Man United's win over Chelsea | OneFootball

Manchester United – with a little help from our old friend VAR – overcame Chelsea to claim an invaluable three points at Chelsea.

Headers from Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire ensured United were the victors but Frank Lampard’s side were left incensed after a pair of decisions didn’t go their way.

The referee’s a robot

Yes, that’s right, it’s another Premier League ‘3 points’ that’s talking about VAR.

We’re bored of it, you’re bored of it, but as long as it keeps being an issue, we’re going to keep writing about it.

There were two main talking points (well three but we really don’t want to get into ‘offside armpit’ territory again) from Stamford Bridge and both had huge consequences for Chelsea.

The first came midway through the first half when Michy Batshuayi barged Harry Maguire out into touch, only for the England international to retaliate by planting a boot right into the striker’s groin.

It was an obvious act of foul play, but despite protestations from the Chelsea bench and the home crowd, the Video Assistant Referee informed official Anthony Taylor that it was not a foul.

The second towards the start of the second half was when Fred pushed Cesar Azpilicueta, who then fell into Brandon Williams, who then went down inside the area.

As the ball flew over the young defender’s head, Kurt Zouma was there to net an equaliser only for the men in Stockley Park to decide it was the Chelsea captain who had committed the foul.

Both decisions once again showed up VAR for the nonsense it is.

Best League in the World™

This was fourth vs seventh before kick off.

Two sides in the hunt for Champions League football next season, both with a very real possibility of representing the Premier League on Europe’s biggest stage come next term.

So what on earth does that say about the top flight in England?

It was a relatively entertaining spectacle but was more mid-table slugfest than high-quality continental shoot-out.

Mistakes – both technically and tactical – galore, two coaches who really look out of their depth and Daniel James starting up front.

We’ve got one of the best Premier League teams of all-time at the top of the table, but from second down it really is all much of a muchness.

That ‘muchness’ is going to make the end of the season very entertaining but if you care about the quality of football on offer, you really should despair.

Feeling blue

The reverse fixture between these two on the opening day was perhaps the most egregious example of ‘result doesn’t reflect the game’ you’ll ever see.

Manchester United won that 4-0 at Old Trafford but Chelsea were the better team throughout and paid for their high defensive line, passive midfield and an inability to take their chances.

Six months on and we have to ask: what’s changed?

Chelsea seem to have learned nothing from that day and played entirely into United’s hands here to give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men a valuable three points.

Once again they dominated possession and had plenty of chances, but for a second time this season they failed to capitalise and were hit on the counter-attack.

Who’s to blame then? A squad that can’t react on the pitch to certain situations or a manager that set them up like that in the first place?

As always, it’s a bit of both.