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Monday 13 March 2017

Chelsea 1 - 0 Manchester United : Live Commentary

Good evening and welcome to NOLLYREXBLOG live text coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. The hosts come into this match looking to keep their hopes of a league and cup double alive having already eliminated Peterborough, Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers in this season's competition. United, meanwhile, are the current holders of the trophy and arrive in West London looking to avenge their 4-0 Premier League defeat here in October. Make sure you don't miss a moment of the action courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates below. OFFICIAL LINE-UPS CHELSEA Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Willian, Diego Costa, Hazard Subs: Begovic, Terry, Zouma, Chalobah, Fabregas, Pedro, Batshuayi MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Jones, Smalling, Rojo; Valencia, Herrera, Pogba, Darmian; Young, Rashford, Mkhitaryan Subs: Romero, Bailly, Blind, Carrick, Fellaini, Lingard, Mata 45+2 min HALF TIME: Chelsea 0-0 Manchester United 45+1 min There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half. 44 min Chelsea have dominated possession and territory since that sending-off, as you might expect, and I suspect that United will spend most of the rest of tonight with plenty of men behind the ball. Extra time and penalties may be their best bet of reaching the semi-finals now. 42 min This one is just bubbling under the surface nicely. United have committed a lot of fouls on Chelsea players and have done a good job of breaking the game up, but they have a lot of work to do with 10 men now. 40 min SHOT! It's all kicking off at Stamford Bridge now! A late challenge on Alonso from Valencia leads to a confrontation between Conte and Mourinho on the touchline while Chelsea continue their attack. It eventually comes to Moses, who blasts over from a tight angle before Michael Oliver goes over to the dugout to calm things down again. 39 min Herrera clearly felt hard done by regarding that yellow card, and in fairness the Spaniard had only really made a couple of fouls himself, but it was more a totting-up offence for the whole team I think. Whether the decision was right or wrong, it was silly of Herrera to give the referee a decision to make at all. 37 min MAN UTD SUB: Mourinho reacts to that decision by replacing Mkhitaryan with Marouane Fellaini. Is that a sign that United's priorities in this match have now changed? 35 min Wow! This game was just trundling along without much happening, but suddenly it has all changed! Herrera is shown a second yellow card for a trip on Hazard, and the Manchester United players swarm around Michael Oliver to dispute the decision. It is harsh when taken in isolation, but Oliver was clearly growing frustrated with the repeated fouls from United players having only seconds before given Jones his final warning. Mourinho smirks to himself on the touchline. 35 min RED CARD! Ander Herrera (Manchester United) 34 min Hazard once again ends up on the floor following a challenge on Jones, and that earns the Manchester United man a final warning from Michael Oliver. 32 min Both sides are looking very well-drilled and disciplined in this one, and they are going to have to work mighty hard to find a way through the opposition tonight. 30 min SHOT! Half a chance for Chelsea as Hazard is quickest to react to a loose ball and breaks into the box. The Belgian tries to beat De Gea with power at the near post, but slices his effort high and wide of the near post. 29 min The Chelsea fans direct some choice words at Jose Mourinho, who reacts by signalling the three league titles he won at the club. Not much love lost between manager and fans despite all of their history together. 27 min Lovely control from Rashford down the right channel to bring the ball under his spell immediately. He looks up and sees Pogba charging to join him in the area, but his attempted cross is too close for the keeper. 25 min United are by no means parking the bus here, which a few expected them to do considering Chelsea's record at home this season. The visitors have been positive for the most part so far 23 min Matic lets fly from range, but drills a powerful effort well off target. It has been much better from Chelsea since Hazard exploded into life, though. 22 min Both of those saves from De Gea were special, but the second was the better of the two. Feast your eyes on it below.. 20 min YELLOW CARD! Herrera is the first name in the book this evening for a block on Hazard, who was left writhing on the floor. Michael Oliver played advantage, but it came to nothing and the referee returned to book the midfielder afterwards. 18 min Almost a chance for Costa from another corner as Chelsea begin to apply some pressure for the first time. The striker attacks the ball well, but just can't get his head to the cross and in the end sees it bounce off him and over the bar for a goal kick. 16 min SAVE! Sensational from De Gea to keep the scores level! United are unable to deal with the resulting corner and the ball eventually drops to Cahill, who turns it goalwards from close range. De Gea gets down so sharply to make a brilliant save, though. 16 min CLOSE! Brilliant from Hazard as he suddenly bursts into life. He turns Smalling really well just inside the United half before driving at the defence and beating another man on his way into the box. He drills a low strike towards the bottom corner, but it takes a deflection on its way behind. 14 min Darmian gets an early talking-to from the referee for a foul on Willian, but escapes a booking from referee Michael Oliver. It is a free kick that looks to be just out of shooting range, and sure enough it is played short and comes to nothing. 12 min SHOT! Again it is United who threaten here as Rashford almost breaks in behind the defence with his pace. Azpilicueta makes a crucial challenge as the last man, but the ball then drops to Mkhitaryan who drills a left-footed strike a couple of yards wide. 10 min Chelsea haven't really got into their rhythm yet, with the likes of Hazard and Costa barely involved at all so far. Only that early Rojo header to speak of in terms of chances so far. 8 min We were expecting Manchester United to try to match Chelsea's 3-4-3 formation, but it looks more like Jones is playing as the deeper-lying midfielder in a diamond formation instead. 6 min United have seen a decent amount of the ball in the opening exchanges here, and Mourinho will be relatively pleased with how his side have settled into this one. 4 min There is a great atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge tonight, with these two big clubs playing under the floodlights adding a special feel to the game. 2 min CHANCE! United have made a good quick start to this match and they have a chance in the opening minutes here. A corner finds Rojo in a bit of space, but he can't keep his header under control and steers it well off target. 1 min KICKOFF: Here we go then! Diego Costa gets us underway for this FA Cup quarter-final!

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