Manchester United vs Chelsea result: Five things we learned as Blues reach FA Cup final

Frank Lampard’s side will face Arsenal on 1 August

Chelsea eased their way into the FA Cup final in impressive fashion with a 3-1 win over Manchester United.

Frank Lampard’s side benefited from defensive errors from United, but were comfortably deserving victors with a better on-the-ball approach and tactics which suited their players.

Olivier Giroud opened the scoring just before half-time with a finish at the near post which David de Gea might have done better with.

The Spanish stopper definitely should have fared better with Chelsea’s second, though, as he fumbled a tame Mason Mount shot into the net. Harry Maguire scored an own goal and Bruno Fernandes netted a late penalty to send Chelsea through to face Arsenal.

Here are five things we learned at Wembley:

Changed systems a sign of respect... or priorities?

Both managers changed up both shape and personnel for the game, moving to back three variations which they have used at different times this season.

It was a move seen as respecting the qualities on show in the opposition side, but there’s probably more to it: both clubs have a key couple of games ahead in the Premier League with a huge incentive of Champions League football to play for.

The run-in isn’t easy for either one, with Liverpool and Wolves ahead for Chelsea and United facing West Ham and then an effective play-off with Leicester.

Add in injuries and the fact Solskjaer in particular has barely altered his side of late and it’s probable that this was a secondary concern, even as a semi-final.

Chelsea dealt far better with the altered tactics and personnel and thus take their place in the final.

Bailly’s rotten luck continues

Bailly is attended to after suffering a heavy blow (Getty)

Eric Bailly was one of the most promising young defenders in La Liga when he swapped Villarreal for Manchester United, but he has endured an awful run of injuries.

The 26-year-old was only making his ninth appearance of this season after knee surgery kept him out until February, while he made only a dozen league appearances last season and 13 the campaign previous, with injuries sidelining him for months at a time.

Here he had started reasonably well, but two bad head collisions in a matter of minutes left him dazed and in need of a stretcher and neck-brace for what seemed a disturbingly bad head injury in the end.

His entire United career has been a sequence of what-ifs and interruptions and he has never really been able to prove himself worthy of a regular starting spot—through unavailability, far more than any lack of ability.

Henderson headlines incoming

Mount celebrates as De Gea comes to terms with his howler (2020 Pool)

There were plenty of people willing to overlook Chelsea’s opener as one De Gea could have done better with, but in truth it was already a should have done better moment. But there was no avoiding his calamitous mishandling of Mount’s strike which effectively scrubbed out any hopes of a recovery a sloppy United side had.

Not for the first time, this will bring up headlines about Dean Henderson, a changing of the guard between the sticks at Old Trafford and what lies ahead of De Gea’s future.

It has to be noted, though, that De Gea was far from the only United player guilty of errors. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been poor for several games. Maguire was far from his best and Victor Lindelof was easily beaten a number of teams.

There remain issues to sort out for United in the defensive half of the field and perhaps now it’s apparent that they were able to embark on such a winning run of late in large part because they attacked teams, rather than had to defend constantly against them.

Giroud up for the fight

Timo Werner’s impending arrival has Chelsea fans wondering if he’s going to partner Tammy Abraham, or play to the left of him.

The last few weeks have very much shown that 33-year-old Giroud has a full part to play himself.

Indeed, given how he has rediscovered his scoring form, plus his selflessness and ability to bring fast-paced wide attackers into play in the way he did for France at the world Cup, and the question might be asked if he could actually help Werner thrive more by being Chelsea’s starter.

Abraham is a class striker, but still learning at the top level and there’s much he can add to his game which Giroud is currently displaying on a weekly basis.

Silverware beckons

Arsenal lie in wait on 1 August and they and Chelsea will have the chance to end the season with a trophy.

Should Lampard’s side manage to go on and both win the FA Cup and secure a top-four finish, it will rightly be seen as an excellent debut campaign in charge for the former midfielder.

There’s still lots of work to do, but a strong finish to 19/20 plus the transfer groundwork already undertaken to bring in two new faces means it would be optimism all the way for supporters and those inside the club.

Chelsea haven’t taken an easy route to the final, beating Liverpool, Leicester and United in their run, and a Wembley spot is theirs on merit. A word of caution, though, as Arsenal will think exactly the same after seeing off Manchester City to take their own spot in the game.