United were behind after 30 seconds and things didn't get any better as Pedro, Cahill, Hazard and Kante found the net for Chelsea
Jose Mourinho suffered abject humiliation on his return to Stamford Bridge asChelsea obliterated his Manchester United side – seizing the lead after 30 seconds and never easing off.
Goals from Pedro, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard handed Mourinho the heaviest Premier League defeat of his career as he faced the club where he won three titles for the first time in a competitive domestic match.
With Chelsea operating at an entirely different pace to their sluggish visitors and United's defence suffering a series of collective brain freezes, Mourinho's men now find themselves five points adrift of the Champions League places having taken just five points from their last six league games.
Pedro pounced on a disastrous mix-up between Chris Smalling and David De Gea to round the keeper and open the scoring in the first minute, then Cahill netted after United failed to clear a Hazard corner.
And midway through the second half, United were caught with a devastating one-two when Hazard cut inside Smalling and drilled home the third before Kante was virtually waved through to score the fourth – as Chelsea sauntered to within a point of leaders Manchester City.
1. Conte's switch pays off
Antonio Conte has switched things around tactically in a way Jose Mourinho used to do.
It's the ability to identify a problem and fix it in a decisive way which marks out a top manager.
Mourinho, at his best, had that knack. Over the past couple of years it has been less apparent.
Yet after Chelsea's 3-0 drubbing at Arsenal last month, Conte re-shaped his side into a 3-4-3 and has seen them win three on the bounce since, scoring nine goals and conceding none.
It's a system which seems to suit every member of this Chelsea starting line-up – including wing-backs Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso, two men rejected by Mourinho at Chelsea and Real Madrid respectively.
2. Pedro shines against former boss
Mourinho's hijacking of Pedro back-fired.
Manchester United looked certain to sign Pedro from Barcelona in the summer of last year but when Ed Woodward was caught napping, Mourinho swooped to sign him for Chelsea.
While Pedro has often been on the periphery over the past 15 months, his quick thinking put Mourinho's gameplan through the shredder as he opened the scoring after just 30 seconds.
It meant that the Special One was unable to park the bus, even at a place where used to have his own personal parking space.
3. Ibrahimovic needs to be more lethal
The Swede has failed to score in five Premier League matches and has managed just one in eight in all competitions.
For the third match running, Ibrahimovic missed a clear, crucial opportunity, this time when he headed over an Antonio Valencia cross from just four yards out with the score at 1-0.
Despite his physical presence, Zlatan has never been a great scorer of headers – and he's missed two glorious chances with his nut in the space of six days. At Paris St Germain, he would receive shed-loads of chances, at United he'll need to be more clinical.
4. The 'rats' are all right
Eden Hazard and Diego Costa were two of the players branded as 'rats' by Chelsea fans in the immediate aftermath of Mourinho's sacking last December.
Yet both have rediscovered their peak form under Conte.
Hazard, who has admitted he enjoys playing in this narrow front three, netted his fourth league goal of the season – as opposed to a big fat zero at the same stage last term.
Costa didn't score yesterday but was full of menace and has seven to his name this season.
5. Fellaini disrupts fluency
United are not fluent enough with Marouane Fellaini in the team.
While the Belgium has obvious qualities for a side intent on keeping things tight and snatching a goal from a set-piece, he slows things down for a side wishing to attack with any sort of tempo.
It appeared when David Moyes signed him that while not a bad player, Fellaini simply isn't a United player – and little has changed since.
Mourinho may have to lose his obsession with height and ditch him.
John Cross' player ratings
Chelsea
Courtois 7 - Made a couple of good saves but United didn’t work him that often.
Azpilicueta 7 - Looks perfectly at home in a back three, top quality defender.
Luiz 7 - Booked. Caught Fellaini with a high challenge which left stud marks.
Cahill 7 - Smashed home Chelsea’s second and celebrated as if it meant the world.
Moses 7 - Clearly had a point to prove against Mourinho. Industrious and hard working.
Kante 8 - Scored a wonderful goal and bossed midfield. Terrific all round performance.
Matic 8 - Brilliant assist for Hazard’s goal. Had a very good game in midfield.
Alonso 8 - Booked. Played well at left wing back, Conte’s new system suits Chelsea.
Pedro 7 - Booked. Shown the yellow card for celebrating his opening goal. Spoilsports.
Hazard 9 MotM - Scored a wonderful goal and looked to have so much to prove. Excellent.
Costa 8 - Was a menace in the first half, bullied United’s defence and made them nervous.
Subs
Chalobah 7, for Pedro, 71 mins
Batshuayi, for Costa, 77 mins
Willian, for Hazard, 77 mins
Manchester United
De Gea 6 - Made a couple of good saves but was helpless on Chelsea’s goals.
Valencia 6 - One good cross for Ibrahimovic but was part of a shambles of a defence.
Bailly 5 - Booked. Went off injured early after catching Hazard but was fortunate ref missed it.
Smalling 4 - Had an absolute nightmare on Chelsea’s opening two goals. Indecisive.
Blind 4 - Clumsy performance. So poor defensively and conceded possession countless times.
Herrera 5 - Tried to get United moving forward but was completely overwhelmed in midfield.
Fellaini 6 - Substituted at half time after getting injured in the first half.
Lingard 6 - Tried hard and saw one long range effort well saved by Courtois.
Pogba 5 - Another poor game. Chelsea fans took delight in singing: “What a waste of money.”
Rashford 6 - Had very little impact on the game and had to cover for the hapless Blind.
Ibrahimovic 6 - Headed over a big chance at just 1-0 down. Isolated but was very poor.
Substitutes
Mata, for Fellaini, 46 mins, 5
Rojo, for Bailly, 52 mins, 5
Martial, for Lingard, 65 mins, 5
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