United come up trumps as Torres gamble fails again

MANCHESTER United’s treble dream is still on and the Ancelotti era at Chelsea is under serious threat following a scintillating Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford in which the Chelsea manager remained loyal to both Fernando Torres and owner Roman Abramovich — and paid the ultimate price.

Ancelotti refused to drop his £50m (€58m) striker, despite persistent rumours he would do so, and was left ruing his decision as United claimed a 2-1 victory that sends them into the semi-finals 3-1 on aggregate and sends Chelsea to a very dark place indeed.

Torres, in fact, lasted only 45 minutes before Ancelotti finally had the courage to replace him with Didier Drogba — a decision he should have made an hour earlier with the former Liverpool striker in such miserable form.