Moises Caicedo cracker earns Chelsea a draw with Manchester United

Caicedo's volley from the edge of the box cancelled out Bruno Fernandes' penalty four minutes earlier.

HONOURS EVEN: Chelsea's Moises Caicedo celebrates after scoring the equaliser. Pic: AP Photo/Ian Hodgson.

Manchester United 1 Chelsea 1

RUBEN Amorim is yet to take over as new manager off Manchester United but he is presumably beginning to appreciate the size off the task he faces after his team were unable to hold onto a second half lead handed them by a penalty from his countryman Bruno Fernandes.

The Portuguese playmaker struck from a 70th minute spot kick, awarded after Chelsea’s defence had badly misjudged a Casemiro pass and keeper Robert Sanchez had tripped Rasmus Hojlund as he attempted to round him.

There was no question of a VAR reprieve for the visitors and Fernandes sent the keeper the wrong way, converting clinically into the bottom left-hand corner.

But while the manager may have changed in the dug-out, with Ruud van Nistelrooy in temporary command, so many of United’s problems persisted post-Erik ten Hag.

One of those has been in defence and when Cole Palmer’s 74th minute corner was headed to the edge of the box, Moises Caicedo was unmarked to volley in a brilliant equaliser through the legs of teammate Mykhailo Mudryk.

Another notable problem to date has been up front, where United came into the game with eight league goals to their name - only Southampton in the Premier League have fewer.

The problem was summed up in a first half in which their striker Hojlund failed to touch the ball in the Chelsea area while United had to wait until deep into stoppage time for their first real chance.

It came from Marcus Rashford, set up by a Fernandes pass, who did well to keep down his far-post strike, only to see it clip the Chelsea cross-bar.

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes scores from the spot. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

But Enzo Maresca’s side would have felt hard done by had they gone in a goal down at the interval after an impressive display of counter attacking football.

They also hit the woodwork after 13 minutes when Palmer’s corner was headed against the post by Noni Madueke and Wesley Fofana could only scramble the rebound into the side-netting.

Garnacho wasted United’s only other decent chance of the half, steering a shot straight at keeper Sanchez after a rare, flowing United attack ended with him being picked out by Hojlund.

And Chelsea opened the second half well, with Pedro Neto receiving a sweeping Palmer pass and sending a low strike skidding just wide of the post.

For a United side that has now led for a total of 90 minutes in 10 Premier League games this season, it was a depressingly familiar story.

The appointment of Amorim has, at least, fuelled enthusiasm within their fan base, even if the young Portuguese coach would appear to face a considerable task in revitalising the club.

Maresca, at least, is ahead of him in that regard and his decision to leave Enzo Fernandez, still the most expensive signing in Premier League history, on the bench was a bold one as he favoured Caicedo and Romeo Lavia in the heart of his midfield.

After the break, United’s attacking struggles continued with Rashford hitting a promising shot straight at Sanchez and Alejandro Garnacho wasting a glorious opportunity, set up superbly by Fernandes, when he struck a tame effort at the keeper.

But Chelsea’s lack of concentration in defence finally opened the path for Fernandes to give his side the lead from the penalty spot - with van Nistelrooy running down the touchline to celebrate as if he had just netted himself.

The lead lasted only six minutes and, soon after Caicedo’s equaliser, substitute Fernandez missed a perfect opportunity when he chipped well over the goal after a neat lay-off from Nicolas Jackson.

Garnacho almost rescued a disappointing afternoon with a late attacking flourish, producing a spectacular volley that cleared the bar by inches, two minutes from time.

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Onana 6; Dalot 5, de Ligt 7, Martinez 6, Mazraoui 6; Casemiro 7, Ugarte 5 (Lindelof 84); Garnacho 6, Fernandes 8, Rashford 6 (Diallo 73 5); Hojlund 6 (Zirkzee 84).

Subs (not used): Amass, Bayindir, Fletcher, Evans. Fitzgerald, Lindelof, Wheatley, Zirkzee.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez 6; Gusto 7 (Cucurella 46, 6), Fofana 6, Colwill 6, James 7; Caicedo 9, Lavia 7 (Fernandez 70, 5); Madueke 6 (Mudryk 70, 5), Palmer 7, Neto 7; Jackson 6.

Subs (not used): Badiashile, Felix, Jorgensen, Nkunku, Adarabioyo, Veiga.

Referee: R Jones 7.