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Regardless of the inevitable hype, Chelsea and Manchester United produced a relatively drab stalemate within the Premier League‘s most high-profile recreation of the weekend.
The 2 groups slugged their technique to a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge that produced little past a lightweight sprinkling of VAR controversy within the first 20 minutes.
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The Blues prolonged their unbeaten run beneath new coach Thomas Tuchel to 9 matches, courtesy of a fourth clear sheet stored because the German’s arrival in late January. United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer additionally upheld his unbeaten managerial document towards Chelsea within the Premier League having registered two wins and three attracts in 5 video games towards the London aspect.
Sadly there weren’t many extra positives to glean from Sunday’s conflict, which as soon as once more noticed a grand “Massive Six” battle fail to ship a lot in the way in which of memorable leisure.
Certainly, the Premier League’s so-called Massive Six of (in alphabetical order) Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester Metropolis, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have produced fairly numerous forgettable bore-fests to this point this season, with well-drilled groups laden with world-class expertise efficiently nullifying every one other time and again.
Six of the largest video games within the Premier League this season:
Man United 0-0 Chelsea
Arsenal 0-0 Man United
Liverpool 0-0 Man United
Man United 0-0 Man Metropolis
Chelsea 0-0 Spurs
Chelsea 0-0 Man United pic.twitter.com/s1qbB3Hqzk— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 28, 2021
United have been concerned in numerous these dreary outcomes, with Solskjaer’s aspect now winless of their final eight Premier League outings towards their fellow Massive Six rivals — the final 4 of which have led to 0-0 attracts.
Their final victory towards a Massive Six crew got here in March of 2020 after they beat Manchester Metropolis 2-0 at Outdated Trafford due to targets from Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay, who each profited from a pair of uncommon howlers by Metropolis goalkeeper Ederson.
United have solely scored one aim towards Massive Six opponents this season, which is fewer than all 19 different groups within the Premier League. Their barren streak leaves United all-time low of the Massive Six head-to-head mini-league to this point in 2020-21, with every crew having performed at the very least seven of their 10 league encounters towards the others.
It is vital to notice, after all, that these standings are considerably at odds with United’s place of second within the desk total, representing a season of actual progress beneath Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Premier League’s 2015-16 champions Leicester Metropolis and this 12 months’s high-flyers West Ham United may have one thing to say concerning the definition of “Massive Six,” with the 2 sides occupying third and fourth place respectively within the desk forward of the midweek spherical of fixtures.
United’s poor outcomes towards the remainder of the Massive Six are maybe finest encapsulated by the struggles that their artistic fulcrum, Bruno Fernandes, endures throughout these large video games. The Portuguese maestro has proved an amazing boon to United since his arrival at Outdated Trafford, pitching in with 34 targets and 21 assists in 61 appearances in all competitions since making his United debut on Feb. 1 final 12 months.
Nonetheless, Fernandes’ document towards the Premier League Massive Six in that point is notably completely different, with the midfielder providing only one aim and 0 assists in seven appearances.
Certainly, that solitary aim got here simply 98 seconds into his first Massive Six conflict of the 2020-21 marketing campaign when he scored from the penalty spot towards Tottenham again in October of final 12 months.
Maybe the Massive Six have all put their heads collectively and realised that in case you can cease Bruno, you possibly can efficiently subdue United too.
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