Manchester United’s season strayed further into positive territory with this comfortable victory over Chelsea that secured a top-four finish, and it could even become a memorable first campaign for Erik ten Hag should they triumph in next weekend’s FA Cup final to shatter Manchester City’s Treble dreams and achieve a domestic double themselves .

Returning to the Champions League after a one-season absence was deemed vital for Ten Hag’s project as the off-field buzz regarding a possible takeover continues to dominate the United landscape.

United only needed a point from their final two Premier League outings of the campaign and made light work of a Chelsea team who have long wished the season to be over. This was a club-record 16th defeat in a 38-game league season for them and their prolificacy in front of goal was once again on show.

There was no such problems for United as goals from Casemiro (his second in as many games), Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford (his 30th of the campaign) eased them to a third successive win. As good as Joao Felix’s late solo goal was, it was a mere consolation.

Conceding late on was less of a concern for Ten Hag than the sight of Antony being stretchered off in the first half with what appeared to be an ankle injury following an innocuous challenge by Trevor Chalobah. The Brazilian’s reaction, slamming the turf, spoke of a player concerned he may now miss next Saturday’s cup final.

Story of the game

Ten Hag had made it clear the importance he placed in United returning to Europe’s elite competition next season. The Dutchman stuck with the same side from the weekend and the expectation was they would have too much for a team who are destined for a bottom half finish for the first time in 27 years.

So it proved as United went ahead within six minutes. Christian Eriksen sent over a free-kick from close to the left touchline and Casemiro drifted in between Chelsea defenders to glance a header over a statuesque Kepa Arrizabalaga. So simple, so easy.

Getty: Oli Scarff

Things could have been different had Mykhaylo Mudryk converted the lively Lewis Hall’s cross from close range two minutes earlier. It was an inexplicable miss given the full back had put it on a plate, but a lack of ruthlessness has been Chelsea’s primary downfall this season.

Frank Lampard’s side were back in Manchester five days after losing to Manchester City and the manager switched to a back four and made three changes. In doing so, he sent out Chelsea’s youngest ever starting line-up for a Premier League match with an average age of 23 years and 238 days.

A turn to youth appeared to be working for Chelsea as they kept United honest during a first half featuring plenty of dithering and poor touches. Martial fluffed his lines after receiving a pass from Antony, who had been picked out by Eriksen. Kai Havertz missed the target with a near-post header and Conor Gallagher dragged a shot wide.

Antony was stretchered off on 28 minutes and it remains to be seen how serious the injury is. He couldn’t put weight on his left foot, let alone carry on, so Rashford came off the bench after his own injury and illness-impacted few weeks.

United took a two-goal lead into half time after scoring a second in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Casemiro delicately chipped a ball between Mudryk and Chalobah which dropped perfectly for Jadon Sancho. Martial made no mistake with the sharp pull-back, tapping in at the back post.

Getty: Oli Scarff

Ten Hag’s team should have manoeuvred themselves further ahead straight after the interval. Fernandes struck the crossbar and neither Eriksen nor Martial could dispatch substitute Tyrell Malacia’s cross with Kepa scrambling across his goalline. Casemiro then fired wide of the Spaniard’s post.

It was still end to end with Hall wheeling into the area and letting fly but David De Gea was equal to the effort. But United pulled away in the final 17 minutes.

Fernandes spun Fofana on the edge of the Chelsea area and the defender upended the United captain, who placed the subsequent penalty to the ‘keeper’s left. A slack Fofana pass was then intercepted by Fernandes and Rashford had space galore before being thwarted by Kepa but the forward was quick to pounce and tuck away the rebound.

Alejandro Garnacho struck the bar and was denied by Kepa either side of a fine Chelsea consolation, with Felix running through the centre and ending a fine solo run with a thumping drive.

Player of the match: Casemiro

Scored his second goal in as many games to kickstart this latest triumph and take United into next season's Champions League. There is no denying that the midfielder has brought a resilience and know-how to United which has been instrumental to their successes this term.

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