Diego Costa netted in injury time as Chelsea made it 11 games unbeaten since Guus Hiddink's arrival and denied Manchester United victory at Stamford Bridge this evening.
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The home side were on the back foot from the word go and United won a succession of early corners, but none of them caused the Blues any real problems.
Anthony Martial produced the first moment of note in the match after 17 minutes, cutting in from the left and pinging a shot towards the top corner that Thibaut Courtois gloved millimetres wide of the far post.
By the 25-minute mark United had earned themselves nine corners before Chelsea finally woke up and began to threaten themselves.
David de Gea was only called into action once in the opening period, leaping to his right to hold a Nemanja Matic header, but Chelsea had other chances and Diego Costa spurned the best of them by dragging wide from a narrow angle.
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Oscar was largely ineffective before being taken off for Eden Hazard early in the second half, but he did go close twice in quick succession before half time, first shooting over from a tight angle before just failing to reach a low cross from fellow Brazilian Willian.
Just before the break Chelsea wanted a penalty when John Terry, after leaving his role at the back to run forward, had a shot that was blocked by Daley Blind. The ball did strike the Dutchman's elbow, but his arm was on his chest and Michael Oliver waved away the Blues' appeals.
As in the first half, United started the better in the second and went close twice in a minute when Wayne Rooney's shot was kept out by Courtois before Martial shot wide.
Jesse Lingard was next to be denied by Courtois, but the Belgian keeper could do nothing on the hour mark when Lingard received Cameron Borthwick-Jackson's cross with his back to goal before hitting on the turn and picking out the top corner.
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Lingard, who now has two goals in two games, was full of confidence and took on a bouncing ball not long after breaking the deadlock, volleying just wide with a dipping effort.
From that point on it was Chelsea who dominated as United sat back on their lead, and Branislav Ivanovic almost equalised with an audacious volley of his own that De Gea tipped over.
De Gea then denied Fabregas's rasping drive before United steadied themselves at the back, and it appeared that they would see out the win and beat the Blues for the first time in 10 attempts.
However, Costa, moments after heading over, earned the hosts a point by tapping home after being played onside by Borthwick-Jackson. The United defender tried to get back but only succeeded in putting the ball past De Gea, leaving Costa an empty net to slide into.
Earlier in the second half Kurt Zouma was stretchered off with what appeared a serious knee injury, so there was six minutes of added time and both teams went close to a winner.
First, Rooney audaciously chipped onto the roof of the net before Costa was kept out by fellow Spaniard De Gea in the dying seconds.
A point moves United, now without a win in 10 against Chelsea, within six of the top four, while Hiddink's side, who have drawn six of their last eight league games and four in a row at home for the first time in 28 years, stay 13th and edge seven points clear of the bottom three.
Pascal Lemesre
