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Wayne Rooney (left) and Frank Lampard. Jon Super/AP/Press Association Images
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Manchester United v Chelsea, Premier League

It proved to be an underwhelming night at Old Trafford.

IT’S DAVID MOYES’ first Premier League game as Manchester United manager at Old Trafford – and it’s against Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail ben@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_iepost a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea

Good evening and welcome along. Alex Ferguson’s successor David Moyes faces his toughest task yet since taking over at Manchester United this summer as Chelsea and the returning Jose Mourinho ride into town.

First thing’s first, the big news is that Wayne Rooney, still being chased by Chelsea, starts up front alongside Robin van Persie for last season’s champions. The visitors, meanwhile, begin without a recognised striker as Romelu Lukaku and Fernando Torres are both named on the bench.

Manchester United: De Gea, Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Cleverley, Carrick, Welbeck, Rooney, van Persie. Subs: Anderson, Giggs, Smalling, Lindegaard, Young, Kagawa, Buttner.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, De Bruyne, Oscar, Hazard, Schurrle. Subs: Essien, Torres, Mikel, Lukaku, Schwarzer, Azpilicueta, Mata.

This banner hangs in the Stretford End tonight:

Credit: 101GreatGoals

It’s a hard one to call. How do you reckon the game will go?

Here come the teams, lead out by respective captains John Terry and Nemanja Vidic.

The away side, wearing their first choice blue with United in their traditional red, white and black kit, get us underway. Recent signing Andre Schurrle has started in the most advanced role for Chelsea, as expected.

The United fans certainly haven’t turned their backs on Wayne Rooney as his name is being chanted around the ground. The England striker receives a pass from Antonio Valencia and attempts to go by Gary Cahill but his international team-mate reads it and intercepts.

Rooney looks full of energy and has conceded a free-kick in his attempts to win possession. First, he hunts down Ashley Cole, before blocking Terry and coming through the back of the defender while making an aerial challenge.

David De Gea has just made his first save of the night. Kevin de Bruyne’s cross is cut out by Rio Ferdinand and Brazilian international Oscar has a go from 20 yards but his snap-shot is comfortably saved.

Robin van Persie has barely had a touch of the ball in the opening 15 minutes but when he does get the ball in the centre of the park, the Dutchman is chopped down by Cole.

Van Persie then sends Rooney away down the right but his pass is blocked.

Branislav Ivanovic shoots from long range but it’s wild and well over the bar. The less said the better about that one.

Ramires gets caught by Michael Carrick and Van Persie fires into the sidenetting from an acute angle. The same player heads over from a Patrice Evra cross moments later.

25 minutes gone and little in the way of genuine goal chances.

Rooney finds himself half a yard on the edge of the box but the shot at Cech is a tame one.

Valencia is lucky to have avoided the first yellow card after a late challenge on Oscar.

Mourinho is fairly animated on the touchline due to the fact that De Bruyne has been booked after a tackle on Van Persie which leaves the Belgian with a bloodied mouth.

Camera then cuts to former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo, who looks like he is doing some media work in the stands. Legend.

Phil Jones is hobbling about after what appeared to be quite a painful fall. United are patient in the build-up and create a shooting opportunity, which Tom Cleverley puts over.

Oscar has another shot on goal but again it is easily dealt with. A minute of added time to be played.

Half-time: Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea

#FootballFriends…

Credit: Martin Rickett/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Well that wasn’t quite what we had hoped for. To say the first 45 minutes were disappointing is understating it just a little. A stalemate indeed.
Credit: FootyHumour

A bit of classic ‘banter’ from Gary Neville as the teams and management return out for the second half. What would he do to change things, the former Man United defender is asked?

“I’d bring on Phil Neville,” he replies, with the camera cutting to Moyes alongside his younger brother.

Anyway, back to the football. No changes from either side at the interval.

Oh dear, Danny Welbeck. United have upped the tempo in the 10 minutes since the restart and have just had arguably the best chance of the game so far.

Rooney finds Welbeck’s feet, who has time to pick a spot but fails to hit the target.

Meanwhile, Fernando Torres is readying himself.

A shot from Schurrle comes crashing off the crossbar but play is brought back for offside.

That gives Torres a chance to make his entry. De Bruyne comes off in his place with Schurrle dropping back onto the right side of Chelsea’s supporting three.

Fine take by Rooney, who then turns and shoots straight at Cech with Van Persie screaming for the ball. We catch a replay of the ball striking Lampard’s arm inside the box a couple of minutes earlier. Would have been harsh to give a penalty for that.

United substitute: Ashley Young is on for Valencia.

Nice one-two with Hazard from Ashley Cole, who follows it up with a nutmeg on Jones. Cole goes by his opponent but then throws himself to the ground inside the box. Referee Martin Atkinson is having none of it.

Rooney loses Ramires but recovers well to dispossess the Brazilian and pick out Van Persie with long ball out of defence.

Ryan Giggs on for the last 10 minutes. Welbeck is withdrawn.

Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler has just said the words “Moyesy Time”. Dear God, don’t let that become a thing.

We’ve got a stoppage in play as Vidic takes out team-mate Evra with an elbow.

Jon Obi Mikel gets a late run-out in place of Schurrle. Not exactly what you want to see when you’re desperate to see a goal. Mourinho is settling for a point.

United continue to attack and call for a handball after Van Persie blasts a volley a crowd of blue shirts. Not for me.

Full-time: Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea

It’s a great point for us away from home,” John Terry tells Geoff Shreeves. “Neither team wants to lose. It’s a bit of a stalemate,” adds Frank Lampard.

Mourinho says Rooney needs to decide if he wants to stay or leave when quizzed on the topic. Praises United fans for sticking with him. Sounds like he’s conceding defeat but expect another bid from Chelsea tomorrow.

David Moyes: “We went with three forwards and wanted to make sure we won the game. There’s no shame (in the way Chelsea set up).”

That’s my lot. It was a game neither team wanted to lose and both move on still unbeaten in the league. Chelsea, who sit top of the table on seven points, face Pep Guardiola and Bayern Munich in the Super Cup on Friday while United have another big test with a trip to Liverpool on Sunday.

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