Nduguzangu

Nani celebrates after scoring Manchester United’s second goal against Chelsea Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images

This was an erratic and entrancing match, with Wayne Rooney, for instance, losing his footing and slicing a penalty wide of the target forManchester United in the 56th minute.

It was typical of an often bizarre fixture that the episode should be frenetic. Nani had struck the bar before he was brought down by José Bosingwa. The spot-kick was squandered and this was, in general, an afternoon of curiosities. Fernando Torres should have had his second goal of the day for Chelsea but having carried a Ramires pass away from the Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, he shot wide in the 83rd minute.

Despite that, the day was not without some encouragement for André Villas-Boas, the Chelsea manager bringing his team to Old Trafford for the first time. The side soon understood that they were likely to be beaten but there was at least perseverance against United. Torres was to score just his second goal for the club.

Although he only trimmed the opposition's lead to 3-1, it seemed like a moment that may carry significance for Chelsea despite this outcome. Having been picked out by the substitute Nicolas Anelka, his finish in 46th minute was neat. By then, Frank Lampard had been replaced as Villas-Boas took urgent action. While it was unlike Chelsea to concede three goals, let alone do so in the span of the first-half, this was a spirited effort and the score is not a wholly reliable measure of the gap between the teams.

United, all the same, can be satisfied, particularly since Manchester City collected just one point at Fulham.

Sir Alex Ferguson's team opened the scoring when Chris Smalling headed in an Ashley Young set-piece from what looked a marginally off-side position in the eighth minute. Torres ought to have levelled four minutes later, after Anderson inadvertently gave him the ball, but the Spaniard missed the target. United led 2-0 following a splendid 20-yarder from Nani and, on the verge of the interval, John Terry crashed a clearance against the winger, with the ball running to Rooney for a simple finish.

Despite United's solid lead, the game seldom paused and Ashley Cole was on the goal-line to clear a shot from the substitute Dimitar Berbatov in stoppage time.