The head of Marc Cucurella’s 71st minute won Chelsea’s victory against Manchester United in his last home game of the season and kept the blues in the qualification locations of the Champions League in the Premier League.
The lateral rear Cucurella guided the winner of a skilled delivery by Reece James, who struck a distance position during the first half.
The defender of England Harry Maguire had an anterior masterful finish excluded for offshore, meeting the delivery of Bruno Fernandes from the left with a first thunderous strike inside the box before his celebrations were ultimately deemed futile following a video assistant arbiter (VAR) and verification of semi-automatic offside.
Chelsea received a penalty for a challenge from Andre Onana on Tyrique George after the break, only for a Var review to buy the goalkeeper of United.
Marc Cucurella with a huge goal for Chelsea! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/lofq65ligt
– Sky Sports Premier League (@skysportspl) May 16, 2025
Will Chelsea qualify for the Champions League?
Chelsea needed to match the victory of Aston Villa at home in Tottenham on Friday, which started 45 minutes earlier, to stay above the Villans, which started the evening in sixth place.
The result makes them increase the points with Newcastle, third before a potentially crucial trip to Nottingham Forest in their last campaign game on May 25 (all closing matches begin at 4:00 p.m. GMT).
Forest, who was a point behind Chelsea at the start of the game on Friday, visit West Ham on Sunday (2:15 pm GMT), and their meeting with the Enzo Maresca team could decide which of the two clubs qualified for the Champions League next season.
Newcastle is absent in Arsenal on Sunday (4:30 p.m.) before welcoming Everton during their last 2024/25 game. Villa Visit United, while Manchester City, which is now sixth, welcomes Bournemouth on Tuesday (8:00 p.m.) before going to Fulham.
Man United: the Europa League final awaits you
United cannot finish more than 13th after a dismal national campaign which included 18 championship losses, Ruben Amorim unable to inspire his players in a coherent form since the arrival of the Portuguese in November.
The Red Devils could have been forgiven to be distracted by their final of the Europa League against the Spurs in Bilbao on Wednesday (8:00 p.m.), with the price of qualification in the Champions League for the winners.
