Chelsea 1-Zero Manchester United

Eden Hazard’s penalty secured Chelsea the FA Cup for the eighth time as they beat Manchester United in what could maybe very successfully be Antonio Conte’s closing match in fee.

Hazard sent goalkeeper David de Gea the corrupt system at Wembley, having won the kick when introduced down by Phil Jones.

United, having supplied minimal attacking threat in the principle half, have been vital better in the second.

Alexis Sanchez had a aim dominated out for straying simply offside – referee Michael Oliver the usage of VAR to impart the resolution.

Thibaut Courtois later denied Marcus Rashford, outdated to Paul Pogba headed broad with a clear probability from a corner.

Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial, who had both been doubts for the closing thanks to smash, regarded as substitutes for the closing 17 minutes, nonetheless United have been unable to search out an equaliser.

Conte has been widely tipped to move Chelsea on the conclude of the season, teasing the media when requested about his future on Friday.

Victory in the cup closing supplied a selected antidote to a disappointing Premier League season, with Conte’s side failing to qualify for the Champions League after ending fifth.

For securing the trophy, final season’s Premier League champions can thank Hazard, who has solid doubt over his beget future at Stamford Bridge in recent days.

The Belgium forward, making his three hundredth look for the membership, used to be the game’s key player, shrugging aside United manager Jose Mourinho’s strive to nullify him by the usage of Ander Herrera in a man-to-man marking role.

That thought had labored to perfection when United beat Chelsea 2-Zero in the Premier League in April 2017, nonetheless Hazard spoke back at Wembley by dragging Herrera serve in the direction of United’s line of defense, unbalancing Mourinho’s side in the opening Forty five minutes.

Herrera used to be nowhere to be considered in the rating-up to the winner as Hazard ran sure on to Cesc Fabregas’ through whisk, and used to be introduced down for a penalty by Jones, who used to be proven a yellow card.

Mourinho’s side threw off their defensive shackles after half-time, and can successfully have saved the match had they been extra ruthless in entrance of aim.

Sanchez used to be judged – accurately – to have strayed simply offside as he became in the unfastened ball, after Courtois had saved Jones’ header from a Rashford free-kick, and the Chelsea goalkeeper used to be alert to beat away a Nemanja Matic shot.

Yet it used to be Pogba, most definitely, who had the appropriate probability to equalise, placing his head into his arms in frustration after nodding broad from simply seven yards following a region-portion.

Why used to be Phil Jones no longer sent off?

There used to be heaps of debate on social media after Oliver’s resolution to notify a yellow card to Jones for conceding the penalty.

The referee’s resolution used to be dictated by a law trade in 2016 that used to be intended to abolish ‘triple punishment’ in such conditions.

Sooner than the trade, any denial of a clear goalscoring replace for the duration of the regain 22 situation resulted in the perpetrator receiving a pink card and a suspension, as well to conceding a penalty.

Below the amended Regulation 12, which relates to fouls and misconduct, a player judged to have made a excellent strive to regain the ball is proven a yellow card in its put.

The law states: « Where a player commits an offence in opposition to an opponent internal their very beget penalty regain 22 situation which denies an opponent an evident goalscoring replace and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offending player is cautioned if the offence used to be an strive to play the ball.

« In all other conditions (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no risk to play the ball etc.) the offending player needs to be sent off. »

Extra to observe.