Chelsea v Man Utd LIVE – team news, updates and post-match reaction from Stamford Bridge

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Here’s more from Enzo Maresca’s Sky Sports interview on the expectations around Chelsea.

“For me, personally the problem is that, in general, people, you the press, you still think that Chelsea is the same Chelsea from years ago,” he told Sky Sports. “It is not the same.

“Tonight, Jackson was suspended, we played with Tyrique from the academy. Years ago, Drogba was injured and probably Diego Costa played or Fernando Torres. This is a completely different Chelsea.

“I can understand why people struggle to see that but we are in the right direction and hopefully we can bring the club to where it deserves to be, in the Champions League. We’re going to try our best and hopefully we can finish well.”

READ MORE: Maresca questions expectations around Chelsea despite crucial win over Man Utd: ‘It is not the same Chelsea from years ago’

Maresca on Cucurella’s improvement: “The way we like to play is exactly what’s good for him.”

Maresca on George’s performance as a striker: “Very good. Brave. He was a threat in behind. It was not easy for him because you have Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw, he was fighting against important defenders.”

“The reason why I was so happy at the end is because United beat City away, drew with City at home, drew with Liverpool, drew with Arsenal. They know how to play against big teams. They drew with us away.

“I expected a very tough game.”

“I think tonight we struggled on the ball because we did not expect them to be so aggressive, man to man. I watched five, six or seven games and I’ve never seen them so aggressive, man to man, so they surprise us a little bit.

“But I think we created enough chances to deserve to win the game.”

“What I saw in the dressing room, I think everybody is fit and ready to go.”

“I think the best way to prepare for the final when you have time to fully recover and prepare the next game, is just to compete. And we are at Manchester United so we need to compete in every game.”

“I’m happy. Of course all the team has to improve.

“The way he ran, he fights for every ball, loses a lot of duels, wins some duels, he needs to improve the connection but he’s improving so I’m really happy with him.

“He just needs to continue to work hard and better days will come.”

Amorim says Casemiro, Mount and Shaw came off “to protect them for the final”.

“We needed to make a choice.”

Ruben Amorim is here for his post-match press conference.

On his side’s 18th league defeat: “We have full acknowledgement of that, we already talk about that. Nothing is going to change this season.

“The best way is to prepare for the final and try to win a trophy this season and then prepare the next one.

“We know we are struggling a lot but that is in the past, we have to look at the present and prepare for the final then next season.”

Asked by Sky Sports about how important Champions League qualification would be for his young side, Maresca says it would be but that he “cannot understand why people think it’s still the same Chelsea” as in previous years.

“It’s where the club belongs, in the Champions League and competing in the best competitions.

“A lot of people like to write us off as young and inexperienced.”

Reece James is asked if he is feeling more confident in his body: “I feel good, this is the most I’ve played in a few seasons.”

Reece James speaking to Sky Sports after the game: “I knew if I put the ball in an area, this man (Cucurella) is always arriving.

On whether he thought it would be Cucurella there to get on the end of it: “Of course!”

A huge win for Chelsea, and Stamford Bridge erupts. They are one step closer to the Champions League. A win over Nottingham Forest next week and it will be theirs.

Manchester United can be proud of the performance they put in, especially when no one would have blamed them for their minds being elsewhere. It finishes 1-0 to Chelsea

Chelsea are getting closer and the atmosphere here is building. It’s been a long season and the fans are ready to celebrate

After 80 minutes, it seems Ruben Amorim has turned his attention to next week’s final. Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw have been removed for Heaven and Mainoo

In the blink of an eye Chelsea are now that much closer to Champions League football. It’s been a gruelling match, tougher than they would have expected, but there’s 15 minutes more to see out

Chelsea get that all important goal! It’s Cucurella who gets it but that is all the work of Reece James. The full-back pulls off a Cruyff turn on the edge of the box before delivering an inch perfect ball onto the head of Cucurella. The Spaniard makes no mistake with the finish

The Blues thought they had a penalty as Tyrique George was brought down by Onana, and it was initially given. But upon VAR review referee Kavanagh reverses his decision

United have a good opportunity for a counter attack, and Amad feeds Bruno, but he shoots high and wide. This game needs some inspiration from one of the players. A moment of magic

A whole season, comes down to this 45 minutes. Three points keeps their Champions League dreams intact, anything else almost signals the end

A disappointing half for Chelsea. They can count themselves lucky not to be 1-0 down thanks to the offside call against United.

But they also created some good opportunities themselves. Ultimately however they will only be judged on the result. And that has to be a win. Especially given that Aston Villa are beating Tottenham 2-0. The Champions League may be slipping away….

Cole Palmer attempts an effort from just outside the box which Onana manages to just claw away, before Fernandez skies an effort from two yards away.

Fortunately for him it was offside anyway