TEN memorable moments from Man Utd v Chelsea

Manchester United host Chelsea on Sunday and it is an encounter that has featured countless unforgettable matches, goals, incidents, players and managers.

Here football writer Adrian Kajumba selects 10 of the most memorable moments from this fixture.

Mourinho’s Chelsea debut - August 2004 

After arriving in England amid much fanfare and as the self-declared Special One, all eyes were on Stamford Bridge for Jose Mourinho’s eagerly-anticipated first Premier League match.

The season opener pitting new kid on the managerial block Mourinho against the vastly experienced Sir Alex Ferguson only added further spice to the occasion.

Man Utd did not have happy memories of Mourinho prior to him taking charge of Chelsea. 

His Porto side knocked United out of the UEFA Champions League the previous season en route to winning the competition and Mourinho rubbed salt in their wounds with his unforgettable touchline sprint celebration in the Old Trafford last-16, second leg. 

Depleted Man United’s first Premier League meeting with Mourinho did not go much better after Eidur Gudjohnsen's first-half goal got his reign off to a 1-0 winning start.

It was a sign of things to come too as Mourinho served notice of his intention to upset the established order. 

He duly did that by leading Chelsea to their first top flight triumph for 50 years in his debut season before retaining the league the following year, securing back-to-back titles for the first time in their history. 

Title two and Cole's goal - April 2006

That second Premier League crown was clinched on a famous April day for Chelsea against United. 

With three matches left Chelsea welcomed their nearest challengers to Stamford Bridge needing just a point to seal the title.

William Gallas’ fifth-minute goal settled the nerves before second-half strikes from Joe Cole and Ricardo Carvalho got Chelsea over the line. 

Cole’s stunning individual effort was effectively the one that confirmed Chelsea would be champions. 

He appeared to be trapped between three Man Utd defenders but somehow tricked his way out of trouble before bursting into the box to score. 

Equally memorable was how Mourinho celebrated Chelsea’s triumph - by throwing his jacket and a winners’ medal into the crowd.

“The medal was for everybody but I think the person in the crowd who got the medal is a lucky guy who goes home with a fantastic memory or goes to eBay and makes a fortune,” Mourinho said.

Fergie’s fright - September 2008 

One of the Premier League’s great viral clips came in this fixture and was also a moment that left former Man Utd assistant Mike Phelan fearing for his job.

When a stray balloon drifted towards United's dugout, Phelan thought nothing of removing the potential distraction by stamping on it.

What he did not realise was that Ferguson and his other backroom staff were so engrossed in the match, they had not seen it and the sudden sound of an exploding balloon made them jump out of their skin.

Some, including first-team coach Rene Meulensteen, could see the funny side of the fright but Ferguson was initially less than impressed.

"He had no sense of humour in that moment," Phelan said. “He went ballistic. I thought that was the end of my job. He had the fright of his life. But he saw the funny side the next day because I think his grandchildren had mentioned it to him, so I think they had taken the mickey out of him a bit."

Torres' miss - September 2011

While Fernando Torres scored in this match, it is not that which his performance at Old Trafford is remembered for.

Instead it is a barely believable miss in Chelsea's 3-1 defeat. 

Having been put through on goal by Ramires, all inside the ground rightly expected the net to bulge and the scoreline be reduced to 3-2 after Torres skipped past Man United goalkeeper David De Gea in the 83rd minute. 

Somehow, though, he sliced his shot wide of an open net. Torres fell to the floor in sheer disbelief, a sentiment shared by most inside the stadium too. 

And though there were some high points for Torres at Chelsea, it was moments to forget like this one that were perhaps more reflective of his time at the club and a high-profile move from Liverpool that did not go to plan. 

Stamford Bridge thrillers - 2012 

Twice Chelsea hosted Man Utd in 2012 and both brilliant battles were eventful - packed with comebacks, drama and talking points.

In February 2012, Chelsea looked certain winners after establishing a 3-0 lead by the 50th minute thanks to a Jonny Evans own goal and further strikes from Juan Mata and David Luiz.

But Man United improbably clawed their way back into the match with two Wayne Rooney penalties and a Chicharito effort to rescue a point preserved right at the death by De Gea's flying, career-turning save from Mata’s late free-kick. 

Almost nine months later they served up yet another Stamford Bridge rollercoaster. 

This time it was United who raced into the lead, going 2-0 up inside 12 minutes through Luiz's own goal and Robin Van Persie's finish.

Mata and Ramires drew Chelsea level but red cards for Branislav Ivanovic and Torres left them down to nine-men and, for the second successive season, Chicharito scored late on, though this time to earn Man United a win and cut the Blues' lead at the top at the time to just one point. 

Memorable day for Eto’o and Hudson-Odoi - January 2014 

Samuel Eto'o will look back on this 3-1 Chelsea victory fondly for his match-winning one-man show, as will Callum Hudson-Odoi  following his part in the striker’s wholesome celebration.

Eto'o was into the later stage of his career by this point and the striker rolled back the years by scoring a hat-trick on his best day for the Blues.

After his third goal, he made a beeline for one of the ball boys and years later it emerged that the youngster looking up at him in wide-eyed awe was none other than a 13-year-old Hudson-Odoi.

By the time it became wider knowledge years down the line, Hudson-Odoi was himself part of Chelsea’s first team.

And the winger, who is now at Nottingham Forest, said: “When he [Eto’o] started celebrating, I was delighted and he just saw me, came over and held my hand.

"For a young boy seeing a professional footballer coming to do that for you, it was crazy. I was smiling so much.

“You dream of being a professional as a kid, especially at the club I’ve now been at for so long. You think, ‘Can I become like him or at least get to the top where he is?' And I’m now fulfilling that dream.”

Mourinho’s unhappy Chelsea return - October 2016

For so long, Stamford Bridge was Mourinho’s territory. He did not lose any of his 60 league matches there in his first spell in charge.

But when he returned for the first time with Man Utd, it was no longer the happy place he once remembered, and he suffered the most humbling of comebacks.

Chelsea ran riot against Mourinho’s Red Devils, going ahead inside the first minute through Pedro before goals from Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard put Chelsea 3-0 up.

But it was their fourth goal that perfectly summed up Chelsea’s day.

N’Golo Kante suddenly turned from a world class defensive midfielder into a skilful, dribbling goalscorer, slaloming through the visitor's defence to make it 4-0.

Not content with the emphatic win and receiving the adulation that was once reserved for Mourinho, Antonio Conte riled his counterpart further by whipping up the crowd late on, an incident which sparked a long-running war of words between the two managers.

Herrera shadows Hazard - April 2017

Ander Herrera delivered a man-marking masterclass when Chelsea went to Old Trafford in April 2017 to completely nullify Hazard.

At the time Hazard was one of the standout stars for a Chelsea side who went on to be crowned Premier League champions in this season.

Hazard was a special player who required special attention - and Herrera was only too happy to give him that, following Hazard everywhere, quite literally, to totally restrict the usually-brilliant Belgian.

“At that time, Hazard was the best player in the league, with the best stats and everything,” said Herrera.

“Chelsea were on fire, and Mourinho decided that I was the man to stop him.

“Two days before [the match], I said: ‘I’m going to try my best. Even if he goes to the toilet, I will follow him.’”

As it turned out, Chelsea should have been as focussed on Herrera as he was on Hazard.

Along with his disciplined defensive job, the midfielder also found time to set up Man Utd’s first goal for Marcus Rashford before getting on the scoresheet himself to secure a 2-0 win.

Mourinho’s touchline spat - October 2018

Mourinho failed to win any of his four visits to Stamford Bridge with Man Utd and although this was the one draw he claimed, he still finished it frustrated.

After seeing his side’s 2-1 lead wiped out by Ross Barkley’s 96th minute equaliser, the zealous celebration of Chelsea coach Marco Ianni tipped him over the edge.

Mourinho leapt out of his dugout seat to chase him but was stopped and held back before he could get to Ianni, as the potential flashpoint was broken up.

And as he walked off the pitch following the match's chaotic conclusion, further confirmation came that Mourinho's relationship with the Chelsea supporters who used to adore him was also fractured beyond repair.

Mourinho was jeered off and responded by raising three fingers in the air, a reference to the number of Premier League titles he had won them. From a position of promise, this proved to be another unhappy return.

Seven-goal epic at Stamford Bridge - April 2024

This thriller makes the cut for multiple reasons - the seven goals, the comebacks, the history, and the Chelsea celebrations after they finally came out on top at the end of this dramatic Premier League classic.

Chelsea were 2-0 up inside 90 minutes but 3-2 down after 67 - and remained trailing as the match approached the 100-minute mark.

But two more quick-fire Cole Palmer goals deep, deep into stoppage time sparked pandemonium in the stands and on the pitch as Chelsea players and supporters celebrated a dramatic victory wildly.

Palmer’s deflected strike to make it 4-3 and complete his hat-trick came on 100 minutes and 39 seconds, the latest-ever Premier League winning goal and third-latest scored of any kind.

Match-winner Palmer could not believe he was left unmarked from Enzo Fernandez’s corner to score the decisive goal.

“When I got the ball, I took a touch and then I took another one and I thought ‘where is everyone?’” Palmer recalled.

Meanwhile United’s late collapse - they were ahead with 99 minutes and 17 seconds on the clock - is the latest a side has ever led in a Premier League match before going on to lose.