Costa rescues Chelsea, Arsenal bounce back

Diego Costa pounced in stoppage time as Chelsea nipped Manchester United’s mini-revival in the bud with a 1-1 draw in the Premier League on Sunday.

Costa rounded goalkeeper David De Gea to net his sixth goal in seven league appearances under Hiddink and cancel out Jesse Lingard’s 61st-minute volley.

Although Hiddink’s unbeaten record since replacing Jose Mourinho in December was preserved, Chelsea has drawn most of its league games – six of nine – to leave the defending champions mired in 13th place.

United stayed fifth, six points behind neighbours Manchester City and the Champions League places.

However, the Dutchman is now playing a waiting game over discovering for how long Zouma will be out of action for, with the centre-back needing an MRI scan. Failing to capitalise on such periods of ascendancy is one of the greatest faults of Van Gaal’s time in charge at United and the same happened here once Lingard had scored.

Only then was United’s David de Gea forced into his first real saves, from Branislav Ivanovic and Cesc Fabregas.

Two minutes later United added insult to injury by taking the lead, Rooney cushioning Borthwick-Jackson’s cross into the path of Lingard, who took a touch before hooking home a right-foot shot on the turn.

Guus Hiddink named the same starting XI for three successive Premier League games, with Eden Hazard again kept in reserve. It looked as if Chelsea’s 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions was about to be ended, but at the death a slack pass in attack from Memphis gave Chelsea the ball back and a slip from Daley Blind on the edge of the box let in Costa to slot home and he nearly won it late on with De Gea denying his Spanish global teammate.

On the prematch orders of fan activists, only banners hailing Terry were allowed in the Shed End and Matthew Harding Stand. After the captain last week went public on his expectation that he will not be offered a new contract for next season, his admirers will not be letting him go quietly. It’s very bad when you land with a hyperextended knee, a hyperextended leg. “We can play attractive football”, he insisted.

“It’s always special to play here”.

“United stretched us and have good players, but we created chances and I think we deserved a point in the end”, said Hiddink. Lingard and Borthwick-Jackson both shone on Sunday for the Red Devils, even if they couldn’t see out the win.

Here’s three things we learned from a breathtaking clash in west London.