With the Blues a goal to the good after Didier Drogba's header, Oscar was substituted in the second half - but should the visitors have maintained an attacking threat?
Oct 26, 2014 19:00:00
Jose Mourinho | Manchester United Chelsea | 26102014 POLL
Chelsea were seconds away from victory at Old Trafford on Sunday but a Robin van Persie strike late on rescued what had looked like an unlikely point for Manchester United.
The Blues dominated in the second half and, after Didier Drogba's headed opener, Jose Mourinho's side looked on course for victory.
But with a little under 25 minutes of normal time remaining, Mourinho replaced the attacking, creative threat of Oscar with John Obi Mikel.
Mourinho can be forgiven for aiming to close out the game with three points looking increasingly secure at Old Trafford, but the substitution may have offered the initiative back to Louis van Gaal's men.
Branislav Ivanovic was sent off late on in the game and nobody picked up Van Persie from a stoppage time corner after Thibaut Courtois made an exceptional save to deny Marouane Fellaini and two points were dropped.
Similar occurred earlier in the season at the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City were invited back into the game late on after Chelsea had replaced Willian with Mikel, only for former Stamford Bridge hero Frank Lampard to strike in the 85th minute.
Mourinho declared himself happy with the result after the game, but was he right to attempt to preserve a slender one-goal lead? Or has the decision to take off Oscar cost Chelsea a brilliant victory?
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Should Mourinho have stuck with Oscar? Was bringing on Mikel the right decision at Old Trafford?
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