At first there was no hint of panic from Manchester United. They played it well after this bewilderingly ragged game ticked into eight minutes of added time. They seemed to be in control of the situation, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount calmly running down the clock by guarding possession on the left flank, Chelsea’s frustration building as they edged closer towards a 3-2 defeat that would have been entirely of their own making.
Ultimately, though, there is nothing secure about Erik ten Hag’s United. The initial composure faded, the shape disappearing, Noni Madueke given one last chance to run at Diogo Dalot on the right. A slip, a tumble, a blow of the referee’s whistle and suddenly the mood changed. Cole Palmer, nerveless from the spot, made it 3-3 with his second penalty of the evening. United were going to have to settle for a point.
