Manchester United confirmed our place in the top four of the Premier League after cruising past Chelsea with a 4-1 win at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag’s side went into the game knowing that a draw would be enough to secure their place in next season’s Champions League game.

However, the 20-time English champions were comfortable winners on the evening and the result moved them into third place, two points clear of fourth-placed Newcastle United, going into the final day.

Casemiro and Anthony Martial scored in the first half for the Red Devils, before Bruno Fernandes scored from the penalty spot and the return of Marcus Rashford scored in the second on 45 minutes; Joao Félix scored a late consolation for Chelsea, but it was too late for Frank Lampard’s side.

Liverpool’s place in the Europa League is now confirmed, while Chelsea remain 12th, three points ahead of 14th-placed West Ham United.

Rashford was fit enough to return to the squad after injury and illness, but the England international was only on the bench when Ten Hag named the squad unchanged for the third game in a row following their victories. About Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth.

Chelsea, meanwhile, showed three changes from the team that started the loss to Manchester City last time out, with Carney Chukwuemeka, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke replacing Thiago Silva, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Raheem Sterling.

At 23 years and 238 days, he was actually Chelsea’s youngest Premier League midfielder in the XI and Lampard was keen to give the club’s fans something to celebrate in Manchester.

Jadon Sancho was early when he broke the ball in the Chelsea area, but a loose touch from the striker allowed César Azpilicueta to finish off with a header.

The visitors had their own chance in the third minute, which came after a slip by Victor Lindelof, but Chukwuemeka’s shot always went over the crossbar.

Chelsea then had a golden opportunity in the fourth minute when Lewis Hall broke down the left before sending an excellent pass to Mudryk, but the January signing somehow missed the target from close range.

Instead, Man United scored in the sixth minute when the Brazil international fired a superb Christian Eriksen free-kick into the back of the net from close range; A possible offside was marked and it was close, but in the end the goal was scored.

Fernandes nearly collected a pass from Sancho in the ninth minute, which would have given him a clear shot on goal, but the ball slipped away from the Portugal international at crucial moment.

Chelsea continued to have their moments, Conor Gallagher simply unable to find Kai Havertz’s low cross in the Man United box as the Blues found space in wide areas.

Antony put Chelsea back on goal in the 13th minute, before Martial squandered another chance in the 19th minute with a hard touch inside the box following a brilliant pass from Antony, allowing Azpilicueta to challenge.

There was a long break midway through the first half when Antony went down after a strong challenge from Trevoh Chalobah, which saw the Brazilian leave the field in tears on a stretcher as Rashford came on as a substitute.

Chelsea had a golden opportunity to equalize on 32 minutes when Hall found Havertz from the penalty spot for Man United, but the Germany international missed somehow.

The Blues were on top in the next period when Hall had a shot blocked on goal, while Havertz, Gallagher and Madueke all saw the ball in dangerous areas.

Gallagher sent one wide in the 44th minute before the Englishman crossed the line from an even better spot in first-half stoppage time.

However, Manchester United managed to double their lead late in the first half when Martial converted the ball from close range after a great Sancho pass was discovered by Casemiro in the Chelsea penalty area.

Fernandes hit the post in the 47th minute after deft play from Lindelof and then Sancho as the hosts looked to take the game away from Chelsea.

David de Gea had to parry Mudrik’s low shot wide of the post in the 50th minute before Manchester United had two great chances to score when Eriksen somehow missed a Tyrell Malasia low pass from close range and then Casemiro whistled alone at home. just from the post.

De Gea made two deft saves just before the hour mark as the Spaniard rebounded Hall before scoring a goal to avoid Mudrik’s deflected shot.

The Manchester United goalkeeper, who won the Premier League Golden Glove this season, blew Havertz’s head off and Chelsea continued to pick up chances in the last third of the field.

The home team earned a penalty in the 72nd minute when Wesley Fofana crossed Fernandes in the penalty area.

Fernandes moved to Ten Hag’s side and found the bottom corner with a combination that secured the English giants all three points and a place in the Champions League next season.

Rashford was beaten in the 77th minute, but the Englishman put his name on the scoresheet shortly after a second-half goal to ask after a botched pass from Fofana put his team in trouble.

Alejandro Garnacho shot over the crossbar in the 84th minute, but the guests managed to cheer up their fans in the final substitutions, when Felix brilliantly completed a low shot into the bottom corner.

Garnacho, Rashford and Scott McTominay eventually got close to Manchester United, but the hosts were eventually down to four.

Chelsea set a new club record with 16 defeats in a 38-game Premier League season and are guaranteed to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League for the first time in 27 years.

Lampard’s team ended their campaign at home to Newcastle on Sunday while Manchester United hosted Fulham at Old Trafford on the same day before turning their attention to the FA Cup final against Manchester City June.

Lineups:

Man United (4-2-3-1): 

De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Lindelof, Shaw (Malacia h-t); Casemiro, Eriksen (Fred 70); Antony (Rashford 29), Fernandes (c) (McTominay 86), Sancho; Martial (Garnacho 70)

Unused subs Butland, Dalot, Maguire, Weghorst

Chelsea (4-3-3): 

Kepa; Azpilicueta (c), W.Fofana, Chalobah, Hall; Chukwuemeka (Loftus-Cheek 82), Enzo, Gallagher (D.Fofana 82); Madueke (Ziyech 82), Havertz (Joao Felix 64), Mudryk (Pulisic 64)

Unused subs Mendy, Gilchrist, Koulibaly, Thiago Silva

Bookings:

Man Of the Match : Bruno Borges Fernandes