The relief inside Stamford Bridge was palpable. Just as Chelsea feared their Champions League dreams fading away, Marc Cucurella nodded the biggest goal of their season and a firecracker inside west London ignited.

For 71 minutes they had toiled, struggling to find a way past a dismal Manchester United team that have now not won in the Premier League for eight matches. But then came salvation: a sumptuous Reece James pirouette, his beautiful dinked ball to the far post and a powerful header from the floppy-haired Spaniard. Who needs effective attackers when full-backs can do the business?