It was a dominant performance during the opening 45 minutes as the Blues came out with aggression and intent, looking to make our mark on the game as soon as possible against Manchester United.

Ryan Kavuma-McQueen opened the scoring with his first Under-21s goal on his first start at this level, a clean low strike after a brilliant set-up from Samuel Rak-Sakyi. We kept up the pressure, pushing for a second, which finally came just before the interval. Ato Ampah capitalised on a clever Ronnie Stutter flick to score his fifth goal of the campaign.

We remained resilient throughout the second half, holding on to our lead strongly and making solid defensive blocks to secure our eighth Premier League 2 victory of the 2024/25 season.

Fast-paced start

This Friday-evening contest kicked off in feisty fashion in front of a large home crowd at Kingsmeadow. Ted Curd was called into action just after the five-minute mark, when James Scanlon delivered a low cross into the area. United striker Gabriele Biancheri unleashed a close-range strike, but our keeper stood firm, coming off his line to block the shot.

Chelsea almost immediately responded, shifting the action in the opposite direction. Kavuma-McQueen, showing his attacking intent early, cut inside and unleashed a powerful low shot, but United's William Murdock reacted quickly to make the save.

Big moment

We didn’t have to wait long for our winger to find the target. A quick counter-attack ignited the move after Tyler Fletcher’s shot was blocked in a crowded box. Rak-Sakyi picked up the loose ball and launched an outstanding long pass to Kavuma-McQueen. Using his tricky footwork, he capitalised on a slip from his United marker - helped by the drizzly conditions - and manoeuvred past him with ease. From outside the box, he picked out the bottom corner, leaving United’s keeper helpless and putting Chelsea 1-0 ahead.

United nearly found an equaliser when Finley McAllister played a well-weighted through ball to Biancheri. The striker worked his way into a one-on-one position but hesitated too long. His attempted chip was blocked by the alert Curd, who made a crucial save to deny him a goal.

Chelsea kept up the pressure, determined to extend our lead. Ampah was next to try his luck, linking up well with defender Harrison Murray-Campbell on the wing. He worked his way inside and struck a powerful shot, but the effort sailed just over the crossbar.

The Blues winger remained relentless, eager to get his name on the scoresheet. A fluid team move saw Brodi Hughes pick out Stutter, who expertly set up Ampah once again. He fired another stinging shot at goal, but Murdock made a strong save to keep United in the game.

Super second

As half-time approached, Chelsea continued to dominate. Stutter made dangerous runs, while Shumaira Mheuka pushed forward, keeping United’s defence on edge. It felt like only a matter of time before we extended our lead.

That moment arrived just before the break. Landon Emenalo played a pinpoint long-ball over United’s defence to Stutter, who controlled it brilliantly. With a clever piece of skill, he beat his marker and lifted the ball to Ampah. This time, his venomous strike gave the keeper no chance, making it 2-0 at the interval after a commanding first-half display.

Initially, the second half was much more settled, with little action from either side. Jack Fletcher had the first real chance after the restart, taking a shot from outside the area, but his effort sailed over the crossbar, giving Curd little to worry about.

Then the intensity picked up, and it was all Chelsea. Stutter did well to beat his marker down the wing before cutting back for goalscorer Kavuma-McQueen, who had a close-range chance, but Murdock did well to protect his net at the near post.

Our opponents looked rattled as we nearly found our third of the evening almost immediately, from a well-delivered set-piece. Kavuma-McQueen whipped in a swinging corner, and Mheuka jumped highest to meet it with a thumping header. Somehow, an opposing defender got a crucial touch, deflecting it out of play.

Sensing the momentum, Filipe Coelho turned to his bench for fresh energy. Leo Cardoso made an immediate impact in his first Premier League 2 appearance of the current campaign. He nearly connected with a Stutter set-up after working his way into the penalty box, but his powerful shot drifted just wide.

We continued to battle hard for the remainder of the fixture, keeping the Red Devils at arm’s length and allowing them very few real opportunities, securing a hard-fought 2-0 Premier League 2 victory over Manchester United.

What's next

Chelsea Under-21s continue our Premier League 2 campaign with a trip to face Manchester City on Friday 28 February, for a 7pm kick-off. Supporters can watch that game live via on the official Chelsea website and app.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Ted Curd; Brodi Hughes, Harrison Murray-Campbell, Landon Emenalo, Ishe Samuels-Smith (c) (Genesis Antwi 66); Harrison McMahon, Samuel Rak-Sakyi; Ato Ampah, Ronnie Stutter (Kaiden Wilson 88), Ryan Kavuma-McQueen (Reggie Walsh 71); Shumaira Mheuka (Leo Cardoso 66)
Unused sub: Luke Campbell
Scorers: Kavuma-McQueen 15, Ampah 44
Booked: Ampah 77

Manchester United (4-3-3): William Murdock, Habeeb Ogunneye, Reece Munro (Sam Murray 76), Tyler Fredricson (c), Harry Amass, Finley McAllister, James Scanlon, Tyler Fletcher (Tommy Rowe 76), Gabriele Biancheri, Jack Fletcher, Jack Moorhouse (Amir Ibragimov 59)
Unused sub: Tom Miles
Booked: Munro 8, Moorhouse 29, McAllister 73, Amass 85