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The stage was set and the fans in the stadium were brimming with elation and buoyancy.
Manchester United and Chelsea dished out an exhilarating encounter, capped off with Robin van Persie’s dramatic last minute equalizer which made sure both the teams shared the spoils after Didier Drogba put Chelsea ahead in the 53rd minute with a glancing header. Both sides played some fantastic end-to-end football and the frantic start had paved the way for an invigorating end.
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Both clubs were high on superstar quotient, but how did the heavyweights fare individually?
Manchester United
David De Gea: 8/10Another solid performance in between the sticks by the United goalkeeper. He was brilliant in aerial duels, confident in shot stopping and made a brilliant save off Eden Hazard's shot which should have been converted by the Belgian.
Rafael: 6/10The Brazilian didn't have the best of nights in defence. He was a bit reckless right at the start and a rash challenge on Eden Hazard made him the first man to earn a yellow card in the match. He improved in the second half though, but still wasn't up to the mark.
Chris Smalling: 7/10Right from the start of the game, it looked like the former Fulham defender was out to prove a point and he commendably did so. He was confident and assured at the heart of United's defence and was eager to get involved in the action.
Marcos Rojo: 6/10The Argentine had a mixed night in terms of his performance on the pitch. He played well in patches but also looked pretty nervy through the course of the game. His clearences were poor and some of his decision making throughout the game was highly questionable.
Luke Shaw: 7/10The former Southampton man played with commendable energy throughout the game and it was evident that he was looking to improve on his average run of form. He was good at tracking back and tackled with determination.
Daley Blind: 5/10The Dutch midfielder had a relatively quiet night and had nothing much to do in attack and was mainly confined to his defensive duties. His interjections were noteworthy and he linked the play between the midfield and defense with consumnate ease.
Marouane Fellaini: 9/10Clearly the best player for United on the pitch, the big Belgian was brilliant for the Red Devils, posing a threat offensively and being a hindrance to Chelsea's attackers. He was instrumental in United bagging their late equalizer.
Angel Di Maria: 6/10Clearly the focal point of pre-match speculation, the Argentine put in his poorest performance in a United shirt against the Stamford Bridge outfit. His deliveries in the box were wayward and his runs were not well timed.
Juan Mata: 5/10The former Chelsea man endured a difficult night against his former side and didn't have much effect on the proceedings. He was later taken off and replaced by James Wilson.
Adnan Januzaj: 7/10Belgian protégé Januzaj had a decent night and put up a spirited performance against Mourinho's men. He continuously posed a threat down the left flank with his menacing runs and long range efforts.
Robin van Persie: 7.5/10Captain Robin van Persie was the saviour for United as he scored deep into extra time to earn a deserved draw for his side. His movement in this match was sharper and he exhibited more confidence on the ball.
James Wilson (substitute): 5/10Came on for Juan Mata in the second half to add venom to United's attack but didn't have the sort if impact expected of him.
Chelsea
Thibaut Cortouis: 8/10The Belgian was elected as the Barclays Man of the March for his two saves off Van Persie’s shots in the first and second half respectively. He looked solid and assured through the course of the game.
Branislav Ivanovic: 6.5/10Ivanovic endured an unfortunate night as he was controversially sent off right at the death for a foul on Di Maria. It ultimately led to United bagging an equalizer deep into stoppage time. He made decent runs throughout the game and looked a threat on the counter, linking up well with the forwards.
Gary Cahill: 7/10Cahill looked assured in defence and eradicated sporadic attacking threats posed by United's attack.
John Terry: 7/10Didn't have much to do through the course of the match. Cancelled out potential attacking threats and was instrumental in containing Mata and not affording him any space.
Filipe Luis: 7/10The Brazilian didn't have any massive effect on proceedings but he looked confident when on the ball and in attack down the left.
Nemanja Matic: 6/10Matic enjoyed a good and steady start to the game and played well, showing great composure on and off the ball. But he was involved in a couple of skirmishes, eventually getting booked for a number of physical fouls.
Cesc Fabregas: 5/10The Spaniard had a forgetful night at the Theatre of Dreams as he was regularly man marked by Marouane Fellaini throughout the course of the match, thereby minimizing his contributions. He still grabbed an assist for delivering the corner kick for Drogba’s goal.
Oscar: 7/10He was not given the liberty to move freely on the pitch and linked up prettt well with Hazard and Willian.Looked dangerous at times with his cleverley timed runs and gave Rojo a considerable amount of headache.
Willian: 6/10He exhibited a tremendous amount of energy and galloped up and down the pitch, unleashing powerful shots from his dangerous right foot, and a couple of which forced De Gea into making some formidable saves.
Eden Hazard: 8.5/10Hazard caused problems for United's defence with his sudden bursts of pace and trickery on the ball. He was involved in many good moves in the final third, getting a shot on target only to be denied by De Gea. He was later taken off late in the game and replaced by Andre Schürlle.
Didier Drogba: 7.5/10The Ivorian scored one of his trademark headers to give Chelsea the lead in the 53rd minute and showed a substantial amount of promise on the pitch by holding up play and involving his teammates in the build-up. He even lasted the full 90 minutes in the absence of Diego Costa and Loic Remy.
Andre Schürlle (substitute): N/AHe came on late in the game for Eden Hazard to add some energy to Chelsea's attack.
Kurt Zouma (substitute): N/AHe replaced Willian late on in the game and didn't make any significant contributions.
John Obi Mikel: N/AMikel came on for Oscar just to keep a lid on proceedings and blank out potential attacking waves from United.
