Chelsea 4-3 Man Utd: Palmer scores two goals at the last minute to save Blues

In this strangest of seasons for Manchester United, Erik ten Hag’s side have swung between shambolic and sensational, and everything else in between. Rarely, though, have they managed it all on the same night.

Here at Stamford Bridge, we were treated to the full repertoire. Five days after dropping valuable points in the race for Champions League qualification down the road at Brentford, United were at it again as they conceded goals deep into injury-time by Cole Palmer who celebrated a sensational hat-trick.

Two down to Chelsea and seemingly out, they clawed their way back into the game and then looked to have snatched victory through Alejandro Garnacho’s second goal of the night. But in the 99th minute, Cole Palmer converted a second penalty of the night to earn a draw and then fired on off Scott McToninay in the 102nd minute.

Although there was proof once again that these players are still ready to fight for Ten Hag, this was a crushing blow to their top-four hopes. United’s new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe was here to witness the drama at Stamford Bridge, and it would be fascinating to know what he made of it all.

United still have the prospect of an FA Cup final next month where they could feasibly meet Chelsea again. One the basis of this encounter, it could be a cracking final.

Ten Hag made the bold decision to leave Marcus Rashford on the bench and hand Antony his first Premier League start of the year, although not everyone will have bought into his explanation that he was rotating to keep players fit for Liverpool on Sunday.

At least, Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire proved their fitness in time to start in central defence after Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof became United’s latest casualties.

‘It would have been an