Diego Costa pounced in stoppage time as Chelsea nipped Manchester United’s mini-revival in the bud with a 1-1 draw in the Premier League on Sunday.
Jesse Lingard’s smartly taken 61st-minute strike at a rainy Stamford Bridge had set United on course for a third straight win, which would have lifted them to within four points of the Champions League places.
But Costa equalised in the 91st minute, rounding United goalkeeper David de Gea to score and thereby extending interim manager Guus Hiddink’s unbeaten run to 10 matches since he succeeded the sacked Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho’s shadow continues to stalk United manager Louis van Gaal and reports that the Portuguese has been lined up to replace him are unlikely to go away after a result that left his side six points below the top four in fifth place.
Costa’s goal, his seventh in nine games, gave Chelsea something to show for their efforts after an awkward afternoon that saw Kurt Zouma stretchered off with a serious-looking knee injury.
Hiddink’s men remain 13th, 17 points below the top four.
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