Yep, VAR has confirmed it.

Cole Palmer to take…

PENALTY to Chelsea!

18′ Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

Chelsea have a golden chance to double the lead!

Marc Cucurella is brought down by Antony, ref Jarred Gillett thinks about it and points to the spot.

VAR check is ongoing…

Good reaction by United

Manchester United have reacted well to their early setback. The game has been open and entertaining so far.

United fans are singing “City reject” to Cole Palmer, who was a Mancunian childhood United fan before joining City as an 8-year-old.

Cucurella smashes over

14′ Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

Mykhailo Mudryk outstrips Wan-Bissaka for pace down the left wing… or does he? No he doesn’t, Wan-Bissaka stretches out a long leg and puts it behind from a corner.

From the second phase, Mudryk goes crossfield to Gusto , who squares it to fellow full-back Marc Cucurella outside the box… but he balloons it miles over with his weaker right foot. Poor.

United respond reasonably well

12′ Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

Antony has actually been fairly lively so far and will be hoping to get his first goal or assist in the Premier League in 23 appearances. Not an ideal record for someone bought for £86million (more than $100m) as the marquee summer signing in 2023.

But he’s linked up well with Bruno Fernandes, with plenty of neat little passes around the Chelsea area and cute interplay. But Fernandes goes down softly wanting a free-kick and the move ends. Nothing doing. Rightly so.

It’s half-time at Anfield with Liverpool 1-0 up on Sheffield United, by the way.

Big win coming?

Getty Images

10′ Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

That was Chelsea’s fastest Premier League goal against Manchester United since a first-minute goal by Spanish winger Pedro on October 23, 2016.

They won that game 4-0.

United undone by poor defending

That was a horrible goal for United to concede. Unintentional flicks, deflections, and balls through legs. So slack. Too many goals conceded through cutbacks.

Nightmare start for United

A nightmare start for United in what had been a frantic four minutes.

Kobbie Mainoo gave the ball away just inside the away side’s half, which eventually led to Gallagher opening the scoring for Chelsea.

Even though the ball went through Casemiro’s legs on its way in, there is an argument that Andre Onana, who got a hand to the strike, should be doing better.

End-to-end action

Getty Images

The opening minutes have been every bit as wide open as this match was billed to be.

In between bouts of frantic defending on the edge of their own box, Chelsea have lifted the volume of Stamford Bridge with a well-worked goal that exploited a startlingly open United flank.

But there are near-constant reminders from both teams that the scoring is unlikely to end there.

How Gallagher stunned United early on

5′ Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

I did question why Dalot was on the left and not Wan-Bissaka after they played that way against Brentford – and that switch has indirectly led to the goal. Dalot came infield, Mainoo lost it, and the full-back was miles out of position.

Chelsea played it down the right flank to the onrushing full-back Malo Gusto, who crossed low back towards the penalty spot. It took a nick off Raphael Varane’s heel, and Dalot missed it with a casual back-flick attempted clearance.

Gallagher kept his head over the ball and kept the shot low. It went through Casemiro’s legs but it was far from being right in the bottom corner.

Indeed, United goalkeeper Andre Onana was very close to it and the ball squirmed under his hand. Was he unsighted? It looked like he could have done better there.

GOAL! Chelsea lead already – and it’s come via Conor Gallagher!

4′ Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

Chelsea are ahead inside four minutes! What a start for the hosts, what a nightmare for Manchester United.

Diogo Dalot comes inside, Kobbie Mainoo loses it, Malo Gusto crosses and Conor Gallagher sweeps it in.

Garnacho gets in already

2′ Chelsea 0-0 Manchester United

Already quite end-to-end, this game.

Chelsea attack but when it’s cleared, Alejandro Garnacho suddenly has 40 yards of space in front of him.

Malo Gusto is jogging 40 yards behind him. Not encouraging signs.

Not an empty seat in the house

Andy Mitten

A look at the away supporters section at a sold-out Stamford Bridge.

Caicedo with an important block!

1′ Chelsea 0-0 Manchester United

Interesting that this is the most drawn fixture in the history of the Premier League. Also interesting that it’s Diogo Dalot, not Aaron Wan-Bissaka, at left-back for United.

And Wan-Bissaka bursts down the right to help create a very early chance, laying it back to Antony who shoots… but it’s well blocked twice by Moises Caicedo.

KICK OFF: Chelsea 0-0 Manchester United

Here we go!

Australian referee Jarred Gillett blows his whistle and we’re underway at Stamford Bridge.

The Liquidator ringing out

I always find it funny listening to Chelsea playing that reggae instrumental The Liquidator as pump-up music before matches.

Seconds from kick-off…

Players are on the pitch!

Carl Anka

Just moments away from kick-off now!

Key battles

Aaron Wan-Bissaka vs Cole Palmer: The United right-back, playing out of position on the left, is opposite Palmer, Chelsea’s best player. Can he shackle him?

Casemiro vs Conor Gallagher: Conor Gallagher, in the No 10 role for Chelsea, will look to press Brazilian veteran Casemiro, who is not as physically mobile.

Any others you’re looking forward to?