The man sitting in the row in front of the Old Trafford press box got up from his seat, tucked his programme under his arm, and left. It was shortly after one o'clock on Saturday and there were about eight minutes of this match to go. Around this vast stadium, hundreds of others were doing the same. The question going through the mind of everyone else, not least Claudio Rainieri, was what were these people up to? It was 3-3 between two of the best teams in England and, while Chelsea never fully convinced that they would be the first visiting side to win here in the league since December 1998, there was still the chance that they might do it. Even for Manchester United fans there should have been an "I was there" factor.
As it turned out, of course, they were not there and they did not miss history. Alex Ferguson made sure of that. Noting that too many of his players were "a little off colour", Ferguson withdrew a forward, Teddy Sheringham, and put on an extra midfielder, Nicky Butt, to secure a draw and a point. At the end United were not trying to win the game, they were shoring it up.
Maybe that was why so many departed early. In the 39th minute, when David Beckham put the Premiership champions 31 up, it seemed that even colourless United would prove too vibrant for the increasingly blue club from south west London. Chelsea may have taken the lead via Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's roasting, eighth-minute volley, but there was something almost pedestrian about the manner in which United recovered. Paul Scholes' equaliser was withering in its disdain, and when Sheringham and Beckham scored twice in the space of two minutes, if felt like Chelsea's "traumatic and emotional couple of weeks" - copyright Graeme Le Saux - were going to continue draining the club of its spirit and the Premiership of competition.
Then Raimond Van Der Gouw, deputising for the injured Fabien Barthez, and with Mark Bosnich watching from the bench, reminded everyone of Massimo Taibi with his pathetic effort at stopping Tore Andre Flo's header. It was the 45th minute and, as Ferguson said, "The two half-time teamtalks were different after that."
According to Rainieri, directly supervising his first game as Chelsea coach and visiting Old Trafford for the first time in his life, Flo's first of the afternoon gave Chelsea "an injection of confidence". In the long term, the goal could come to be seen as a turning point for Chelsea and for Flo.
Ranieri, speaking through an interpreter, reflected on a satisfying first game in charge. "I've complimented the team because they played with great spirit against one of the best teams in the world. It's a great start."
Van Der Gouw made a useful save from Christian Panucci shortly after the interval, and with Ronny Johnsen and Mikael Silvestre colliding clumsily - Jaap Stam is out for the foreseeable future - Hasselbaink then had the opening to make it 3-3. He fluffed that, and was grateful to Le Saux when he hooked Andy Cole's shot off the line 20 minutes into the second half. That was another turning point.
Five minutes later Le Saux - captain in the absence of Dennis Wise - ran around Beckham and crossed to Gianfranco Zola. Zola's mis-control took the ball to Flo, who steered a low shot wide of Van Der Gouw.
It was the sixth goal of the game, and yet it is equally true to say that, as an occasion, this never really took off. Having won one of their previous six Premiership games, Chelsea at least had displayed a sense of organisation that pleased their new manager, but they need more. Jody Morris was tidy in midfield against a thin-looking Roy Keane, but lacks personality, and Marcel Desailly appeared weary again. Moreover, those seeking to see a Chelsea phoenix in this performance should remember Ryan Giggs' glaring miss near the end. The thought that Dwight Yorke would not have missed presumably crossed Ferguson's mind. But Yorke was not even on the bench; his late return from international duty two weeks ago may still be bothering his club manager.
Ferguson explained that he had omitted Yorke, who had played against Dynamo Kiev in midweek, because he wanted to freshen up his side.
"All players are disappointed," he said. "They all want to play in the big games. But they know the way we operate with the pool. There has to be freshness throughout even among the substitutes."
"Hopefully I'll be in contention for Tuesday's game with PSV Eindhoven," Yorke said from his home on Saturday night. He had returned there even before the 11.30 a.m. kick-off. Others were to follow his early departure.
Manchester United: Van Der Gouw, G Neville, Irwin (Brown 81), Johnsen, Silvestre, Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Cole (Solskjaer 81), Sheringham (Butt 77). Subs Not Used: Bosnich, P Neville. Booked: G Neville, Keane, Sheringham. Goals: Scholes 14, Sheringham 37, Beckham 39.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Panucci, Le Saux, Leboeuf, Desailly, Di Matteo, Morris, Zola (Dalla Bona 84), Harley (Melchiot 46), Hasselbaink (Bogarde 87), Flo. Subs Not Used: Hitchcock, Ambrosetti. Booked: Panucci, Morris. Goals: Hasselbaink 8, Flo 45, 70.
Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).
