Much of the United angst will focus on the obviously off-side match winner from Didier Drogba. So awful was the call, that I witnessed a Chelsea fan at the bar give it a thumbs down on replay and look genuinely embarrassed by the call.
Nobody enjoys winning or losing on such a colossal blunder.
And, nobody should be surprised that today's storyline would focus so heavily on refereeing, especially Mike Dean.
In The Guardian on Friday, Barry Glenndenning's article carried the title “Why, oh why pick Mike Dean to referee Manchester United v Chelsea?” he wasn't being prophetic, but rather astounded and bewildered by the choice, much like the Burnley manager, as he wrote:
“When Brian Laws described a high-profile Premier League appointment as 'mad' earlier this week, he was not referring to his own. The Burnley manager was aghast at the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd's decision to put Mike Dean in charge of Saturday's potential title-decider between Manchester United and Chelsea after the referee blundered, awarding Blackburn the penalty that settled last Sunday's East Lancashire derby, having been conned by an opportunistic Martin Olsson dive.”
Even if Mike Dean were “in form”, why hand him this match? It's United at Old Trafford for God's sake! Don't you have a clue about history?!
Professional Game Match Officials put undue and unnecessary pressure on Mike Dean (Mr. Bean in disguise?!) and themselves at the worst possible time, with the title on the line.
Psychologically speaking, it's understandable that Mr. Dean reffed the match like someone duped by a dive last week as well as someone on a mission to erase and reverse his past in one single afternoon at Old Trafford. He's awarded more than double the number of penalties than any other EPL official this term, but it was hard to tell today.
It became abundantly clear that the only-possible penalty would have been the most cynical, red card-inducing takedown from Mr. Once-Bitten-Twice-Shy. In another country and with a different ref, there could have easily been three penalties called.
But, besides these groans, United really didn't deserve to win this match.
A draw, yes, would have been justified, but a win would have been harsh on Chelsea's performance, which is especially difficult to admit, given how much I personally despise Drogba, Ballack, Mikel and EBJT (“England's Brave John Terry” aka The Fiver).
Last May, as United prepared to play Barcelona in the Champions League Final, you knew the history: no club had ever repeated at European Champions. But still, supporters felt that Barcelona were vulnerable across the back line having to play Ya Ya Toure as a center half. And we all know how that one ended.
Now this time around, you get a similar, eerie feeling – with United chasing new records, a fourth-consecutive and nineteenth title – the run of luck and form might give way.
Today's odds actually favored Chelsea, with Rooney injured and United having to play away in a massive Champions League match mid-week. Chelsea appeared the sharper, more rested side today, while United looked “leggy” in the first half, according to Sir Alex Ferguson.
Much like last Tuesday, United gave away possession cheaply and made critical mental mistakes at inopportune times.
Today it was Neville, Fletcher, and Ferdinand all having the opportunity to pick off Malouda's weaving run in the box before Cole's deft, back-heeled goal. Mid-week, it was Evra who allowed himself to be pick-pocketed in the box in the 92nd minute for the match winner.
These lapses, while altogether unacceptable, feel like the kind of mistakes born from tired minds and bodies, as United's injury toll may be coming home to roost this term.
Forget about Rooney for a moment, just think of what it would have meant to have Anderson, Brown, Hargreaves, Owen and O'Shea available this past week, as Neville, Giggs, and Scholes all looked their age for parts of this match.
Add to this mix that Rio hasn't played all that much this year. So, you can only wonder if his incredibly smart football brain might have reacted quicker to Malouda's threat, as I'm sure Fletcher thought while he released the player expecting help near the end line. You can only wonder here.
Still these aren't impossible odds, as United are two down with five to go in the EPL, while being down two-to-one with the home tie coming up against Bayern on Wednesday. Crazy things have happened amongst the top clubs in the EPL, so you never know.
Yet, the mind senses that both quests are steeper than they appear, given United's form and apparent fitness.
United must feel an awful lot like today's linesman, who, upon review of Drogba's goal, will clearly see how close and yet so far away he was from the correct action.
So near, so far away from the nineteenth title. For everyone's sake, let us pray that one man's poor judgement doesn't decide the title. Today's only surprise was that it wasn't Mike Dean at the epicenter of the controversy with a dubious penalty.
Back at you next weekend after the Bayern and Blackburn matches. Cheers.
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