There was a moment, before it became apparent they were about to be subjected to another considerable ordeal, when Manchester United's supporters could be heard reminding José Mourinho of the common suspicion that he had once harboured strong ambitions for David Moyes's job. The Chelsea manager responded with a smile and a little wave, then settled back to watch his team inflict another grievous setback to Moyes's first season at this level. He might as well have made a "w" for "whatever" with his fingers.
Mourinho batted away the insults with the kind of nonchalance with which his players would find a way through the opposition defence. "David Moyes, we want you to stay," Chelsea's fans piped up in response, echoing a song that has become part of the soundtrack to United's season. The champions, 14 points off the top of the Premier League, have been stranded and, from here, nobody can be sure they have the personnel to clamber into the Champions League places.
No one ever assumed it was going to be easy for Moyes but seven defeats in 22 league games still represents an ignominious haul and, for the latest, they helped to transport Samuel Eto'o back to the days when he used to menace the world's most accomplished defences. Mourinho was asked afterwards about the title race and mentioned six clubs, including Everton, Liverpool and Spurs. United were an afterthought and Moyes sounded like a man going through the motions when he insisted he would not give up.
Eto'o will prize the match ball after a hat-trick that acted as a throwback to his younger days. United, all the same, were obliging opponents. They are entitled to have grievances about Nemanja Vidic's late red card, when a booking would have been sufficient for his scything challenge on Eden Hazard, but they were also extremely fortunate Rafael da Silva did not follow him in stoppage time for his two-footed tackle on Gary Cahill. The bigger picture is that a team with their ambitions cannot defend this generously and expect to get away with it. Chelsea played with knowhow; United lacked it.
Chelsea did not even have to reach their most illuminating heights to win convincingly. Mourinho's team withstood some early pressure and there were flashes of excellence that reminded everyone why Adnan Januzaj is attracting so much acclaim, but in other departments the home side were superior. Hazard, Oscar and Willian flickered only sporadically, but this was a victory for their organisation and togetherness. Chelsea are back to within two points of the leaders, Arsenal, and have won six straight games. Mourinho is also showing, once again, his qualities as a manager of rare achievement.
A lot of people would have been surprised to see Eto'o even make the starting line-up ahead of Fernando Torres. The late injury for Torres, damaging knee ligaments after coming on as a substitute, ensures the Cameroonian an extended run.
His first goal, after 17 minutes, was a reminder of the old Eto'o, as he changed direction, cut in from the right and curled a left-foot shot over David de Gea, courtesy of a small yet crucial deflection off Michael Carrick's boot. Eto'o had made his own good fortune, eluding Phil Jones and letting fly with a shot few would have dared to attempt. Jones looked as though his feet were stuck in treacle and the breakthrough came at a crucial time for Chelsea. As Mourinho admitted, they had been slow to settle into the match.
Missing Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, United at least have the basis of an excuse for why they are not the attacking force of old. They are far too reliant on the 18-year-old Januzaj and, again, there was more evidence about the shortcomings of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young in wide positions.
Yet it must be troubling for Moyes that his defence looks so vulnerable. Eto'o's hat-trick goal, four minutes into the second half, emanated from a straightforward corner, a free header for Cahill and a question of who would be first to the rebound after the ball had spun off De Gea. It was only moments before that Valencia had realised Eto'o was unmarked inside the six-yard area and sprinted back to cover him. Yet Eto'o showed the greater anticipation and intent and easily held him off.
Moyes used the word "terrible" to describe it and he must have been appalled as well by the goal that made it 2-0. Again, it came from a corner. Danny Welbeck cleared the first ball but Ramires simply rolled it back into the penalty area and Eto'o was unmarked to turn in Cahill's low centre.
In between the first two goals, United had legitimate reasons to be aggrieved about the way César Azpilicueta came through the back of Welbeck when he was inside the six-yard area and shaping to shoot after John Terry's one lapse of the match. A penalty at that stage would have meant a red card and possibly changed the entire complexion of the match.
Instead, the 78th-minute goal for the substitute Javier Hernández, applying the finishing touch to Jones's shot, was largely irrelevant. United are no longer a team who can rely on late feats of escapology. Vidic's final contribution smacked of frustration and Mourinho killed them with flattery afterwards. He wanted them to finish in the top four, he said, but only because it would mean them taking points off teams with genuine title aspirations.
