Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United: Premier League as it happened

That is just about it from IBTimes UK on a day where Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge ended in abject humiliation. Chelsea, who make the short trip to London rivals West Ham in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, move above Tottenham into fourth courtesy of a slightly better goal difference. Just one solitary point now separates the top five.

As for United, they remain further back behind Everton in seventh. Work to be done done for Mourinho's side, who face the small matter of a midweek Manchester cup derby at Old Trafford.

We will have post-match reaction from sport reporter Eduardo Fernandez-Abascal later on tonight. Goodbye.

Mourinho appeared to have a little word in the ear of Conte before going down the tunnel there. The exchange did not look especially friendly.

Full-time

Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United

Rojo tries his luck with a fabulous long-range drive that is pushed away from danger by Courtois.

Three minutes of added time to be played at the end of this second half.

Conte gestures for Chelsea's home crowd to sing up and match the impressive noise coming from the away end.

De Gea then gets down to his right to keep out a long-range effort from Chalobah.

The game is lacking any kind of competitive spark now as Chelsea cruise towards the most comfortable of victories.

Moses sees a shot blocked. United's travelling fans, to their credit, remain in very good voice late on.

Impressive technique from Ibrahimovic as he takes a deep cross on his chest and swivels to fire in a volley that is well saved by a strong wrist from Courtois low to his left.

A double change from Conte now. Costa and the excellent Hazard make way for Michy Batshuayi and Willian.

Chalobah comes on for Pedro and De Gea makes a low save to deny Costa. Ibrahimovic then volleys over a Blind cross and Pogba also has his name taken for a poor sliding challenge on Matic.

That just about sums up his frustrating afternoon.

Pure humiliation for United as rampant Chelsea stretch their lead even further. Pedro lays the ball off for Kante, who waltzes through midfield and slaloms in between Pogba and Smalling before calmly placing the ball in the opposite corner.

So, so easy.

Goal: Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United (N'Golo Kante)

Rojo heads over from a Mata free-kick. Nathaniel Chalobah is preparing to enter the fray for Chelsea.

Alonso is yellow carded for pulling back Pogba. Mourinho sends on Martial in place of Lingard with his second substitution.

Chelsea add a third as Hazard probes for an opening and opts to find Kante. He helps the ball on to Matic, who proceeds to thread a low pass back through to Hazard.

The effective no 10 gets behind Mata and cuts inside Smalling before rifling a low shot beyond De Gea and into the bottom corner.

Game over.

Goal: Chelsea 3-0 Manchester United (Eden Hazard)

United continue to press but they just cannot find a way through. Hazard then picks out Pedro with a glorious pass, only for the former Barcelona man to be stopped in his tracks by Pogba.

Rashford outmuscles Pedro and tests Courtois' reflexes with a fizzing strike from distance.

United maintain a good spell of pressure until Pogba's disappointing corner is cut out by Azpilicueta and smashed away by Moses.

Moses seizes on a lazy pass from Rojo towards Herrera and launches a blistering counter-attack. He eventually plays in Hazard, who sees a powerful attempt blocked by Smalling.

Pogba gets away down the United left and just about keeps the ball in play. He aims for the head of Rashford with a deep far-post cross that bounces clear.

Bailly picks up a painful knock and won't be able to continue. He limps off to be replaced by the much-maligned Marcos Rojo.

Hazard executes a brilliant turn to get past Herrera and tumbles in the box after tangling with Bailly while trying to collect Costa's backheel. His penalty appeals are waved away by referee Atkinson and Pedro shoots into row z.

Chelsea win a couple of quick corners and Moses' cross from the right is cleared as far as N'Golo Kante, whose low drive deflects into the path of Costa.

The fiery striker applies the finishing touch but is quickly flagged for offside. It won't count.

We are back underway in west London. Mourinho has made one change at the break, sending on former Chelsea playmaker Mata in place of Fellaini.

So a truly wretched start from United leaves them with a mountain to climb in the second half. The defence has been woeful, while Herrera has been below par and Pogba is currently missing in action. Not exactly what Mourinho had in mind for his return to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea, while obviously dangerous pouring forward, don't actually look that impressive themselves at the back. They should also be down to 10 men after Luiz's awful 'tackle' on Fellaini.

More goals in this one you feel.

Half-time

Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United

Chelsea look to add a third goal right on the stroke of half-time, but Bailly gets across to block a shot from Costa.

Fellaini releases Bailly with a low ball down the right channel but the Ivorian is stopped in his tracks by a sliding challenge from fellow centre-back Cahill.

Valencia keeps the attack alive and his subsequent cross is driven into the ground and over by Rashford.

Two minutes of added time to be played at the end of this first half.

Herrera winds up a shot from distance but crashes the ball straight at Matic.

Fellaini wins a midfield battle with Nemanja Matic before requiring treatment after being caught with a nasty, knee-high, studs-up challenge from Luiz.

The maverick centre-back is shown a yellow card but could so easily be heading for an early bath. That should have been red.

Good defending from Moses to clear Valencia's inviting cross and also head away the subsequent throw from Blind.

The right wing-back, making his 100th Premier League start today, also shows great awareness to intercept a low pass from Rashford intended for Ibrahimovic.

The pace of this opening half an hour has been relentless and a complete world away from that timid stalemate at Anfield on Monday night.

Courtois called into action now as he denies both Herrera and Lingard in quick succession.

Bailly joins Pedro in the book for bringing down Costa on the halfway line.

Blind is having an absolute shocker here. The unsuspecting left-back is caught in possession in a dangerous area by Pedro, who tries to roll the ball across the six-yard box for Costa but is thwarted by the foot of De Gea.

The United 'keeper then denies Costa from close range after Blind was beaten by Hazard.

Rashford has also seen a shot blocked by Azpilicueta.

This is quickly turning into a nightmare for Mourinho as United go further behind after 20 minutes.

Hazard's corner ricochets off Herrera and with Smalling nowhere to be seen, Cahill is left all alone to smash in a half-volley off the thigh of Blind.

Goal: Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United (Gary Cahill)

Almost another chance for Pedro after Moses comes in off the right wing and feeds Costa. However, his backheel is just too far behind the Spaniard and Bailly hacks clear.

At the other end, Paul Pogba, who played for Conte at Juventus of course, makes contact with a Blind corner but his header is scooped up by Thibaut Courtois.

Hazard and Pedro combine to fool Blind and Smalling before Costa appeals in vain for a penalty after being clattered by a strong challenge from Bailly.

Hazard then shoots wide from a short corner involving Victor Moses and Pedro having been left completely unmarked on the edge of the penalty area. De Gea is understandably furious with his defence, who have endured a tough start to this match.

Chelsea engineer another half-chance, but Eden Hazard heads Azpilicueta's delivery well over. The Belgian then looks to pick out Diego Costa but his corner is cleared.

We should also say that Pedro received a yellow card for jumping into the crowd to celebrate that early goal.

United go in search of a quick response and have dominated possession in the six or seven minutes since going behind.

Valencia beats Alonso for pace down the right-hand flank and sends in a back-post cross to Ibrahimovic, who rises above the comparatively diminutive Cesar Azpilicueta but can't keep his header down.

Talk about an aerial mismatch.

An unbelievable start as Chelsea take the lead with only 33 seconds on the clock. Daley Blind sits far too deep and that allows Pedro to collect a hopeful long pass from Marcos Alonso.

David de Gea rushes out to try and contain his compatriot, but the former Barcelona forward takes a good first touch and fires home his first home goal since February.

Mourinho stands in disbelief on the touchline.

Goal: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United (Pedro)

Referee Martin Atkinson gets us underway at Stamford Bridge. Both sides are in their home kits and Chelsea are kicking from left to right in this first half.

Can Mourinho mastermind Manchester United's first win on this ground since October 2012?

We are about to find out.

Chelsea fans unveil their banner in tribute of Matthew Harding...

Mourinho and Terry share a nice moment before kick-off...

Mourinho has been eager to play down his return to Chelsea this week, insisting that he holds no bad feeling towards the club after their decision to sack him for the second time in December 2015 just seven months after lifting the Premier League title.

That dismissal, which was officially done by mutual consent, followed a dreadful sequence of nine defeats in 16 matches that left the defending champions in 16th place and just one point above the relegation zone.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said...

To be sacked is football. Many of the best managers have had their moment to be sacked. Of course there are exceptions, but in modern football especially, it can happen to anyone. If it was a club where I gave nothing, I think it would have been more difficult.

When I leave a club when in two different periods I gave titles and gave the fans some of the best moments that they have had then you leave with the feeling 'I have done my job'.

I don't think they want to, but even if they want to, they couldn't delete me from Chelsea history. They belong to my history too. No bad feelings. The owner, he decided to sack me, the fans, they have no power. They show day by day, match after match, that they wanted me, but in this profile of club, the fans have no power.

In some clubs, especially in some Latin countries, the format of the club, the fans have real power on the board and with the president and owners, but here they have no power so Mr Abramovich decided to sack me, but I left with not one bad word about anyone or anybody at the club. Then I waited for what I would prefer which was to stay in England in the Premier League and then I was lucky to have a big club like Manchester United.

He was also asked if he might one day return to Chelsea for a third spell in charge, to which he replied "I hope not" and expressed a desire to stay at Manchester United for "many, many years".

Mourinho is not expecting to be on the receiving end of a hostile reception from the home crowd this afternoon and has vowed not to celebrate "like a crazy kid" if United score at Stamford Bridge.

The final whistle has sounded in today's early kick-off at the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City have been held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton. Kelechi Iheanacho turned home Leroy Sane's cross to grab a second-half equaliser after Nathan Redmond had given the Saints a surprise lead. Towering goalkeeper Fraser Forster produced several impressive late stops for Claude Puel's side.

That point is enough to see the hosts leapfrog Liverpool and Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League, although the three teams remain level on the same number of points and are only separated very slightly by goal difference.

Pep Guardiola has now gone five successive games without a win for only the second time in his stellar managerial career to date...

Rooney does indeed miss out for United, with Ibrahimovic leading the line as expected. Stand-in skipper Smalling is also deemed fit enough to resume his central defensive partnership with Eric Bailly, while Matteo Darmian makes way for Antonio Valencia at right-back and Luke Shaw, who isn't even on the bench, is replaced by Daley Blind.

Michael Carrick, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial also drop out as Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and Marcus Rashford come back in.

Lingard for Young is Mourinho's only alteration from that drab goalless draw with Liverpool.

Chelsea's only changes from that emphatic win over Leicester come on the bench, where Oscar and Willian both return in place of academy graduates Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Dominic Solanke.

Manchester United XI: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Smalling (c), Blind, Herrera, Fellaini, Lingard, Pogba, Rashford, Ibrahimovic

Subs: Romero, Rojo, Darmian, Carrick, Young, Mata, Martial

Chelsea XI: Courtois, Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill (c), Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso, Pedro, Diego Costa, Hazard

Subs: Begovic, Aina, Terry, Chalobah, Oscar, Willian, Batshuayi

Official lineups on the way....

As for Chelsea, John Terry returned to the bench for last weekend's 3-0 win over Leicester after missing a month with ankle trouble but was reported to have suffered a setback that prevented him from training on Thursday before being passed fit by his manager.

Cesc Fabregas is expected to miss out with a thigh injury, while Branislav Ivanovic is still recovering from his own muscle problem. Today's game will come too soon for Kurt Zouma, although Conte is hopeful of having the French defender back in training next week after he joined in with the U21s over recent days to mark his return from a cruciate ligament injury.

Long-term absentee Marco van Ginkel remains out and Conte faces a late decision over the availability of Willian, who recently lost his mother. Fellow Brazilian Oscar was also granted compassionate leave following the death of his grandfather.

Chris Smalling was considered questionable to face Chelsea due to a muscular issue that forced his substitution at half-time against Fenerbahce, while underwhelming summer signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan is also said to have joined Rooney in not making the trip south as his wait to feature again after a thigh complaint continues.

Phil Jones remains sidelined with a knee ligament injury and striker James Wilson has been ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during a training session with loan club Derby County on Monday. Morgan Schneiderlin has also been struggling with a knock.

Official team news to come shortly, but Mourinho could be without Wayne Rooney today.

The much-maligned skipper, who played the full 90 minutes of Thursday's 4-1 Europa League win over Fenerbahce at Old Trafford but did not take the opportunity to pass Ruud van Nistelrooy on United's list of all-time top European scorers despite his side being awarded two penalties, apparently did not join up with his teammates for the journey to London after suffering a muscle tweak during training.

He would surely have dropped back down to the bench in favour of Zlatan Ibrahimovic this afternoon anyway.

Today's retro programme is in memory of Harding and Chelsea will also pay tribute to him on their match tickets. 16 members of his family have reportedly been invited to today's game and Abramovich is said to have supported the unveiling of a massive banner that reads: "Matthew Harding. Always loved. Never Forgotten."

While the Mourinho narrative has inevitably dominated the pre-match build-up this week, it is important to note that today is also a big occasion for Chelsea for an entirely different reason as they pay tribute to Matthew Harding one day after the 20th anniversary of his untimely death.

The lifelong Blues fan put £26.5m into the club following a call for investment from then owner Ken Bates in 1994, money that helped them rebuild the squad and finance the reconstruction of Stamford Bridge's North Stand which was later renamed in his honour.

Harding was rewarded with a place on the board and became vice-chairman before being tragically killed alongside four others in a helicopter crash while travelling back from a 2-1 League Cup defeat at Bolton Wanderers on 22 October 1996.

Good afternoon and welcome to IBTimes UK's latest live coverage of the Premier League.

Manchester City are currently toiling in their quest to regain top spot at home to Southampton, but here our focus will be on the heavyweight clash in west London where Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho makes his first return to Chelsea since being sacked for the second and surely final time by Roman Abramovich in December 2015 just seven months after delivering the title.

You can follow all the build-up to one of the most intriguing games of the season right here. We will also have regular updates after kick-off at 16.00 BST. Let's hope this one actually lives up to its significant billing after United's drastically overhyped 'Red Monday' snoozefest at Anfield.