And yet what threatened to be a triumphant occasion for a great goalscorer was instead altered by an occasional one. Chelsea committed £115m for Moises Caicedo in part because of their propensity to overpay for many a player. It certainly was not, however, for his capacity to find the net.
Yet fees of such magnitude can demand a player has a transformative impact and, in an unexpected way, the biggest signing in Premier League history did. A volley was struck beautifully, nestling in the corner of the Manchester United net. Van Nistelrooy only had four minutes to savour a lead he greeted so dramatically. Chelsea had a point at Old Trafford which, given their last league win here came when Sir Alex Ferguson was still managing, may have been the best they could achieve.
Their first-half superiority suggested otherwise. Welcome as Caicedo’s equaliser was for Enzo Maresca, there was a way in which this game represented a missed opportunity: certainly, for all their progress under the Italian, they have not had a statement result in his tenure. This could have provided it. Caicedo’s goal nevertheless meant they clambered into the top four as they made up a point on Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa over the weekend. It might, though, have been better.
Esta historia es de la edición November 04, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 04, 2024 de The Independent.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Trump charges ahead with his vision of a Maga future
As always with Donald Trump, caricature is the easy route. It takes some chutzpah and self- regard to deliver a line like I was saved by God to make America great again”.
Israel's top general resigns over 7 October attack
Palestinian officials say nine killed in West Bank raid
Confusion, revenge and the weirdest inauguration ever
The last time this many Maga hats descended on Washington DC, American democracy faced a mortal threat. Four years later, many believe little has changed, writes Richard Hall
'Goldilocks Britain' needs Reeves to deliver in Davos
In the lead-up to the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said in an interview: \"We've got to be explicit and say the only way to turn around the UK's growth performance of the last 15 years is attracting greater amounts of private capital.\"
England back Test stars for white-ball assault on India
Brendon McCullum and Jos Buttler are close friends. Which is lucky, because at McCullum’s unveiling as England’s new whiteball coach in September, he had a quip at his mate’s and now captain’s expense.
Churchill bust reinstated to Oval Office table by Trump
Donald Trump has reinstated a bust of Winston Churchill in the Oval Office, having also brought the sculpture back into the room in 2017.
'Awful' Tory response to child sexual abuse inquiry
‘Huge disappointment and anger’ of victims and survivors
For viewers who don't want movies to distract them
Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx's dismal 'Back in Action' is proof that style and craft have completely dropped out of a particular kind of action comedy, writes Adam White
Harry to accuse The Sun of deleting 30 million emails
Duke will allege cover-up’ as phone-hacking trial delayed
History repeating itself in the 'disease of a generation'
Historian Laurence Rees focuses on a dozen warnings in his compulsive new book on the Nazis’ rise to power. Nine of them have a contemporary relevance, says Robert McCrum
