To fully understand why Chelsea’s draw with Manchester United was so encouraging, especially for the former, it's important to understand the context to the goalless encounter.
Saturday’s stalemate was a damp squib, with both sides seemingly more interested in not getting beaten after mixed starts to the 2020/21 season. Manchester United had lost their opening two Premier League games at Old Trafford — 3-1 vs Crystal Palace and 6-1 against old boss Jose Mourinho, who manages Tottenham Hotspur these days — so another defeat was non-negotiable.
For Frank Lampard’s troops, the bore draw, in some way, signalled progress despite offering little going forward.