A deflected Juan Mata strike gave Chelsea a 1-0 win at Manchester United which lifted the Blues up to third in the Premier League.

An Oscar shot for Chelsea was palmed on to the post by home keeper Anders Lindegaard before United's Robin van Persie glanced a shot just wide.

The match appeared to be petering out when Mata's shot went in via a ricochet off Phil Jones.

United had Rafael red-carded late on for a kick on David Luiz.

Brazilian Luiz was seen smiling on the floor after Rafael's crude challenge as the game ended in the kind of fiery intensity the match had been missing for the most part.

The win against United was more important than the performance for Chelsea as they moved a point ahead of Arsenal in fourth, with a game in hand over the Gunners.

The victory also puts the Blues three points in front of fifth-placed Tottenham, who they play on Wednesday.

The match was Chelsea's 65th of the season and 12th in 37 days and, after Arsenal and Spurs both won on Saturday, the pressure was on Rafael Benitez's side to respond.

The visitors quickly took the initiative and created the first threat on goal, with the teasing Mata crossing for the stretching Demba Ba to head over.

Another Mata cross fell to Ba at the far post and, although the Chelsea forward did well to take the ball down on his chest, he could only strike an air shot before United cleared their lines.

There was a lack of zip and urgency about the home side and they almost paid the price when Oscar ran unchallenged at the Red Devils goal before having a shot palmed on to the post by Lindergaard.

Chelsea failed to provide the cutting edge to capitalise on the Old Trafford side's lack of intensity, with Victor Moses sweeping a shot over as the Blues again squandered a promising opening.

The home side's disciplined and determined defending was their saving grace before they briefly found some attacking rhythm, with Van Persie twice going close just before the break.

The Dutchman latched on to an incisive pass from Ryan Giggs only to glance a shot just wide before Van Persie headed straight at Blues keeper Petr Cech from a Nemanja Vidic cross.

Chelsea responded by trying to increase the pace of the game after the break, although they struggled to prise a way through the United backline as chances were hard to come by at both ends.

However, there was a late sting to the tail of the match.

Chelsea midfielder Ramires tackled Wayne Rooney on the edge of the Blues box before powering forward and passing to Oscar, who laid the ball off for Mata to send a shot in off Jones and the post.

United were angry the challenge by Ramires was not deemed a foul, while Rafael's frustration boiled over into a cynical challenge on Luiz.

-BBC