Bore draw at the Bridge

The Blues coach was momentarily sent to the stands by Poll but his exile from the dugout lasted less than a minute before he was beckoned back into his seat by fourth official Mark Clattenburg.

Both sides rested a host of first-team regulars and as a result chances were scarce. Chelsea's Ben Sahar had the best chance of the game but his second-half effort was cleared off the line by Kieran Lee.

It may be minor consolation but the result - a 62nd unbeaten league game on home soil for Chelsea - leaves them just one away from equalling Liverpool's all-time top flight record.

Both managers stuck by the pre-match promises, Mourinho to get his players to form a guard of honour and Sir Alex Ferguson to rest most of United's key players.

Indeed, only six of the Red Devils John Terry applauded onto the pitch are eligible for championship medals.

Ferguson handed China international Dong Fangzhou his debut, a first chance to show if the promise which persuaded United to sign him can translate onto the highest stage.

The signs were not encouraging as Dong showed a distinct lack of killer instinct as he failed to react to a low cross Chris Eagles rolled along the six-yard area.

The arrival of Wayne Rooney 15 minutes from time was destined to prompt a bit more fire into proceedings, although not in the way it might have been imagined as Mourinho dived out of his dugout to remonstrate with Poll after Claude Makelele fouled the United man.

Diarra tested Tomasz Kuszczak's agility with a curling shot nine minutes from time. The Polish goalkeeper was equal to that effort but a couple of unnecessary handling errors forced Richardson into two hurried clearances and in the final minute United were thankful to Lee, who booted Ben Sahar's shot off the line.