They thought it was all over. Turns out they were wrong.
The title race was blown wide open at Old Trafford on Sunday, as the glamour tie of the weekend produced the most important result of the season so far.
In the prelude to the match, the build-up had been almost subdued. Chelsea had done everything bar tying the blue and white ribbons on the trophy, but if there’s one man who likes upsetting the apple cart, it’s José Mourinho.
Still, his selection for the game on Sunday raised more than a few eyebrows, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic passed over in favour of Marcus Rashford in attack. The youngster repaid his selection almost immediately, latching on to Ander Hererra’s through ball on eight minutes to bobble a finish past Asmir Begovic.
United’s second was scored by Herrera himself, his deflected strike a punch in Chelsea’s guts on 50 minutes. As the rain began falling in Manchester, Chelsea finally awoke from their slumber, but by then it was too late.
Just four points now separate Chelsea from Spurs in second, who won their seventh game in a row on Saturday in a 4-0 steamrolling of Bournemouth at White Hart Lane.
Goals from Moussa Dembélé, Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane were enough to sour the Cherries, but the main headline arrived in the 92nd minute as Vicent Janssen finally graduated from an “honest player who’ll do a shift for you” into a bona fide Premier League goalscorer.
The Dutchman doubles his scoring tally to a magnificent, er, two. Thank God for Harry Kane then, whose goal made him only the fourth player in the Premier League to reach 20 goals in three consecutive campaigns.
Not bad for a one-season wonder.
It was also raining goals south of the river, where Crystal Palace staged a marvellous comeback to draw with Leicester at Selhurst Park.
After Robert Huth had used his iron noggin to head the opener for the Foxes, the reigning Premier League Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez (remember him) set up Jamie Vardy for a scintillating second.
Palace, however, have come a long way since Damien Delaney had to bob and weave his way past an angry fan in February. Yohan Cabaye started the revival on 54 minutes, before Christian Benteke’s 12th goal of the season secured the draw.
The Eagles are currently 6th in the Premier League form table, comfortably above West Ham in 16th.
After a shock 1-0 win against West Brom last week, Slaven Bilic quickly reverted back to the ‘West Ham Way’ on Saturday as his side snatched a draw from the jaws of victory against Sunderland.
Fabio Borini’s 90th minute equaliser was dramatic enough, but Sam Byram’s sending off for two yellow cards was a dismal end to a disappointing afternoon for the Hammers.
They’ll be salved, however, by Burnley’s loss at Goodison Park.
The visitors have been awful away from Turf Moor all season, but even the strongest sides would struggle against Romelu Lukaku in this form.
The Belgian, who has reportedly refused to sign a new contract, scored his 23rd and 24th of the season as well as his 9th consecutive goal on Merseyside to deliver a comfortable victory for the Toffees.
Their cross-town rivals are in equally promising form, Sunday’s 1-0 win away at West Brom their fourth win the last six games.
After a spirited performance against Stoke last week, Liverpool faced a daunting visit to the Hawthorns against Tony Pulis’s men.
At least, it would have been daunting two months ago, before the collapse in form that has been the Baggies lose their last three on the bounce.
Roberto Firmino was again on hand for the Liverpool winner, and the Brazilian looks to be growing into the striker role at precisely the right time for Jurgen Klopp.
The news will be a blow to Manchester City, who must win their game in hand to usurp Liverpool in third place.
They took care of business against Southampton and Claude Puel, the latter of whom may be wondering why he left the French Riviera and the Champions League with Nice for mid-table anonymity in the Premership.
Sergio Aguero, the man rumoured with an inexplicable exit from Eastlands, was on hand to score the third and his 17th in a comfortable 3-0 victory at St.Mary’s.
Things are getting more interesting at the bottom of the table, with Swansea still stuck in 18th after a 1-0 reverse against Watford.
Alfie Mawson has done well this year, but it was his costly error that set up Etienne Capoue for the winner in the 40th minute.
Watford now sit pretty on 40 points, and can be confident of another season in the Premier League next year.
Which is more than can be said for Marcos Silva and Hull City, as they crashed to a hopeless 3-1 defeat at the Britannia Stadium.
Peter Crouch rolled back the years with a header on 66 minutes, either side of walloping strikes from Marko Arnautovic and Xherdan Shaqiri.
Harry Maguire’s second half retort offers little comfort to Tigers fans, who hang precariously above the line on 17th just two points ahead of Swansea.
Join us again next Sunday for another review of the weekend’s fixtures.
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