The Manchester United supporters were certain to turn up at Stamford Bridge. True to their Premier League form, the players did not. Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire, the most senior United players, rounded on Alejandro Garnacho immediately after Marc Cucurella broke the deadlock in the 71st minute. Garnacho had been on the pitch for less than two minutes and he was about as much of an obstacle as a training cone for Reece James, who danced past him and whipped the ball in for his fellow full back. Such indolence could have major ramifications for Garnacho. It felt telling he was benched for the second game running for the first time since early January. All signs now point towards Mason Mount retaining his place in Bilbao on Wednesday over a forward who lined up for the 14th successive match last week. Ruben Amorim has agonised over pragmatic and proactive styles at United. In the Europa League, he has erred on the side of the former and it has served him well. This possible dress rehearsal could convince him not to dress up the United team against Tottenham Hotspur. It would not be particularly palatable for United's supporters to have Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, the matchwinners of last year's FA Cup final and academy products, sat in the dugout. But it is a means to an end and you can hardly blame Amorim with the season on the line. He picked a team that could conceivably line up again in Bilbao. Fernandes and Maguire, two totemic players, combined for United's standout piece of play all night. The trouble was Maguire had strayed marginally offside for his striker's finish. And so another record tumbles. United are eight games without a league win for the first time since January 1990. It is 18 league defeats for the season, a -12 goal difference and 15th match without scoring. They are only marooned in 16th as Tottenham also lost. "Follow, follow, follow" segues seamlessly to "Hollow, hollow, hollow", a chant United supporters have aired to bait Chelsea for 18 years. They dusted off 'Viva John Terry' again, a reminder of their last Champions League triumph and headier days. Chelsea have their own European final and could qualify for the Champions League. You would have thought United were in a more auspicious position in the table until Cucurella connected with James' cross. Aston Villa's victory over Tottenham, and their temporary ascent to fifth at Chelsea's expense, was all but confirmed at half-time. That did not improve the mood at a club where the friction between matchgoers and coach is palpable. Enzo Maresca got so hot under the collar in the first half that he removed his jacket. Chelsea resorted to desperate measures as the young striker Tyrique George threw himself to the turf amid the onrushing Andre Onana. Referee Chris Kavanagh signalled a penalty but the replay made its overturn inevitable. Amorim and Maresca were arm-in-arm. Willy Caballero, the former Manchester City goalkeeper, continued to remonstrate and was urged to watch a replay on the big screen by Amorim. That barely elicited a murmur from Chelsea fans. It was only after Amorim made changes with Wednesday in mind that Chelsea capitalised. Casemiro had been a solid shield all night and Mount's best work is often off the ball. The same cannot be said of Garnacho. The die had been cast with Patrick Dorgu pitted against James. Dorgu, like his fellow Dane Rasmus Hojlund, is a 20-year-old first-teamer who ought to be playing second fiddle. He has suffered in the absence of Diogo Dalot on the opposite flank. Maresca and captain James billed the game as "big" in their programme notes. Amorim's selection ensured the edge would not be completely taken off United's own performance. So did his demanding demeanour on the touchline. He clapped his hands on three separate occasions to prompt the United backline to advance and went ballistic over an aimless pass by Dorgu. Amorim, shaking his head, turned away from the pitch to bemoan Dorgu's shortcomings to his staff. In the second half, it was Amorim's assistant's turn to despair at Dorgu. Carlos Fernandes hollered Dorgu's name repeatedly as United prepared for a set piece yet his voice did not carry. It did coincide with a rendition of 'Follow, follow, follow'. Amorim has a kindred spirit in his compatriot and captain. Fernandes glared at Hojlund for selling him short with a pass and, come the next stoppage, rebuked the Dane. There was also a piqued pirouette after Onana went short, rather than long, with the ball. United progressed the ball from their own third yet it was inevitably lost when they pinged the ball forward for Hojlund. Frustration got the better of Hojlund, who used Mount as a sympathetic sounding board. Mount offered him an encouraging pat on the head. Mount was treated to some applause when he came on at his former club last year. His starting status did not afford him that privilege this time. The booing for the Chelsea Champions League winner was louder and more caustic. The Matthew Harding Stand sang, "Chelsea reject". Cole Palmer was the "City reject". Mount was responsible for United's only official attempt at goal in the first half that ended up nearer the corner flag. He went closer in the second but was quick not to dwell on the missed opportunity yards away from frothing Chelsea supporters. Amorim gave Mount a hearty hug and pat when he removed him in the 70th minute. Garnacho, his replacement, is still one of the few players who is serenaded by the matchgoers, as he discovered when he embarked on his first warm up in the 38th minute. The night nevertheless ended as it started: with a rendition of 'Follow, follow, follow'. The supporters had turned up.