Chelsea took on Manchester United at Stamford Bridge as both sides were looking to strengthen their title credentials, with the Blues five points off the top before kick-off while David Moyes saw his side an incredible 14 points away from Arsenal at the top.

United made their trip to Chelsea without their two main stars Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie available, while the Blues had returning signing Nemanja Matic on the bench.

The game start of the game was tight with United looking decent. United were unbeaten in seven away league games and they took the front foot in the match with Ashley Young having an early effort saved by Petr Cech.

Chelsea kept the game at 0-0, and on the 16th minute received a bit of luck as man of the match Samuel Eto'o took a shot just inside the box and his well connected effort took a huge deflection of Michael Carrick, looped over David De Gea and found itself in the United net. The opening goal proved crucial as the Blues took a lead which Mourinho sides rarely lose.

The game was a bit back and forth after the first goal with Hazard and Willian looking good for Chelsea and Januzaj causing problems at the other end.

Then on the 37th minute United missed a great chance.

Danny Welbeck was played it in from the left and he found himself with lots of room, but his shot was struck straight at Cech when the striker really should have done better. It was becoming very apparent how much David Moyes would have been missing Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney.

The Red Devils were punished for this wasted opportunity just before the break.

United cleared the ball from a Chelsea corner, but only as far as Ramires, who played a fantastic pass into the box for Hazard and the Belgian played the ball in for Eto'o who really couldn't miss for his second goal of the game with a nice finish.

When the second half begun it was clear the second goal had deflated United somewhat, but any real chance of a comeback was shattered with the third goal.

Just a few minutes into the second half and from another Chelsea corner Gary Cahill found himself with a free header, after more poor defending from United, and although his header was straight at De Gea the ball came back out to Eto'o who had a tap-in to complete his hat trick..3-0 was a little flattering for Chelsea, but United only had themselves to blame.

Following, the game petered out as in typical Mourinho fashion he was happy to settle and see the game out, although some bizarre keeping from Cech almost gifted United a way back in.

David Moyes didn't really have any options on the bench to change the game, but his side did show some fight when in the 77th minute the ball fell into the path of a just onside Javier Hernandez who tapped home, giving United a glimmer of hope and making the game a lot more interesting.

United pressed with Smalling and Hernandez having half chances to score a second, but nothing really came of it and Chelsea held their ground, and when Vidic was harshly sent off on the 91st minute the game was over.

Iin the end, Chelsea picked up the big 3-1 victory, leaving them just two points off Arsenal in first place and looking more like real title challengers as each week passes, even if Jose says winning the league isn't all that important yet.

For Moyes and Manchester United though this defeat effectively ended any chance of a title challenge. 14 points from the Gunners with just 16 games to go, and now the former Everton boss must surely be targeting a top four finish in what has not yet been a fantastic first year in charge at Old Trafford.