Manchester United stars arrive bleary-eyed back at Stockport as train delay adds to Chelsea defeat woes
- Manchester United suffered a dispiriting 1-0 defeat at Chelsea on Sunday
- United's day got worse as their return to Manchester was hit by rail delays
- The players finally got back to Stockport just after midnight, looking weary
After a dispiriting defeat at Chelsea that saw Manchester United remain eight point behind rivals Manchester City in the Premier League title a race, a smooth journey home was much needed, unfortunately it was not forthcoming.
The United players travelling back to the north fell victim to same delays that blighted all departures from Euston on Sunday.
An incident of a person being hit by a train near Milton Keynes caused major disruption, with trains being delayed and cancelled into the evening.
Manchester United's players arrive back at Stockport after being hit by rail delays from London
Daley Blind makes his way to the team bus as Marcus Rahsford keeps a low profile
Eric Bailly and Jesse Lingard appear a little bleary-eyed after United's delayed jourey
With several United stars jetting off on international duty the remaining players, including Marouane Fellaini, Eric Bailly, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Antonio Valencia finally got back to Stockport looking bleary-eyed just after midnight.
Earlier, Alvaro Morata's second-half header earned Premier League champions Chelsea a 1-0 victory over United.
It was Jose Mourinho's third loss in three visits to his old stomping ground with United but he insisted that he was not overly concerned with his team's predicament so early in the campaign.
The United boss said: 'We are worried, but there are 18 teams more worried than us.
Antonio Valencia was one of the United stars hit by the train delays from Euston station
'Eight points in the Premier League, there is still a lot to play (for). I hope, I feel, I think, I wish that in the busy period of late November, December, beginning of January, I think probably we are going to be at our maximum strength, with (Paul) Pogba back, Ibra (Zlatan Ibrahimovic), Marcus Rojo back. Probably we can be on a high.
'We are second, we are not fifth or sixth or seventh or eighth, so we have 18 teams in a more difficult position than we have. Eight points is eight points.
The players made their way to the waiting buses to complete their return journey form London
'We went through a very difficult phase with probably the most important matches - Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea - without important players. I don't like to speak and it's not after a defeat that I'm going to speak but it is obvious through a difficult period with limitations.'
Ander Herrera was more forthcoming than his manager. He spoke of the disappointment in the defeat and at missing key chances.
'It's disappointing for us because we came here to win, we pressed them and we created a couple of good chances,' Herrera told the club's website.
'When you lose you want to play as soon as possible but we have to wait a couple of weeks but also it's good to have some rest.
'Some players have played every game since the other international break so it's good to have a rest and recover.'
Alvaro Morata beat David de Gea for the only goal of the game at Stamford Bridge
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