Jose Mourinho made an unhappy return to Stamford Bridge as his Manchester United team were outclassed by Antonio Conte’s Chelsea on Sunday.

The Blues ran out comfortable 4-0 winners in a match which took just 30 seconds to come to life, after a long hopeful ball from Marcos Alonso caused chaos in the United backline, allowing Pedro to round goalkeeper David de Gea and slot into an empty net.

Gary Cahill doubled the hosts’ lead just 20 minutes later when United failed to clear an Eden Hazard corner, and the English international reacted quickest to volley home past the helpless de Gea.

Chelsea defender David Luiz was lucky to stay on the pitch for a nasty challenge on Marouane Fellaini as United slightly improved, but all hope of a comeback was dashed when Hazard made it three 17 minutes into the second half.

The superb N’Golo Kante got the freedom of the United half to bag a fourth for the Blues, sealing a win which takes Conte’s side above Tottenham into fourth and just a point behind league leaders Manchester City.

Mourinho’s United remain seventh and six points adrift of their neighbours, and here are FIVE pictures from Sunday’s encounter…

Pedro nets after just 30 seconds

For how good Manchester United were defensively against Liverpool last week, they were hopeless against Chelsea.

It took just 30 seconds for Mourinho’s tactical masterplan to go out of the window, as no-one reacted to hopeful ball forward from Marcos Alonso, except Pedro.

The Spaniard comfortably got the better of the United defence and, with goalkeeper David de Gea taking matters into his own hands by charging out to the edge of his box, had an empty net with which to put Chelsea into the lead.

Cahill volleys home the second

England international Gary Cahill reacted quickest to fire the hosts into a 2-0 lead.

Eden Hazard’s near-post corner was not dealt with by the United defence and, once it ricocheted off of Ander Herrera, Cahill was on hand to volley home.

2-0 up after just 21 minutes – it had been a dream start for Conte and Chelsea, and one they thoroughly deserved.

Should Davis Luiz have seen red?

Chelsea’s David Luiz went in high on Marouane Fellaini in the latter stages of the first half and, despite protests from Herrera and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Brazilian escaped with just a yellow.

Would it have made a difference to the game? Who knows, but United would still have had to improve wholesome to get anything from the match.

The excellent Hazard scores the third

Eden Hazard celebrates netting his fourth Premier League goal of the season to seal the victory for Chelsea.

The Belgian international was excellent throughout the contest, and deservedly got his goal when he fired home into the bottom corner from just inside the box.

N’Gole Kante added a fourth for Chelsea eight minutes later, after yet more awful United defending allowed the former Leicester man to waltz through and fire past de Gea.

Mourinho’s unhappy return to West London

A glum-looking Jose Mourinho acknowledges the Stamford Bridge faithful as they sing his name during Sunday’s match.

Nevertheless, the United boss will be less than impressed with his side’s defensive frailties, and knows he has a big job on his hands to get this team competing for the Premier League title.