What next for Chelsea and Manchester United?

Thibaut Courtois has proved his class so far this season

After playing out a 1-1 draw on Sunday, Alex Johnson looks into what is next for the two Premier League giants.

Seconds after Robin van Persie's equaliser, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho embraced at the end of their first meeting in four years.

They are due to meet again in April - by which time we will know if the Dutchman has been able to turn the listing oil tanker on the high seas (that United appear to be) onto the correct course that his Portuguese protg is already steering.

Sunday's over-hyped clash provided a late twist after Chelsea again failed to hold onto a 1-0 lead in Manchester.

United fans were largely of the opinion that it was the best their side have played under Van Gaal and the celebrations that went on at Old Trafford in the 94th minute highlight how their horizons have shifted in the 17 months since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

Mourinho looked a touch miffed but his demeanour suggested that he felt the referee had cost his side victory.

Chelsea had a very good penalty claim turned down in the first half when it was still 0-0 and picked up seven yellow cards (leading to Branislav Ivanovic's red) to United's three in a match where the visitors committed only one more foul than the hosts.

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The Serbian's dismissal surely played a part in the equaliser, but Chelsea had already surrendered the initiative that Dider Drogba's 53rd minute opener had given them long before Van Persie struck.

Analysis of possession and average player position stats demonstrates how Chelsea's players dropped deeper, subconsciously maybe, in the minutes that followed their best spell in the game.

Chelsea had 64 per cent of the ball in the ten minutes that preceded the opener, with Eden Hazard weaving his magic to go through one-on-one just prior to the set-piece goal.

But they switched off to allow United back into the game straight after that with Chelsea keeping possession for only 45% in the next ten minutes - figures which mirror their performance at the Etihad Stadium in September when they went from 55% possession in the 10 minutes before Andre Schurrle's goal to 26% possession in the 10 minutes after - and Manchester City had 10 men.

That's something for Mourinho's men to work on if they are going to sweep all before them this season, but to remain unbeaten through the first three months is impressive and gives Chelsea a chance of matching Arsenal's 'Invincibles'.

Thibaut Courtois again demonstrated why Petr Cech can barely get a game, denying Van Persie in a couple of huge moments when the match was in the balance.

He continues to bail out the occasional slip from a defence which looks great on paper but need to keep more clean sheets to satisfy their manager.

And let's not forget that Mourinho was without four key players in Diego Costa, Loic Remy, Cesar Azpilicueta and Ramires.

Chelsea's squad is the deepest in the land and it will be tested, particularly if Costa's injury woes that dogged him last season are back again, but they are on "another level" to anyone else in England, according to Gary Neville.

United had to play their best game just to live with a below-par Chelsea side but will have their confidence boosted before the Manchester derby.

The 'never say die' attitude that pervaded the Ferguson era is back and there are visible foundations to build on with the link-up between teenagers Luke Shaw and Adnan Januzaj on the left particularly encouraging.

Juan Mata may have failed to stake a claim to keep his place once Wayne Rooney returns, but Marouane Fellaini finally looks like he belongs in a red shirt and will be a useful option going forward.

But right now, United are just aiming for fourth place while Chelsea feel they can win all four trophies on offer.