There are moments when Falcao sets off on those delayed runs in the bright red shirt of Manchester United and it all comes flooding back. This could have been just the start. He made his name with Porto, adding to his allure with those darting runs across opposition defences for Atletico Madrid and Monaco during five glorious years in European football. Chelsea away is a tough one to come into; thrown into the team to start at the Barclays Premier League leaders because Louis van Gaal was short of bodies. Radamel Falcao strikes for goal but his effort is thwarted by Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Cortois . Falcao competes for a high ball with Chelsea centre back Gary Cahill at Stamford Bridge . The Colombian forward confronts Blues captain John Terry after the pair got tangled on the ground . He has yet to score against the top level Premier League teams, with his meagre return coming in games against Everton, Aston Villa, Stoke City and Leicester City. There were a couple of notable chances here, with a left foot effort flying wide of Thibaut Courtois’ left hand post and another, ten minutes later, which bounced back off his upright. It is sad to say but the knee injury he suffered in the build up to last summer’s World Cup, when he gamely tried to recover in time to play for Colombia, has cost him that critical yard of pace. In his heart he must know that. The United forward was schooled here, denied space and room to breathe by the constant, intimidating presence of Chelsea’s captain John Terry. Falcao lost almost every key battle at Stamford Bridge. When it all gets a bit narky out there, as it did in the movement leading up to Chelsea’s opening goal, which was scored by Eden Hazard after 38 minutes, Terry excels. Falcao and Marouane Fellaini stand dejected on the half-way line following Eden Hazard's first-half strike . For a man of his experience Falcao should have been stronger, shielding the ball when he took a buffeting from Terry on the halfway line. Seconds later, Chelsea had taken the lead. There was another skirmish before the break, a collision that ended with Terry jabbing his finger in Falcao’s face after they landed together in a crumpled heap. Terry was on top of him, taking the responsibility for marking the United forward away from his central defensive partner Gary Cahill for large sections of this clash. This central defensive pairing, with their constant communication, pass strikers over for fun these days. Falcao was no different. He looked like a man short of match fitness, the usual sharpness that is expected of a player in a game of this magnitude. This was a start, but Falcao has been restricted to substitute appearances of late. Falcao and Terry tangle once more as the United striker struggles to impose himself on the game . He had just 19 touches in the first half, failing to take any of them in Chelsea’s penalty area during a period when Van Gaal’s team were almost operating at full throttle. During Sir Alex Ferguson’s era the club were blessed with great strikers, from Andrew Cole to Ruud van Nistelrooy to Wayne Rooney. All of them pulled on the United shirt in their prime. Ferguson was here at Stamford Bridge, watching this new team take shape under their Dutch coach - and he will know that they are crying out for a fully fit forward. Falcao is indifferent, short of confidence (and goals) after a frustrating eight months since his move on loan from Monaco for the season was confirmed. He is crying out for help, desperate to roll back the years after spending so much of the season out of the picture. Sadly, for a man of his stature, he is trading on memories now.
Louis van Gaal handed Radamel Falcao a surprise start against Chelsea .
Falcao has struggled at Manchester United since his loan move .
The Colombian has only scored four goals all season in 22 appearances .
Falcao had just 19 touches in the first half at Stamford Bridge .
The United forward struggled to deal with Chelsea captain John Terry .