The contest at the Progress with Unity Stadium began with an early goal that Kaptein started and finished, but Catarina Macario played a huge role in the opener by producing an exquisite back heel inside the penalty area that teed up the Dutch midfielder.

United were determined to show their quality and committed multiple players forward when they had the chance to attack. Their equaliser came in the 20th minute courtesy of a well-hit volley from Anna Sandberg; it was a strike Hannah Hampton had no chance of keeping out.

Both sides had chances to claim all three points during the remainder of the match, but this was a case of two quality sides cancelling each other out and taking home a point apiece.

Changes made

Sonia Bompastor made three alterations to her starting XI, bringing in Ellie Carpenter, Sandy Baltimore and Macario for Veerle Buurman, Alyssa Thompson, and Oriane Jean-Francois.

There was a scare for the Blues in the opening moments as Manchester United broke quickly from kick-off. Elisabeth Terland drove toward the Chelsea goal but was well marshalled by the covering Millie Bright, and Hannah Hampton saved the shot from the United forward at the near post.

We then had fashioned a chance of our own, which was almost a repeat of our opening night goal against Manchester City. Carpenter advanced crossed from the right for Aggie Beever-Jones, but the in-form forward couldn't keep her header below the crossbar.

Going ahead

Manchester United's defence had only been breached once in their opening four matches, but the Blues managed to find a way through following a slick passage of attacking play in the ninth minute.

Pressing high up the pitch, Kaptein stole the ball and moved it onto Johanna Rytting Kaneryd. The Sweden international played a flat cross across the box, which Macario held up perfectly and released just the right moment to allow Kaptein to complete the move with a low finish from five yards out.

Last season, both our games against the Reds ended in a 1-0 win. However, this time around, Marc Skinner's side responded swiftly and were able to hit back when Sandberg lashed a powerful volley beyond Hampton to level the game.

Both sides produced moments of quality as the first half progressed, and with ten minutes to go until half-time, only an excellent save from Phallon Tullis-Joyce kept out a Kaptein shot after Beever-Jones had played a low ball across the box.

Pushing forward

The home side started the second half strongly, and Ella Toone saw a shot from the edge of the box go high and wide of the target. Fridolina Rolfo hit the top of the crossbar with another attempt soon after.

Bompastor looked to change things and introduced Alyssa Thompson in place of Kaptein shortly after the break. The USA international's pace helped swing the momentum in our favour and we began to cause United's backline problems.

The home side maintained their threat when they broke forward, though, and Jess Park hit a shot from the edge of the box that flew narrowly over the bar. Second-half substitute Melvine Malard then dragged an effort wide from a dangerous position.

With 15 minutes to play, Park made a quick run down the right flank, and only an important block from Nathalie Bjorn kept her from finding a team-mate with her ball across the box.

Applying pressure

On came Sam Kerr and Sjoeke Nusken in place of Macario and Erin Cuthbert, and it was Nusken who went close for the Blues with a bending shot that went just wide of the post not long after her introduction.

Guro Reiten was our final change of the evening; the Norwegian replaced Rytting Kaneryd with eight minutes to play. And we took hold of the contest in the latter minutes and began to sustain attacks in the Manchester United half.

Keira Walsh came close in the final moments with a shot from the edge of the box that needed saving by Tullis-Joyce and Beever-Jones was inches away from getting to a cross from Thompson. But, ultimately, we had to share the points.

What it means

Chelsea remain at the top of the Women's Super League table, and are still unbeaten in the league under Sonia Bompastor.

What comes next

Our Women's Champions League campaign gets going with a fixture away at FC Twente on Wednesday evening.

The teams

Chelsea: Hampton, Carpenter, Bjorn, Bright (c), Baltimore, Walsh, Cuthbert (Nusken 78), Kaptein (Thompson 52), Rytting Kaneryd (Reiten 83), Macario (Kerr 78), Beever-Jones
Unused Substitutes: Peng, Buurman, Hamano, Jean-Francois
Scorers: Kaptein 9'
Booked: Manchester United: Tullis-Joyce, Sandberg, Le Tissier (c), Toone, Park, Terland (Malard 59), Riviere (Bizet Donnum 76), Rolfo (Williams 81), Janssen, Zigiotti, Miyazawa
Unused Substitutes: Rendell, Middleton-Patel, George, Blundell, Awujo, Naalsund
Scorers: Sandberg 20'
Booked: Zigiotti 53

Referee: Abigail Byrne