MIKE PENDERS was spotted using the “vaseline trick” during Chelsea’s win over Manchester United.

The Blues stopper has impressed since coming into the starting XI following the injury to Emi Martinez.

Penders, 21, starred between the posts in the 2-0 victory over United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The Belgian stopper made a number of notable saves but had an extra edge thanks to the unique trick.

The Daily Mail reported that he could be seen walking to one post and rubbing his gloves with vaseline.

It is claimed that it was hidden towards his crossbar and it immediately helped as he caught a Bruno Fernandes cross moments later.

Though putting a greasy substance on keeper gloves seems backwards it is recognised as an old goalkeeper trick.

However, Chelsea keeper Penders did punch the ball into his own net a week earlier against Tottenham – although it’s not known if he used vaseline or not in that game.

Former England ace and Premier League stopper Ben Foster previously admitted that it works on his podcast.

He said: “It’s hard to explain, but if we were in a training session, I could tell you if one of us had Vaseline on our gloves.

“As soon as I grab the ball, it does make it grippier.”

Penders spent last season on loan at Chelsea‘s sister club Strasbourg in France.

His No2 was Swedish stopper Karl-Johan Johnsson who has widely spoken about the benefits of using vaseline.

The stopper has a YouTube channel which features a video of him speaking about the hack.

It is not unheard of for the tip to be passed on between keepers, as Foster has said he learned it from Joe Hart.

The former Manchester City goalkeeper would give credit to Kasper Schmeichel.

Johnsson, 36, believes the use of vaseline also gives him more confidence in goal.

The use of vaseline is legal as IFAB have no rule against the use of the substance or similar being applied to gloves.