Manchester United recorded an excellent and much needed win against Chelsea during an entertaining game at Old Trafford. They won 2-1, having faced truly impressive headwinds through the process. It was an important win for United, who have been under fire for their play through the early goings of this campaign. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro scored for the home side. On the other hand, Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez was sent off in just the eighth minute, forcing the visitors to quickly overhaul their plans for the game.
Here’s how things took an unusual turn right as the match began. Only five minutes in, Chelsea’s number one, Robert Sanchez, was sent off! The early dismissal meant Chelsea’s manager Enzo Maresca had to adapt immediately. If that were not enough, he made three substitutions within the first 21 minutes of the game. Even a man down, Chelsea were able to withstand United’s strongest attacking flurry in order to keep the match nil-nil.
Bruno Fernandes started the scoring for Manchester United in the first half. This goal represented a remarkable milestone of 100 goals for the club this season in all competitions. As United sought their first win of the season, this milestone goal offered a major shot in the arm to United’s morale. Just minutes after Fernandes’ strike, Casemiro made it 2-0 to United, doubling the Red Devils lead.
Since Emmanuel Adebayor in 2012, Casemiro became the first player to score a goal and be red carded in the first half of a Premier League match. This turn of events would leave Manchester United down to just ten men. It forced them to change their game plan on the fly for the remainder of the game.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer ran into luck, having had to withdraw from the match due to injury. Consider it the proverbial straw on top of an already precarious mound of hurt for the visiting side. Though the deck was really stacked against them, Manchester United found a way to protect that slim lead the rest of the way in the second half. Chelsea was unable to take advantage of their 11-to-11 parity, failing to register a second goal from their severely outmatched but still game opponents.
In post-match comments, United manager Rúben Amorim highlighted the aggression and urgency of his team. He accepted the significance of the win even as people continued to look at him under a critical lens.
“I have nothing to say to the critics, and most of the time they are right. Today, we won and it is a good day for us,” – Rúben Amorim
Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca expressed disappointment over his team’s start to the match and their inability to recover from Sanchez’s early dismissal.
“We need to start the game better. We cannot concede a red card at Old Trafford after three minutes,” – Enzo Maresca
Chelsea were the stronger side in the second half, pushing all the way to find an equalizer. They found it hard to get their rhythm with a solid Manchester United defense that never really got tested. The visiting team fought hard to hold onto their lead, showing heart and toughness in light of being a man down.
