Manchester United secured a much-needed and dramatic 2-1 victory over Chelsea in a chaotic Premier League encounter at Old Trafford that saw both sides finish the match with ten men. Manager Ruben Amorim was under significant pressure following a lifeless performance in the recent Manchester derby, but his side was given a significant early advantage in this crucial fixture.
The game exploded into life just five minutes in, when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez rushed off his line and brought down Bryan Mbeumo, who was racing towards goal. The referee had no hesitation in showing a straight red card for the clumsy challenge. United made their numerical advantage count ten minutes later. A cross from Patrick Dorgu was expertly redirected by captain Bruno Fernandes, who scored his 100th goal for the club. The effort stood after a lengthy and incredibly tight VAR check confirmed he was onside by mere millimetres.
Enzo Maresca was forced into a tactical reshuffle after the red card, but his side’s defensive indecisiveness was punished again. Casemiro rose to head home from close range, giving the hosts a commanding two-goal lead and seemingly putting the game to bed.
However, the Brazilian midfield enforcer turned from hero to villain in first-half stoppage time. Already on a yellow card, he was shown a second for pulling back Andrey Santos, leveling the playing field at ten players each at the end of a breathless opening period.
The unrelenting chaos of the first half subsided after the restart, with United adopting a more cautious approach to protect their lead. This allowed Chelsea to grow in confidence, and they were given a warning when a Wesley Fofana goal was ruled out for offside. The Blues’ persistence was eventually rewarded with ten minutes remaining when Trevoh Chalobah headed in a Reece James cross to create a tense finale.
Despite a late push from the visitors for an equaliser, United held firm to secure only their second victory of the season. The three much-needed points will provide some welcome relief for Amorim, whose side demonstrated a fighting spirit that had been absent in recent weeks.