Chelsea Beat Manchester United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Morgan Rogers opened the scoring five minutes after half-time, and Cole Palmer added a penalty in the 64th minute after Lisandro Martinez was sent off. The defeat stretched Manchester United’s winless run to nine matches in all competitions and piled fresh pressure on manager Michael Carrick.

Chelsea moved up to fourth place on 16 points after nine matches. United sit in provisional 16th place on seven points from nine games, just one point above the relegation zone.

Chelsea beat Manchester United: how the match turned

United started brightly and created the better chances in the first half. Captain Bruno Fernandes, back in the starting side after being left out last weekend, went close along with Matheus Cunha, who had a goal ruled offside, and Amad Diallo. United could not turn that spell into a goal, and the sides went in level at half-time.

The match turned four minutes after the restart. Rogers picked up the ball just inside the United half, ran through the middle of the defence and lifted a deft finish over goalkeeper Senne Lammens. It was a goal made by space that United had not given Chelsea in the first half.

United’s task grew harder in the 63rd minute. Martinez, who had just been booked for a foul on Rogers, went in forearm first on Wesley Fofana inside the area. Referee Peter Bankes consulted the pitchside monitor, awarded a penalty and showed Martinez a second yellow card. Palmer scored from the spot in the 64th minute, even though Lammens got a hand to the ball as he dived to his right.

Bryan Mbeumo struck the crossbar for United, and a late effort from Estevao that would have made it 3-0 was ruled out for offside after a VAR check.

Carrick’s position under fresh strain

The United board had decided not to sack Carrick after a 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth last weekend, which followed a 4-1 loss at Como in the Champions League. He was given the Chelsea match as a chance to turn the run around, but the second-half collapse left that plan in ruins.

United have now lost three matches in a row in all competitions and have gone nine matches without a win, their longest such run since 1988. A fourth league defeat of the season leaves them 16th, and they could end the weekend in the bottom three. United host Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday, which gives Carrick little time to steady the side.

Carrick had spoken before the match about his side’s hunger for a win at Chelsea, and the first-half display gave that talk some backing. The second half told a different story, and the red card removed any realistic path back into the game.

Palmer’s goal was his 50th in the Premier League for Chelsea, reached in his 105th match for the club. Only Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who took 84 games, and Diego Costa, who took 85, reached the mark in fewer Chelsea matches. That record gave Chelsea’s win a personal milestone to match the team result.

For Chelsea, managed by Xabi Alonso, the win eased pressure after recent defeats to Tottenham and Liverpool, and it delivered a first home league clean sheet in 13 matches. Feature Pakistan reported on Carrick saying United were hungry for the Chelsea match, on Roy Keane calling United like a circus after the Martinez row and on Antonio Conte denying advanced talks over the United job.

What happens next

Frequently asked questions

What was the score between Chelsea and Manchester United?

Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, with goals from Morgan Rogers in the 50th minute and Cole Palmer from a penalty in the 64th minute.

Why was Lisandro Martinez sent off against Chelsea?

Martinez received a second yellow card and conceded a penalty in the 63rd minute for a forearm challenge on Wesley Fofana inside the area, after a VAR review.

How many matches have Manchester United gone without a win?

United have now gone nine matches without a win in all competitions, their longest winless run since 1988, and they sit 16th in the Premier League.

How many Premier League goals has Cole Palmer scored for Chelsea?

Palmer’s penalty against United was his 50th Premier League goal for Chelsea, reached in his 105th match for the club.