Much-needed win for Man United as they hold off 10-man Chelsea after Casemiro red offers hope to visitors.
Manchester United hold off 10-man Chelsea to register much-needed win and 3-points.
Manchester United began the season in 17th place and under water, but they ended up triumphant and drenched through with a historic win that moved them up to ninth. The victory is noteworthy because it serves as the Ruben Amorim project’s calling card performance. Ten-man Chelsea was ruthlessly thrashed in the first half by his United team, which was faster, stronger, more intimidating, and simply superior to the club world champions.
Following this, Robert Sánchez’s early shower and Casemiro’s late opening period send-off matched the weather, and the teams even each other out.
Trevoh Chalobah’s header in the 80th minute put United ahead 2-1, as the defender climbed between a sleeping Leny Yoro and Amad Diallo to meet Reece James’s cross. However, United was unable to seal the victory. According to Amorim, this was a significant boost that was “really important.”
According to Amorim, his team needed to improve in both areas, and they did. Alejandro Garnacho, a once adored son, returned as a bete noire in the most recent plotline of the United tale machine, and the head coach claimed that not even the pope would change his mind about the infamous 3-4-3.
How the game unfolded
Four minutes in, Chelsea’s plan was completely blown away. The Cameroonian was taken down by the visiting No. 1 after Bryan Mbeumo sprinted on to the ball, dodged Sánchez, and had his hoof flicked by Benjamin Sesko. Sánchez knew he was off even before Peter Bankes lifted the red card. This compelled Enzo Maresca to make a change, substituting Tosin Adarabioyo for Pedro Neto and Estêvão Willian for the new goalkeeper, Filip Jörgensen.
How did United breach Jörgensen? They were a blur of red, crashing relentlessly at Chelsea. After Patrick Dorgu headed to Bruno Fernandes, who tipped home for United’s 100th goal, Noussair Mazraoui sped along the right and chipped in. A protracted Var investigation concluded that Chalobah kept him on board.
United’s second came next, a story about Enzo Fernández’s timidity, James’s clownish defence, and Luke Shaw’s hunger. James was able to block Dorgu’s misplaced header after Mazraoui spiralled a ball to the far post from the right. Instead, Casemiro headed past Jörgensen, Shaw crashed in to head-on as Fernández watched, and the captain chopped the ball up.
United took a cruise. They therefore made life “complicated,” as is customary in this post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, Amorim groaned. Santos was taken out by Casemiro in the fifth minute of an extra nine, and the Brazilian was given a red following a second yellow. It appeared to be as cruel as Casemiro’s foolish choice to fight Santos.
Chelsea needed the glimmer of ten versus ten, and a James cross that Diallo hooked away and another that Matthijs de Ligt crashed out for a corner later served as a warning. Wesley Fofana’s header was appropriately declared offside.
Yoro, Mason Mount, and Matheus Cunha were on for United by the 69th minute; Maguire, Mbeumo, and Mazraoui were the three players that left.
United had to defend their box, and they did, as Chelsea rallied.