It was another forgettable day for Manchester United on Saturday.
Michael Carrick’s beleaguered side suffered a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea after another pitiful showing. They ended the game with ten men after Lisandro Martinez’s careless elbow into the face of Wesley Fofana as United defended a set-piece.
The result stretches United’s woeful run of form to now nine games without a win across all competitions. That is their longest winless streak since November 1988.
They remain with just two wins this season, the last of those coming way back on September 10 in the Champions League against Sabah.
United actually started quite well against Chelsea, shading the first half and could have gone in front when Bruno Fernandes botched a great chance when through on goal after a rapid counter.
They then thought they’d taken the lead through Matheus Cunha as he guided in Harry Maguire’s knock-down from a corner but it was quickly ruled out for offside after VAR intervention.
Chelsea took advantage of United’s profligacy just after the restart when Morgan Rogers glided through the visitors’ defence unchallenged before stroking the ball home for the opener.
Then came Martinez’s faux pas, with two quick bookings hampering his side’s efforts considerably. The latter misdemeanor, on Fofana in the box, saw Chelsea handed a penalty which Cole Palmer converted.
Estevao thought he’d rubbed more salt in United wounds with a third but VAR ruled it out.
A sombre Carrick, once again under sustained pressure, reflected afterwards: “There is a lot of emotion, we’re a great football club, and we want to win football matches. The supporters come, make a lot of effort, pay a lot of money to watch us play. You can see from today the boys had the game in the right place and things have gone against us.
“Things have gone against us, and gone against us in a big way. Unravelled quickly. A lot of emotion right now. We have got to move forward and take the things that worked for us today. A lot of the good things, especially in the first half and use that moving forward.”
Chelsea’s victorious boss Xabi Alonso said: “There is a lot of emotion, we’re a great football club, and we want to win football matches. The supporters come, make a lot of effort, pay a lot of money to watch us play. You can see from today the boys had the game in the right place and things have gone against us.
“Things have gone against us, and gone against us in a big way. Unravelled quickly. A lot of emotion right now. We have got to move forward and take the things that worked for us today. A lot of the good things, especially in the first half and use that moving forward.”
