Manchester United lifted the cloud over manager Ruben Amorim with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday, in a match dominated by early drama and relentless rain.
Both sides were reduced to 10 men in the first half, but it was the home side who held firm to secure a crucial win, giving United a boost after a challenging start to the season.
Bruno Fernandes marked his 200th Premier League appearance with a landmark 100th goal for Manchester United across all competitions, converting a cross from Patrick Dorgu after Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez was sent off in just the fifth minute for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Chelsea struggled to recover from the early setback, with substitute goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen replacing Sánchez and manager Enzo Maresca making multiple changes to cope with being a man down.
Luke Shaw later set up Casemiro for United’s second, capitalising on a defensive error to score with ease. However, Casemiro – already on a booking – was sent off before half-time for a foul on his compatriot Andrey Santos, becoming the first United player to score and be dismissed in the first half of a Premier League game.
The opening 45 minutes were historic: for the first time in Premier League history, a match featured two or more goals, two red cards, and two or more substitutions within the first half. Amorim responded to Casemiro’s dismissal by introducing Manuel Ugarte at half-time, leaving both teams with few attacking options for the second half.
Despite the rain-lashed conditions making passing difficult, Chelsea finally threatened in the closing stages. Trevoh Chalobah scored in the 80th minute following a short corner from Reece James, reducing the deficit and injecting drama into the final minutes.
United, however, held on to secure consecutive home league victories under Amorim for the first time since December 2023 under Erik ten Hag, ending Chelsea’s unbeaten start to the season.
The win provides a timely boost for Manchester United as they look to build momentum, while Chelsea must regroup after a match that exposed vulnerabilities in defence and discipline.
