Man Utd 2-1 Chelsea (Fernandes 14′, Casemiro 37, Casemiro sent off 45+5 | Chalobah 80, Sanchez sent off 5′)
OLD TRAFFORD — Ruben Amorim’s desperation prompted him to evoke memories of Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest escape before the victory over Chelsea – and now he’ll be hoping the course of history has changed for him.
The current Manchester United boss was a few weeks shy of his fifth birthday when a victory in the FA Cup at Nottingham Forest in 1990 saved Ferguson from the sack and enabled him to realise his destiny.
But that didn’t stop Amorim talking about how a single moment can turn famine into feast in a TV interview the day before the world champions came to town.
Whether this will be his Mark Robins moment remains to be seen. But there is no doubt that the Portuguese got the benefit of a few breaks to claim only his fourth Premier League victory in the 16 games United have played at Old Trafford since his arrival.
Bruno Fernandes scores his 100th goal for Manchester United!
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 20, 2025pic.twitter.com/ouioIfst7G
Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez’s early red card and Enzo Maresca’s decision to opt for damage limitation when his players had hardly broken sweat certainly helped. And so did Trevoh Chalobah playing Bruno Fernandes onside by a fraction when the United skipper volleyed home the opening goal.
But United, roared on by a raucous home crowd, did their bit by grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck with the Londoners in disarray.
They then dug deep after Casemiro had stupidly evened up the numbers by getting himself sent off in first-half injury time for a second yellow card.
Chalobah reduced the deficit with 11 minutes and a generous helping of injury-time remaining, but the home side held on to ease the pressure on their manager.
Come for the Casemiro goal, stay for Amad screaming in the camera
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 20, 2025pic.twitter.com/CYZhGbqNYc
Amorim was paid a flying visit by Sir Jim Ratcliffe in the week after a chastening derby defeat. He claimed United’s co-owner gave him his backing. If he was looking for a twist of fate in his favour, he got one in the fifth minute.
Sanchez obviously fancied his chances of beating Bryan Mbeumo to a ball that was skidding his way on a saturated surface after Benjamin Sesko had flicked on Altay Bayindir’s clearance.
But Mbeumo went up through the gears to get there first before being sent cartwheeling when the Spaniard failed to apply his brakes. Ferguson was up in the directors’ box waving an imaginary card that was made real by referee Peter Bankes.
Maresca immediately brought on stand-in keeper Filip Jorgensen and defender Tosin Adarabioyo for Estevao and Pedro Neto. By the time injury forced him to replace Cole Palmer with Andrey Santos in the 21st minute, his team were behind.
Your next read
Once again United enjoyed a touch of good fortune, with VAR replays showing that Fernandes had only been played onside by Trevor Chalobah’s size 11 right boot when he arrived to volley in Patrick Dorgu’s cushioned header from close range.
It was Fernandes’ 100th goal for the club that would have sold him to Saudi in the summer.
Chelsea appeared doomed in the 37th minute when Luke Shaw kept the ball alive deep inside the penalty area with a towering header and Casemiro applied the finishing touch with a downward nod of his brow at the far post.
But then Casemiro, booked earlier for a needless foul on Enzo Fernandez, dragged back Santos to prompt Amorim to bring on Manuel Ugarte for Sesko on the restart.
Matthijs de Ligt’s timely clearance prevented Reece James from giving Joao Pedro a tap-in before Wesley Fofana’s header was disallowed for offside.
But Chelsea got their reward when Chalobah’s textbook header from James’ cross found the bottom corner, but their subsequent onslaught arrived too late.
from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/UpjRJO9
Post a Comment