Chelsea 2-0 Man Utd: Lisandro Martínez sent off as Rogers and Palmer leave Carrick's United a point above the drop
Manchester United played well for a half, then fell apart. Morgan Rogers scored early in the second half, Lisandro Martínez was sent off for a second yellow, and Cole Palmer scored the penalty. United are nine games without a win and one point above the relegation zone, but Michael Carrick says he will be in charge against Roma.
Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 31 October, and the pressure on Michael Carrick is now heavier than ever. United are nine games without a win in all competitions and only one point above the relegation zone.
The key moments
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 1st half | Bruno Fernandes shoots over unmarked from a Bryan Mbeumo cross; Mike Penders twice denies Amad Diallo |
| 50' | Morgan Rogers 1-0 — runs through United's defence and finishes past Senne Lammens |
| ~60' | Lisandro Martínez booked for a foul on Rogers |
| 63' | Martínez sent off — second yellow after VAR, for raising an arm to the face of Wesley Fofana in the box |
| 64' | Cole Palmer 2-0 (pen) |
| Stoppage time | Penders tips a Mbeumo shot onto the bar |
Both teams also had a goal ruled out for offside: Matheus Cunha for United and Estêvão for Chelsea.
A good first half wasted
United were the better side before the break. Fernandes, back in the team after his clear-the-air talks with Carrick, had the best chance and blazed over. Amad was stopped twice by Mike Penders, Chelsea's young goalkeeper.
"I think it was as good as we've played for some time, I think, in the first half," Carrick said. "We looked dangerous, we looked fluid, we looked like a good team."
Then it unravelled
Rogers scored five minutes into the second half, and within 15 minutes the game was over. Martínez picked up two yellow cards three and a half minutes apart; the second, confirmed by VAR, also gave away the penalty that Palmer, back from suspension, scored.
"We didn't capitalise on the moments we had and then we let it unravel too much when the moments went against us," Carrick said. On the red card: "Some decisions, I've not seen back, so I don't know if it was or not. It was a major part of the game."
Carrick: "Keep moving forward"
Asked about the relegation zone, Carrick was blunt: "We have got to keep moving forward and winning games, simple as that." Asked whether there would be a stigma about dropping into the bottom three, he said: "Not from me, no." And asked whether he expected to be in charge for Tuesday's Champions League game against Roma: "Yes."
According to talkSPORT, the board is unlikely to make a change before the November international break.
The numbers
| United's winless run | 9 games (D3 L6), their longest since 1984 |
| United's league points | 7 from nine games |
| Next games | Roma (H, Champions League, Tue 3 Nov), Aston Villa (A, Sat 8 Nov) |
| Chelsea | Up to 4th, above Liverpool, after naming their youngest Premier League XI since May 2025 |
Chelsea: "A mature performance"
Xabi Alonso was pleased after two straight defeats. "It was a mature performance," he said, adding that Chelsea are "taking a step forward". Palmer's return made a difference, and Penders kept a clean sheet.
Background: Chelsea v Man Utd team news · Gary Neville on Carrick
FAQ
What was the score in Chelsea v Man Utd? Chelsea won 2-0. Morgan Rogers scored on 50 minutes and Cole Palmer scored a penalty on 64 minutes.
Why was Lisandro Martínez sent off? He received a second yellow card, confirmed by VAR, for raising an arm to the face of Wesley Fofana in the penalty area, about three and a half minutes after his first booking.
Is Carrick still Man Utd manager? Yes. He said "Yes" when asked if he expected to manage the team against Roma on Tuesday, and talkSPORT reports the board is unlikely to act before the international break.
Where are Man Utd in the table? They have 7 points from nine games, one point above the relegation zone.
