Man Utd Edge Ten Man Chelsea in Chaotic Clash

Ten-man Manchester United secured a vital 2-1 victory over ten-man Chelsea in a chaotic and rain-swept Premier League encounter at Old Trafford on Saturday, a match defined by two first-half red cards and a record-breaking series of early substitutions.

The pivotal moment arrived just four minutes and one second into the match when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez was shown a straight red card for bringing down a United forward outside the penalty area, the earliest dismissal for a goalkeeper in the club’s Premier League history. United capitalised through goals from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, holding on for the win despite the latter also being sent off before halftime.

The victory provides a much-needed boost for United manager Rúben Amorim, whose side climbed into the top half of the table in front of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Sánchez’s early dismissal forced Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca into a radical reshuffle. In an attempt to regain defensive solidity, he substituted attackers Pedro Neto and Estevão Willian. The visitors’ troubles were compounded when star forward Cole Palmer succumbed to a groin injury, forcing a third change. Palmer’s replacement by Andrey Santos after just 20 minutes and five seconds marked the earliest any team has made three substitutions in Premier League history.

United eventually broke the deadlock when captain Fernandes found the net. Casemiro then doubled the lead with a header late in the half, seemingly putting his side in complete control.

However, the game took another dramatic turn just before the interval when Casemiro received a second yellow card for a cynical foul, reducing United to ten men and levelling the playing field.

Chelsea defender Trevor Chalobah pulled a goal back with a header in the 80th minute, setting up a tense finale. Despite late pressure from the visitors, United’s defence held firm to secure their second league win of the season.

The result was a welcome relief for Amorim, who had called for “actions” from his team in his pre-match programme notes. The win marks the first time United have recorded consecutive Premier League victories under his management.

For Chelsea, the defeat extends their miserable winless run at Old Trafford, a sequence dating back to May 2013. The loss of Palmer to injury adds to the concerns for Maresca after a difficult week that included a draw at Brentford and a Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.