Chelsea began this chaotic game in nightmarish fashion when Sanchez was shown a straight red after felling Bryan Mbeumo inside five minutes. And almost immediately after, the goalkeeper’s replacement, Filip Jorgensen, was picking the ball out of his net in the 14th minute thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ well-taken opener.
Things went from bad to worse for the Blues when Palmer limped off injured, and then Casemiro made it 2-0 with a close-range header after the Blues failed to clear their lines before the break. The visitors got something of a reprieve in first-half stoppage time when United‘s Brazilian midfielder needlessly brought down Andrey Santos to pick up his second yellow of the contest, and then Chalobah’s 80th-minute header set up a nervy finale. But it was too little too late as a wretched opening proved the west London team’s undoing on sodden Saturday evening.
BALLGM rates Chelsea’s players from Old Trafford…
Chelsea began this chaotic game in nightmarish fashion when Sanchez was shown a straight red after felling Bryan Mbeumo inside five minutes. And almost immediately after, the goalkeeper’s replacement, Filip Jorgensen, was picking the ball out of his net in the 14th minute thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ well-taken opener.
Things went from bad to worse for the Blues whenPalmer limped off injured, and then Casemiro made it 2-0 with a close-range header after the Blues failed to clear their lines before the break. The visitors got something of a reprieve in first-half stoppage time when United’s Brazilian midfielder needlessly brought down Andrey Santos to pick up his second yellow of the contest, and then Chalobah’s 80th-minute header set up a nervy finale. But it was too little too late as a wretched opening proved the west London team’s undoing on sodden Saturday evening.
BALLGM rates Chelsea’s players from Old Trafford…
Robert Sanchez (1/10):
The Spaniard was sent off in the fifth minute for an ungainly last-man challenge on Mbeumo. Pressure will be mounting on the 27-year-old going forward.
Reece James (5/10):
Made a brilliant last-ditch tackle to stop Patrick Dorgu getting his shot away at the start of the game but then he made a real hash of clearing the ball for United’s second. Whipped in a great cross to claim an assist but still struggled.
Wesley Fofana (4/10):
The former Leicester City defender was part of a shambolic defence in the first half and nobody is really putting their hand up to say, ‘I am Chelsea’s best defender’. Looked to have picked up another injury as well.
Trevoh Chalobah (5/10):
Was outjumped by the 6ft 5in Benjamin Sesko, and moments later, Chelsea were a man down. Was unusually sloppy on a day to forget for the Blues but took his headed goal well.
Marc Cucurella (5/10):
The left-back was one of Chelsea’s better players, but in the grand scheme of things, that meant diddly squat.
Moises Caicedo (6/10):
The midfielder almost single-handedly tried to stop the Chelsea dam from bursting. One of the few players not to have his reputation hurt by this match.
Cole Palmer (N/A):
Cut a crestfallen figure when he, too, was withdrawn, this time after 20 minutes with what looked like an injury issue.
Enzo Fernandez (4/10):
Didn’t make much of an impression and did not look at all comfortable in the Manchester downpour.
Estevao (N/A):
The teenager was also taken off before he could make an impact on the game.
Joao Pedro (6/10):
Seemed to be Chelsea’s soul-surviving hope on a rudderless, shipwrecked vessel. Wasn’t quite as effective in the second half, mind.
Pedro Neto (N/A):
Was one of the unlucky players to be withdrawn early after Sanchez’s red.
Filip Jorgensen (5/10):
Came on in the fifth minute after Sanchez’s dismissal, and despite conceding early on, he did fairly well under a United siege. Still doesn’t look like a long-term answer for Chelsea.
Tosin Adarabioyo (3/10):
Was beaten far too easily on too many occasions as his touch and defending let him down.
Andrey Santos (5/10):
Worked hard but didn’t offer much quality or advance things forward in the centre of the park. This wasn’t really the game for him.
Malo Gusto (4/10):
Didn’t do much in defence or attack when brought on in the second half.
Tyrique George (6/10):
Added a bit more energy, which was greatly needed, off the bench.
Enzo Maresca (4/10):
His team had a nightmare start after being reduced to 10 men early doors and then conceding not long after. It is never easy to be a man down so early on but his substitutes were very, very puzzling and had little to no effect.
