Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez was sent off for two reckless fouls in the space of 90 seconds as Michael Carrick’s side were comfortably beaten by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
With Chelsea leading 1-0 through a fine individual goal from Morgan Rogers shortly after half-time, Martinez picked up his first yellow card for clinging on to the Chelsea forward as he dribbled with the ball, then gave away a penalty — and received his second yellow card — for launching into Wesley Fofana while attempting to defend a corner.
Cole Palmer made it 2-0 from the penalty spot and United, down to 10 men, never looked like getting back into the game.
Estevao Willian, making his first Premier League start of the season, was excellent throughout and thought he had made it 3-0 for Xabi Alonso’s side only to have a goal disallowed for the second time in the game, this one for a very narrow offside.
Carrick’s team had been the better of the two sides before the break but failed to make the most of chances that fell to Amad and Bruno Fernandes. The defeat leaves them winless in their last nine matches in all competitions, and 16th in the Premier League table with one win from nine. They are a point above the bottom three.
Chelsea, meanwhile, move up to fourth place for the time being, with 16 points from nine matches.
Tim Spiers, Simon Johnson and Laurie Whitwell analyse the key talking points…
What was Lisandro Martinez thinking?
Martinez called out others during his bombshell interview in Madrid after the Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid on October 13, but he has to look at his own performances too.
His actions on the hour mark completely undermined United’s hopes at Stamford Bridge.
First, he pulled back Rogers on the edge of the area, conceding a foul and receiving his first caution.
One min and 24 seconds later he was shown his second yellow card, after referee Peter Bankes was referred to the monitor by the VAR James Bell. It was there that Martinez’s inexplicable challenge on Fofana was clear.
Martinez was not looking at the ball as Cole Palmer delivered his corner, instead leaping with his forearm into Fofana’s throat.
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Bankes gave a penalty and dismissed Martinez.
Jonny Evans ushered him firmly down the tunnel as he made his way off the pitch. At that stage, United were 1-0 down and had enough edge to trouble Chelsea. But Palmer converted his penalty and the game was effectively done.
Martinez had hardly covered himself in glory for Chelsea’s first, either, allowing Rogers to glide past him into the box to score.
Laurie Whitwell
How important was this win for Chelsea?
Alonso may still be waiting for a 90-minute performance but the result is exactly what the Chelsea manager needed to bounce back from his toughest week in the job so far.
The former Spain international could ill afford to make it a second straight home league defeat, especially having lost to Tottenham for just the second time in 36 years last Saturday. Going out of the Carabao Cup to Liverpool during the week was not great, either, albeit on penalties.
Things were not good in the first half today and Chelsea have Manchester United to thank for their wayward finishing… and then their implosion after the restart.
But the three points, albeit against a poor Manchester United side, checks the negative momentum and lifts the gloom somewhat. They ended the game fourth in the table, so perhaps things are not quite as bad as they have sometimes seemed.
Simon Johnson
How did Estevao do on his first league start this season?
Estevao is incredibly fun.
A footballing jack-in-the-box, an elastic-limbed human pinball who will either get you out of your seat or have you kicking the seat in front of you. Or both.
The Brazilian is a burgeoning player of immense ability but has lost his way a little at Chelsea of late and this was his first Premier League start since April 18 against… Manchester United at home, of course.
For the 19-year-old’s first touch, the ball went through him as he failed to control it. The second? He fell over. But the Chelsea forward was clearly desperate to impress and continuously demanded possession in what turned out to be the Estevao show for most of the first half, for better or worse.
He certainly gave Diogo Dalot a rough ride, either scurrying to the byline or racing inside to shoot. In the first half he carried the ball up field no fewer than 15 times, but also lost possession 10 times.
He tried too hard if anything, failing to check his offside position when slotting into the net when Neto’s shot was saved. He had one disallowed in the second half too, albeit a much more fractional offside call, which sadly ruled out a terrific finish into the roof of the net after Palmer’s slipped through ball.
(Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
He also wasted one counter by shooting straight at Lammens from a tight angle when he had four team-mates in support yelling for a pass.
Still, you couldn’t knock the endeavour or enthusiasm in what was a very fun outing, and when Estevao was substituted late on, there was Alonso to greet him with a hug and some warm words.
Tim Spiers
Did Fernandes perform after clear-the-air talks with Carrick?
It had looked like heading in a different direction for United after a first half when they created several chances.
Fernandes was back in the starting line-up wearing the captain’s armband, as was predicted once his clear-the-air talks with Carrick emerged. The Portuguese has been more like himself at Carrington this week, according to those at United’s training base, but of course on the pitch in a Premier League contest is where judgements can properly be made.
And Fernandes performed much better than he has recently. His game contained mistakes, as it often does when he tries to make things happen, but it was the kind of display to buy into claims a line has been drawn under his issues with Carrick’s tactics.
It was his deep corner that Harry Maguire headed back for Matheus Cunha to convert, only for VAR to overrule with the Brazilian offside, and he also set Amad into a dangerous position with a pass down the line, electing to try the harder ball rather than find Bryan Mbeumo. Amad stole past Fofana and should have scored but hit his shot over.
Fernandes also went close to teeing up Mbeumo with a drilled low cross, and sent a free kick close to Cunha that could have been a goal with any touch. The captain did, though, miss a huge opportunity himself, when sent clear by Mbeumo’s brilliant pass. He rushed and sent his left-foot strike way over the bar.
He played the full 100 minutes and kept running until the end, in the 95th minute pressing the goalkeeper Mike Penders then running back when Chelsea passed out.
Laurie Whitwell
Breaking down Morgan Rogers’ opening goal
Depending on your disposition, Rogers’ goal was either a brilliant solo effort or a meek, pathetic, defensive calamity from Manchester United.
We’ll veer towards the latter.
From a United point of view, after Bryan Mbeumo lost possession on halfway, Carlos Baleba shirked a challenge to win it back and then neither Maguire nor Martinez attempted to stop the runner, parting like the red sea, while Andrey Santos slid on the floor for no apparent reason like he was at the end of a water slide.
From a Chelsea point of view, Romeo Lavia was terrier-like in his determination to win the ball and lay off to Rogers, who embarked on a gliding, piercing 40-yard run into the United box before delightfully chipping over Lammens.
What a way to open the scoring! 👏
Morgan Rogers produces a moment of magic for Chelsea ✨
Watch live on TNT Sports and HBO Max ➡️ https://t.co/WPrcA5ZrQ1 pic.twitter.com/nmW9FE3flR
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 31, 2026
There is no doubting the brilliance of Rogers’ run and shot, but he must have been astounded at the welcome party supplied by the visitors who laid out the red carpet and asked if he wanted a complimentary glass of Champagne before showing him into the penalty area.
It was a goal that said so much about United’s current lack of defensive organisation, but also the lack of responsibility being taken by senior players in key positions.
Tim Spiers
Another game to forget for Fofana?
Wesley Fofana was already far from popular with Chelsea fans going into this game, but the relationship sunk to a new low in the first half today.
Just three days after missing the decisive spot kick in the penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup by sending his shot almost into the River Mersey, the centre-back had arguably his worst game for the club since joining from Leicester City for £69.5million ($92.8m) in 2022. Some of his fiercest critics will moan that is saying something.
The France international was starting because summer buy Maxence Lacroix suffered a hamstring injury in midweek, a problem that is expected to keep him out for several weeks.
Fofana looked nervous from the outset, particularly whenever Amad was anywhere near him. On two occasions in the opening 45 minutes he allowed the Manchester United winger to run clear and get a shot on goal. Chelsea and Fofana were very fortunate he was wasteful on both occasions.
The Chelsea fans in the Matthew Harding End let Fofana know what they thought of him. Loud boos rang out on more than one occasion.
With only diminutive full-backs Malo Gusto and Pep Chavarria on the bench, plus 18-year-old talented rookie Olutayo Subuloye, Alonso had limited options to change it. Jorrel Hato (back), Reece James (knee) and Aaron Anselmino (variety of issues) are all on the treatment table. It was surely the only reason Fofana emerged after the break.
Chelsea, who had not kept a Premier League clean sheet at Stamford Bridge since January, were very fortunate to still be level at the interval.
It was always going to be a test of Fofana’s mentality in the second half. But he actually had a role to play in Manchester United’s meltdown, being on the receiving end of Martinez’s moment of madness.
With Manchester United 2-0 and a man down, Fofana did not have the same questions to answer. But his form will continue to be a concern until Chelsea get some of their injured players back.
Simon Johnson
What did Alonso say?
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
What did Carrick say?
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
What next for Chelsea?
Sunday, November 8: Sunderland (Away), Premier League, 2pm GMT, 9am ET
What next for United?
Tuesday, November 3: Roma (Home), Champions League, 8pm GMT, 3pm ET
