Chelsea Capitulation Allows Amorim to Relax | OneFootball

The song “I Will Survive” played outside Old Trafford to Manchester United fans ahead of the match, but the real question was would their manager Ruben Amorim survive?

Manchester United 2Chelsea 1Old Trafford, Manchester

Time For Action

“We know that the most important thing is to win games and that now is the time for action, not words,” Amorim wrote to fans in his program notes. Finally, he delivered on that promise.

United’s tally of four points from four games represents their worst start to a campaign in over 30 years. They had the same return after four games in 1992/93, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side actually going on to win the title that season. There is little chance of that history repeating itself, but this win was a step in the right direction nevertheless.

It was Chelsea’s first meeting with a ‘big six’ side in the Premier League this season, although admittedly not the toughest test. The Blues suffered their first defeat of the season in midweek, succumbing to a 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich in Germany. Today’s game offered Enzo Maresca’s side the perfect chance to bounce back from their Champions League disappointment.

Old Trafford? Sad Trafford

Despite their current position of superiority, Old Trafford has never been a happy hunting ground for the confident Londoners. Chelsea’s last away league win against United came over 12 years ago – a 1-0 victory in May 2013. It is a wait that will continue for another year at least.

The Blues’ hopes of winning the game were over almost as soon as it started, with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez shown a red card in the opening five minutes. The Spaniard wiped out Bryan Mbeumo on the edge of the box and could have no complaints about the decision.

By the 20th minute Chelsea were a man down, a goal down and without talisman Cole Palmer, who limped off after touching the ball just once. The worst imaginable start for coach Maresca, who watched on bemused in the torrential rain.

Just before the break, the visitors were offered a lifeline as United were also reduced to ten. Casemiro earned himself two yellow cards, both for needless challenges. For a player of his experience to see red in that situation is simply down to stupidity.

United vs Chelsea is the fixture that has resulted in more draws than any other matchup in Premier League sides. The two sides have split the points on 27 different occasions. The Blues thought for a moment that they would secure the 28th draw but their late fightback ultimately proved futile.

United Prevail

United held on, secured the victory and at bare minimum awarded Amorim a stay of execution – his system looked much more effective against ten men. The much-needed win is sure to be a relief for the Portuguese coach, who can relax in the knowledge that he will keep his job for at least the next week.

Source: OPTA

Despite the three points, it was far from a perfect evening for United. Besides the self-inflicted struggles caused by Casemiro’s dismissal, there were still lacklustre displays from a number of players – chief amongst them being Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian striker is still waiting for his first goal since making a £74 million move to Old Trafford. In a first half where United attacked with a rare ferocity and efficiency, the forward remained anonymous. The Reds took nine shots in the first half but not one of them came from Sesko. He was ultimately withdrawn at half-time, after touching the ball just eight times.

Meanwhile, it was a grim return to Old Trafford for Garnacho. The Argentine winger made the switch to Chelsea following a fallout with Amorim last season. However, he was not afforded the chance to make his former team pay today. Instead, he was condemned to the bench, watching on as his new side lost and receiving a torrent of abuse whenever he ventured out of his seat.