Three things we learned from Chelsea loss to Man Utd as Enzo Maresca decisions backfire spectacularly | OneFootball

Chelsea’s wait for a win over Manchester United at Old Trafford continues after another disappointing trip up north

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Chelsea suffered their second defeat of the week as they were beaten by Manchester United.

Casemiro picked up his second yellow card before the break to even things up, and Trevoh Chalobah gave Chelsea hope with a header.

It was not enough, however, and the Blues fell to their second defeat of the week after also losing at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Chelsea’s wait for a win at Old Trafford goes on

With the rain lashing down, and Sanchez sent off inside five minutes, the tone for this chaotic match was set.

It was a calamitous moment for the goalkeeper and, in truth, Chelsea never recovered until Casemiro was given his marching orders just before half-time.

Before that, Chelsea were being overrun - mustering one shot on goal, which was off target.

Robert Sanchez’s early sending-off left Chelsea with a mountain to climb

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

They showed some character in the second half, with Chalobah’s goal giving them hope of snatching a point, but they left empty-handed.

That is a feeling familiar for Chelsea when it comes to trips to Old Trafford.

You have to go all the way back to May 2013 to find the last time the Blues won a Premier League match on the red side of Manchester. That wait will go on for another year now.

Maresca’s substitutions backfire

Chelsea’s game plan went out the window as soon as Sanchez was shown a red card.

Enzo Maresca’s solution was to make not one, but two changes, as both Estevao and Pedro Neto were taken off.

Hooking Estevao made sense, with the 18-year-old taken off so goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen could come on, but it was harder to understand Neto’s withdrawal.

The winger’s pace would have made him a valuable out-ball for Chelsea and, instead, striker Joao Pedro cut an isolated figure.

Confusion: Pedro Neto

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

By the 21st minute, history had been made as Cole Palmer was taken off, too, with what appeared to be an injury.

It was the first time a Premier League team had made three substitutions so early in a game, but they did not prove fruitful for Maresca.

With all three of his attacking midfielders off so early, Chelsea lacked firepower in the second half as they chased the game.

Goalkeepers back in the spotlight

Chelsea’s goalkeepers came in for plenty of scrutiny last season, but that had died down during the summer.

After Sanchez had performed well at the Club World Cup - and Chelsea had elected not to sign AC Milan’s Mike Maignan - there was a sense of calm about the situation.

Sanchez has been steady this season too, and performed well even in defeat at Bayern Munich on Wednesday, but he had a nightmare afternoon at Old Trafford.

The Spaniard was sent off after wiping out Bryan Mbeumo when the winger was clean through on goal.

Sanchez shook his head as he walked down the tunnel, however he could have no complaints.

Jorgensen, his replacement, did not fare much better and was partly at fault for United’s second goal.

Reece James hacked a clearance in the air and, rather than coming to claim the ball, Jorgensen allowed Luke Shaw to rise highest and headed it towards a waiting Casemiro.