EPL: CHELSEA BEAT MAN UTD 2-0, PUSH CARRICK CLOSER TO EXIT
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By ‘Sefiu Ajape
Michael Carrick’s position as Manchester United manager has come under renewed scrutiny after his side suffered a 2-0 Premier League defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
United squandered several opportunities to take the lead before Morgan Rogers broke the deadlock in the 50th minute, driving through the heart of the visitors’ defence to score.
Lisandro Martinez further dented United’s hopes of a comeback after receiving two quickfire yellow cards. His second booking also resulted in a penalty, which Cole Palmer converted to seal the victory for Chelsea.
The defeat leaves the 20-time English champions winless in nine games and just one point above the relegation zone, with the possibility of ending the weekend in the bottom three.
Carrick had been widely expected to lose his job following United’s 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth last weekend. However, the former United midfielder was given another opportunity to turn the team’s fortunes around, but his side’s failure to convert their first-half chances proved costly.
Captain Bruno Fernandes returned to the starting line-up after being left out last weekend, following his criticism of Carrick’s tactics during a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como.
Fernandes had an opportunity to mark his return with a goal but fired over from Bryan Mbeumo’s inviting cross.
The roles were reversed when Mbeumo failed to stretch far enough to connect with Fernandes’s delivery at the back post, while Amad Diallo was denied twice by Chelsea’s stand-in goalkeeper, Mike Penders.
United eventually found the net when Matheus Cunha turned in Harry Maguire’s header from a corner, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Carrick expressed his frustration during a half-time interview with broadcasters, but his mood worsened as United endured a disastrous start to the second half.
Martinez sent off
Rogers, who credited Carrick with helping to revitalise his career during their time together at Middlesbrough, delivered a potentially decisive blow to his former manager.
The England international collected the ball around the centre circle and drove towards the United goal before lifting it over goalkeeper Senne Lammens to give Chelsea the lead.
Martinez, who had publicly criticised United’s lack of spending in the transfer market to strengthen Carrick’s squad in recent weeks, endured a difficult afternoon.
The Argentine defender struggled to contain Rogers moments later and was booked for pulling back the Chelsea forward.
From the resulting free-kick, Martinez needlessly struck Wesley Fofana with a raised forearm.
Following a VAR review, referee Peter Banks awarded Chelsea a penalty and showed Martinez a second yellow card, reducing United to 10 men.
Lammens got a hand to Palmer’s spot-kick but could not prevent the ball from trickling into the bottom corner.
Estevao, making a rare start since Xabi Alonso took charge of Chelsea, thought he had added a third when he fired Palmer’s pass into the top corner, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Chelsea supporters taunted Carrick with chants of “sacked in the morning” as their team controlled the closing stages without adding to its lead.
United’s hierarchy now faces another major decision ahead of Tuesday’s crucial Champions League encounter with Roma at Old Trafford.
Having lost two of their three European matches so far, United face the prospect of an early exit, with the sporting and financial consequences that would accompany another defeat against the Italian side.
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