Manchester United and Chelsea clashed at Old Trafford on a wet Saturday evening in a game that had drama from the very first whistle. Both sides came into this fixture under pressure for different reasons: United were looking to steady their rocky start to the season, while Chelsea were trying to end a long winless run at Old Trafford stretching back to 2013. The intensity was palpable before kick-off, and the match exploded into life almost immediately when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez was sent off in the 5th minute for a rash challenge on Bryan Mbeumo outside the box, leaving the visitors with ten men for nearly the entire match.
United quickly capitalized on their numerical advantage and struck first in the 14th minute when Bruno Fernandes pounced on a loose ball inside the area, smashing his shot into the roof of the net. Chelsea struggled to regain composure after the early red card and were punished again before half-time as Casemiro rose highest to head home from a Luke Shaw corner, doubling United’s lead and putting the hosts firmly in control.
But the game shifted again dramatically right before the interval. Casemiro, already on a yellow card, committed a clumsy foul in midfield and was shown a second yellow, reducing United to ten men as well. That dismissal gave Chelsea a glimmer of hope and a chance to reset tactically. Enzo Maresca adjusted his shape for the second half, pushing Reece James and Marc Cucurella higher up the pitch to exploit space on the flanks and challenge United’s now-shorthanded midfield.
The second half saw Chelsea gradually take control of possession, building pressure and forcing United deeper. João Pedro and Estêvão both came close to scoring, but it was Trevoh Chalobah who gave Chelsea a lifeline in the 80th minute with a well-timed header from a corner delivered by Reece James. The goal ignited a frantic closing spell where Chelsea threw everything forward in search of an equalizer, while United relied on last-ditch defending and the composure of substitute goalkeeper Altay Bayindir to hold their lead.
In the end, Manchester United held on for a gritty 2-1 victory that felt like a statement of resilience after recent struggles. The result relieved pressure on Erik ten Hag, who praised his side’s fighting spirit despite going down to ten men. Chelsea, meanwhile, were left to rue Sánchez’s early dismissal and their continued inability to win at Old Trafford. The performance showed promise in the second half, but their failure to take points from a game where they had a man advantage for nearly 45 minutes will sting as they turn their focus to the next Premier League fixture.
Watch and Download Manchester United vs Chelsea full match replay and highlights, At Saturday, September 20, 2025. The match played at Anfield, in Premier League, England.
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