Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea, Premier League: Bruno Fernandes Hits 100-Goal Landmark In Nervy Win

Bruno Fernandes scored a landmark goal on his 200th Premier League appearance to help Manchester United to a 2-1 victory over Chelsea, with both teams having a player sent off.

It could hardly have started worse for Chelsea, who were down to 10 men inside five minutes when Robert Sanchez, who had already parried away a Bryan Mbeumo header, caught the Cameroon international with a rash challenge just outside the Blues' box.

Fernandes then made United's numerical advantage count, as his 100th goal for the club handed them a 14th-minute lead at a rain-swept Old Trafford.

Casemiro doubled United's advantage with a close-range header in the 37th minute, but two bookings either side of his goal saw him sent off on the stroke of half-time.

Chelsea – who saw Cole Palmer trudge off due to an apparent injury in the first half – improved after the break, and thought they had pulled a goal back just after the hour when Wesley Fofana headed in from close range, but he was denied by the offside flag.

The Blues then had some hope when Trevoh Chalobah powerfully headed home in the 80th minute, but they failed to find a late equaliser, with their unbeaten start to their league campaign coming to an end.

A much-needed win for United and Ruben Amorim pushes them up to ninth on seven points, just one less than Chelsea, who sit in sixth.

Data Debrief: Amorim gets some welcome relief

Last weekend's derby defeat put the pressure back on Amorim, but this victory now means United have won consecutive home league games within the same season and under the same manager since December 2023 under Erik ten Hag.

They were helped in part by Sanchez's early sending-off, with his red card, timed at 04:01, the earliest Chelsea have ever received in the Premier League.

Casemiro also made his mark; three of his seven Premier League goals have come against Chelsea (43%), but he also received his third red card since his debut in August 2022, more than any other player in the competition.

United racked up 1.74 expected goals (xG) by the end of the game to Chelsea's 0.39, and the Blues' winless streak at Old Trafford extended to 13 league matches (D7 L6).