Man United vs Chelsea Highlights: Fernandes Scores 100th Goal, Casemiro Sent Off in 2-1 Win

Saturday night at Old Trafford delivered exactly the kind of match that tests players, managers and fans alike: rain-soaked, chaotic, intense—and ultimately satisfying for Manchester United. A 2-1 win over Chelsea after both teams were reduced to ten men showed grit, moments of brilliance, and questions that still need answers. Here’s a breakdown of how individual players fared, the turning points, and what this could mean going forward.

Match Snapshot

Final Score: Manchester United 2, Chelsea 1.

Goals: Bruno Fernandes put United ahead early, Casemiro doubled the lead before half-time. Chelsea carved a lifeline through Trevoh Chalobah late on.

Red Cards: Chelsea’s Robert Sánchez sent off around the 5th minute. Casemiro followed with a second yellow just before half-time. Both teams down to ten in different periods.

Conditions & Context: Heavy rain complicated play. United under pressure to get results after a shaky start of the season, so this win was both morale-boosting and necessary. Chelsea had to adjust early after Sánchez’s red.

Player Ratings: United vs Chelsea

Here are how players stood up under the pressure, both from United and Chelsea. The ratings reflect influence on the game, moments of success, and critical mistakes. (Scale out of 10, roughly.)

Manchester United

Bruno Fernandes (8 / MAN OF THE MATCH): The captain stepped up when United needed it most. He opened the scoring with his 100th club goal, showing poise and opportunism inside the box. Despite the slap of negative moments (Chelsea pressing, numerical changes), he remained composed.
Casemiro (6): Mixed bag. Scored the vital second goal with a header that looked to assert United’s dominance. However, his dismissal just before halftime changed the game dynamics. Mistimed tackle – second yellow – costly for United in terms of risk.
Altay Bayindir (6): Not under constant pressure but had moments that tested his concentration. The early red card for Chelsea helped reduce some threats; late on, Chelsea’s attacking spells made life difficult.
Noussair Mazraoui (7): Strong going forward and defensively disciplined. Helped in the build-up to opening goal, and showed clever positioning, especially in the first half before he came off.
Luke Shaw & Harry Maguire (both ~7): Solid contributions. Shaw’s involvement in pressing and defensive interception were important; Maguire also had his moments, especially aerially. Critics may point out occasional lapses, but overall good performances given intensity.
Patrick Dorgu (7): Energetic, determined, made a few key runs. Provided width and support; may have lacked end product sometimes, but hard to fault his effort and influence.

Chelsea

Robert Sánchez (1-2): A nightmare start. His red card in the 5th minute essentially forced Chelsea into damage control for the rest of the match. Error of judgment that had massive consequences.
Trevoh Chalobah (~7): One of the few consistent performers for Chelsea. He headed in the goal that brought hope late, and worked hard defensively when United pressed.
Wesley Fofana (~6-7): Showed moments of promise. Struggled with some of United’s pressing and in messier moments, but also good when stepping forward. The chaos made his life tough.
Reece James (~6): Mixed. He supplied the assist for Chalobah’s goal, which helped the comeback chance, but also was exposed at times and partly responsible in build-up to United’s second.
Midfield (Caicedo, Enzo Fernández): Solid workrate. Chelsea’s midfield tried to steady things, especially after going down to 10 men. Without full attacking options, they had to work double time. But not enough cutting.

Key Moments & Game Changers

Robert Sánchez’s Early Red Card: As soon as the keeper brought down Bryan Mbeumo outside the box, the balance of the match shifted. Chelsea essentially fought the rest of the game with one hand tied.
United Takes Advantage Quickly: Bruno Fernandes’ goal, followed by Casemiro’s header, meant United had a cushion before the midway point of the first half. That made everything else more about control and damage limitation.
Casemiro’s Red Card: Though United were ahead, losing him just before half-time meant nerves in the second half. Chelsea got a glimmer of hope, late pressure, and the goal from Chalobah put the final few minutes under real tension.
Late Chelsea Surge: After halftime, more possession, more urgency. Chalobah’s header in the 80th minute made the crowd nervous. United had to dig in. The rain, the pitch condition, and the fact that both teams were physically spent added to the drama.
Tactical Adjustments + Leadership: United showed mental strength, setting up to defend when necessary, and Chelsea didn’t get the breakthroughs they needed despite the numerical issues. Managerial decisions, bench depth, and composure under pressure were decisive.

What This Means

For Manchester United: This win does more than just add three points. It builds momentum, helps with confidence, and proves that the team can grind out results under pressure. For Amorim, who’s had scrutiny and criticism, seeing his squad respond in this kind of match is a positive sign. But lessons remain: discipline (Casemiro), sharper second half showing, maintaining energy with 11 (or even 10 vs 11) matters.
For Chelsea: A sobering reminder of how fragile plans can be. An early red card forces you onto the back foot, but even so, the squad showed fight. Some individual performances were good, but lack of cutting edge and control at critical moments hurt. Tactical flexibility, discipline (especially avoiding silly fouls), and better handling of adversity will need focus.
League Implications: United scratching out wins helps them move up the table, ease pressure. Chelsea will look to rebound quickly. Matches like this can swing momentum if handled well.

Final Thoughts

This wasn’t pretty all the time. It wasn’t clean. But it was meaningful. For United, it was a test of character. For Chelsea, it was a warning: even when you start with setbacks, how you respond matters. Bruno Fernandes delivering when it counts, Casemiro being both hero and a bit of the headache, the defense holding just long enough, all these have shades of resilience.

And in football, sometimes that grit—especially in these messy, rain-hit, stoppage-filled matches—is what separates teams with trophies and those without. United did enough. Chelsea showed they still need polish.