Michael Carrick’s future as Manchester United head coach was thrown into fresh doubt on Saturday as his team extended their winless run in all competitions to nine matches with a 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
United held their own in an end-to-end first half, but they collapsed after Morgan Rogers gave the hosts the lead five minutes after the interval. Lisandro MartÃnez was then sent off for an inexplicable elbow on Wesley Fofana before Cole Palmer subsequently doubled Chelsea’s lead from the penalty spot.
With seven points from their opening nine games, the result raises concerns over United being drawn into a relegation battle.
Many had expected Carrick to have been removed from his post following last weekend’s 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth, but he was given more time to get things back on track by the club’s hierarchy.
Bruno Fernandes missed that match after being dropped for criticising Carrick’s tactics in a heavy defeat at Como a few days previously, but the club captain returned to the starting XI in west London.
United had their chances to take the lead against Xabi Alonso’s out-of-form team that had lost their last two, but they were wasteful in attack. Matheus Cunha and Estêvão both saw goals disallowed for offside during an entertaining first 45 minutes.
Chelsea dominated the second half, though, and took the lead when Rogers was allowed to dribble straight through the United defence before expertly dinking his finish over Senne Lammens.
MartÃnez was shown a second yellow card three minutes and 30 seconds after his first when the VAR spotted his elbow make contact with Fofana as a Chelsea corner was swung into the box.
The Argentine defender, who was outspoken in his criticism of the United hierarchy following the 2-0 Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid on Oct. 13, had no interaction with his manager as he trudged off the pitch and headed down the Stamford Bridge tunnel.
Lammens will feel he should have done better with Palmer’s penalty which squirmed in off the post after the United goalkeeper got two hands on it.
Chelsea goalkeeper Mike Penders tipped a powerful Bryan Mbeumo effort onto the the bar during injury time to preserve his clean sheet.
United have only gone 10 matches without a win twice in their history — they did so in 1977-78 and 1961-62.
United face Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Information from ESPN’s Global Sports Research contributed to this report.
