Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was given Chelsea’s earliest sending-off in Premier League history for a ridiculous foul on Bryan Mbeumo – after just four minutes.
Sanchez was immediately dismissed after rushing out to stop the Manchester United striker and wiping him out, leaving manager Enzo Maresca aghast on the bench. He is suspended for one game for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
‘He’s rash. There’s no doubt Mbeumo was going to get the ball. Sanchez makes the mistake of going backwards, then forwards,’ Jamie Redknapp told Sky Sports.
It was a nightmare start and within 10 minutes of the controversy, Ruben Fernandes had put United ahead to punish them.
Casemiro then twisted the knife after 37 minutes as he headed in a second after some shambolic defensive work by Chelsea – but he was sent off too for a second yellow card just a few minutes before half-time.
To make matters even worse, Maresca had to withdraw Cole Palmer in the 20th minute with what seemed to be an injury, replacing him with Andrey Santos. Palmer put on his coat and went straight down the tunnel.
That meant Maresca had already used three of his substitutes because, after Sanchez’s dismissal, he had brought on Filip Jorgensen in net for wonderkid Estevao Willian, while Tosin Adarabioyo replaced Pedro Neto.
For the sending-off, Mbeumo had ghosted in behind the defence to meet an onwards header from Benjamin Sesko and with nobody challenging him, Sanchez came rushing out.
But the 27-year-old completely miscued his challenge, missed the ball completely and crashing into Mbeumo’s leg to send him sprawling.
United drew first blood in the driving rain in the 14th minute as captain Fernandes gave the home fans something to cheer.
The Red Devils will take every advantage they can get after their worst start to a season in 33 years.
They came into this clash sat 14th in the Premier League with four points in as many games.
Ruben Amorim has been under enormous pressure and some pundits were talking about the Chelsea game practically as a must-win.
Alan Shearer warned Betfair in advance of the clash: ‘It was men against boys last weekend at the Etihad. They were miles apart in terms of ability, system, attitude and whatever else you want to name despite what Man United have spent in the summer.
‘I don’t think they can afford to be beaten like that again this weekend. If they were then you’d have to fear for what’s going to happen going forward for the manager.
‘Something must improve rapidly. Man United can’t be lingering in 14th/15th/16th in the Premier League. There hasn’t been an improvement at all up to now and that can’t continue with what they spent.
‘There has to be something that gets them going and if that doesn’t happen quickly then everyone knows the rules when it comes to football management.
‘It’s on both the manager and players but I do think there’s a lot in the system and despite what the manager says, he’s not going to change his ways, he’ll stick to that system.
‘He’s either going to die on his sword or get the success that he needs. At the minute it looks really negative, and I don’t think a lot of those players are suited to the system.
‘Amorim knows, he believes, and he will either keep or lose his job. It’s a really interesting weekend and one where he can’t take another beating like they did last weekend.’
