Key events
Jacob Steinberg was at the Bridge this afternoon. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM.
Michael Carrick talks to TNT Sports. “We didn’t really get going in the second half … we should have been up in the first half … it was as positive as we could have hoped for … we looked really dangerous … we found a way of unravelling in the second half … a bad goal to concede … then the penalty and we were right up against it … I don’t think the heads dropped … there’s no hiding from the fact we haven’t won enough games … the boys were in a good place in the first half … they made the first blow in the second half and that made the difference … I’ve not looked at [the Martinez penalty incident] … I’ve not seen it.”
Do you feel let down by Martinez? “No.”
Do you think the fans (who sang Carrick’s name) will feel let down by the players? “There’s a lot of emotion … we want to win football matches … the fans pay a lot of money to watch us play … a lot of emotion running around right now … we’ve got to move forward … take a bit of belief and confidence … a lot of the good things from the first half.”
Do you expect to be in charge for Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday? “Yeah.”
Post-match postbag. “This is a disgrace from these players. Carrick doesn’t deserve this scoreline. He got his tactics spot on today, and we’re going to get absolutely hammered because the players have let him down. As a United fan, I’m fuming” – Joshua Keeling
“Gary Neville was very wrong last week when he said United players have downed tools for Carrick; they’re lobbing them right at him” – Dave Estherby
“I think you need to put captain in inverted commas when you are talking about Fernandes” – Barry from Cork
“Martinez. What a clown” – Matthew Lysaght
Xabi Alonso speaks to TNT Sports. “We are happy … the first half was close … a few chances for us and them … we spoke at half time … more control with the ball … the start of the second half was much better … a mature performance … a great win for sure … more stability … more control … [Estêvão] really deserved this moment … he gave back the opportunity … he has been a threat … I am very happy for him … he has given reasons to say to the coach, I want more minutes! … sometimes you do not get what you want … the best way to show is not being angry but to be competitive … he has done it really well … [a clean sheet] was a big part of our improvement … we can do better … we have taken a step forward, but I don’t know how far we are … my expectations are really high … I am sure the last three months of this season we will be much better.”
Manchester United were decent in the first half. The better team, in fact. But Lisandro Martínez butchered their chances in the second half, run ragged by Morgan Rogers, then drawn into an idiotic challenge by Wesley Fofana, picking up two yellow cards in under two minutes, and that was that. Martínez didn’t cover himself in glory for Rogers’ opening goal, either. You have to wonder what Michael Carrick is thinking, given the opinionated defender’s role in drawing further attention to United’s plight. Speaking of which, they’ll be in the relegation places tonight should there be a winner between Coventry City and Sunderland later, and Crystal Palace (at Tottenham Hotspur) or Nottingham Forest (at Brentford) draw.
In other news, next Friday will be the 40th anniversary of Alex Ferguson’s appointment as United manager. That it’s come to this.
Morgan Rogers, who opened the scoring with a Paul Gascoigne style sashay down the middle of the park, and has been named player of the match, talks to TNT Sports. “It was massive … a difficult week … a poor result last weekend … OK in the cup but not the win we wanted … so we knew we had to come out strong … first half was tough … they played well … second half we really stamped our authority … it was a massive conscious effort to go again … we deserved the win … I’m loving [playing for Chelsea] … it’s about the team coming together as a whole … I’m going to try to be a leader … I need to keep going … friendly competition [with his pal Cole Palmer] … if we’re both doing well, the team are doing well, and that’s the most important thing!”
Does that represent Michael Carrick’s last act as manager of Manchester United? Everyone was saying that last weekend, following the Bournemouth debacle, so let others speculate, we’ll just have to wait this out. But he goes over to the travelling support and offers some more apologetic applause, just as he did at Old Trafford last Sunday, before disappearing sadly down the tunnel, hands in pockets, a mournful trudge. Bruno Fernandes follows him over to the United fans, some of whom deliver a full and frank appraisal of his recent efforts. He looks on the verge of tears. Then he takes his leave as well. A grand old club in deep crisis.
FULL TIME: Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United
Chelsea rise to fourth spot in the Premier League. That’s not the lede, though, is it.
90 min +9: Gusto is slipped into space down the right. He crosses low and long for Barco, who should slam home at the far post, six yards out, but slices his effort off target. It’s not going to matter.
90 min +8: Chelsea stroke the ball around the back, running the clock down in drama-free fashion. They’ve earned the right in this second half.
90 min +7: Palmer dances his way into the United box from the right. For a second, things look like opening up for him, but Heaven sticks to his shoulder and ushers the ball out for a goal kick. That’s Palmer’s last act of the afternoon, as he makes way for Quenda.
90 min +6: The xG now reads Chelsea 2.11 to Manchester United’s 1.18.
90 min +4: … so when you’re luck’s out, you’re luck’s out. Manchester United can’t catch a break. That would have been a hell of a goal, but Penders wasn’t having a bar of it! Meanwhile up the other end, Palmer blazes a good chance over. It could have been 2-1; it could have been 3-0.
90 min +2: … and they’re inches away from getting one! The corner’s half cleared to Mbeumo, who shapes like prime-era Zinedine Zidane and absolutely larrups a rising drive towards the top-right corner! The ball caroms off the underside of the bar and out! A sensational shot … and a save to match, because Penders got a fingernail to that, diverting it onto the woodwork! Awesome play all round!
90 min +1: Zirkzee chops his way past Colwill down the right and earns Manchester United a corner. A goal here would set the cat amongst the pigeons.
90 min: There will be ten (!) additional minutes. Michael Carrick must wonder what he’s done to deserve this.
89 min: Mount, formerly of Chelsea, clatters into Palmer and probably should go into the book, but the referee shows mercy. Incidentally, Zirkzee picked up a yellow a couple of minutes ago, for another poor challenge. United have unravelled spectacularly, yet arguably not that predictably, in this second half.
87 min: A triple change for Chelsea. Gusto, Welbeck and Barco come on for Neto, Caicedo and Estevao, who deserved a goal today, but won’t be getting one.
85 min: Estevao jinks in from the right, one-twos with Palmer, and whips a glorious low curler towards the bottom left. Lammens saves excellently. Estevao must wonder how he’s not on the scoresheet.
84 min: Zirkzee has a speculative dig from distance. It’s something, better than nothing, but easy for Penders. Chelsea go up the other end and Estevao’s shot deflects into the path of Lammens. “I’m sure Martinez wants out of this,” writes Tim Stappard. “I wish the rest of them wanted out too.”
83 min: Hats off to Manchester United’s travelling support. They’re chanting their love for this famous old club, loud and long, despite the nonsense unfolding in front of them.
81 min: Mbeumo is booked for delaying the restart as Palmer tries to take a quick free kick. “What was Carrick scribbling away frantically just then?” wonders Andrew Goudie. “His resignation letter?” You could hardly blame him, given the performance of his senior defenders in this second half.
80 min: … Zirkzee should clear, but takes a poor touch and gifts Palmer possession. Palmer aims for the top left, but gets the shot all wrong. “If Zirkzee is the answer, what is the question?” asks rhetoric’s Joe Johnson. “Nothing good, I fear.”
79 min: Palmer wanders past Maguire down the left, way too easily. He crosses for Estevao, who really wants a goal having had two disallowed. He shoots. Deflected. Corner. From which …
78 min: On TNT, Joe Cole suggests that Martinez is “at the scene of the crime too often” and his United career has run its course. It’s hard to disagree.
77 min: Diallo can’t continue. Zirkzee comes on in his stead. “Is it just me or everyone who thinks Martinez is pulling a ‘Romero move’ from last season?” wonders Karen Asad. “It sure looks thay way and a move to Atleti beckons!”
76 min: Diallo goes down feeling his leg. As he gets medical attention, Michael Carrick gives his captain Bruno Fernandes some tactical instruction. The horse already bolted.
74 min: Estevao has had two goals chalked off for offside now. That one was much closer than the other. Meanwhile Chavarria comes on for Palestra.
VAR: Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United
That looked onside … but the naked eye can deceive. Estevao’s shoulder just off. Maguire, in the middle, getting away with one.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Manchester United (Estevao 71)
This is too easy. Way too easy. Lavia snaffles possession from Fernandes’s loose pass and lays off to Palmer, 30 yards out. He feeds Estevao down the inside-right channel. Estevao lashes a rising shot through and past Lammens, and into the top-right corner.
70 min: Palmer spins around Mainoo. So easy. Mainoo clips him, and goes into the book. Manchester United are being given the runaround now, and are losing their collective composure.
69 min: The resulting corner is cut back for Acheampong, whose low drive is fielded by Lammens. Everyone in Chelsea blue fancies a bit of this now.
68 min: Estevao finds space down the right and rolls across for Palmer, who would be tapping home at the far stick had Maguire not extended a leg to poke around the post. What fine last-ditch defence.
67 min: Some admin, as Maguire is booked for a late clip on Rogers, while Mount and Heaven come on for Cunha and Santos.
65 min: “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” trill the Chelsea fans. But can you blame Michael Carrick for such idiocy? “What an absolute idiot Martinez is,” writes Joshua Keeling. “Feel so sorry for Carrick. We played so well in the first half, missed a hatful of chances, terrible defending to give away the first goal, and then Martinez does something as stupid as that. We should have been two or three up at half time, and now look. It’s disgraceful from the players. Not Carrick. The players.”
GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United (Palmer 64 pen)
Palmer’s spot kick is no good. Towards the bottom right, but not well hit. Lammens gets a big hand on it, and should stop it … but lets his hand flap back and allows the ball into the corner.
Photograph: David Cliff/EPA
