Michael Carrick Under Fresh Pressure After Manchester United's 2-0 Loss To Chelsea

News sports football Michael Carrick Under Fresh Pressure After Manchester United's 2-0 Loss To Chelsea

Last Updated:October 31, 2026, 20:51 IST

Missed opportunities, a red card for Lisandro Martinez and a clinical Chelsea display condemned Manchester United to another damaging loss.

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick’s reprieve as manager could prove short-lived after his team suffered a 2-0 Premier League loss to Chelsea on Saturday, October 31.

The visitors squandered multiple opportunities to break the deadlock at Stamford Bridge before Morgan Rogers sliced through the Manchester United defence and opened the scoring in the 50th minute.

Lisandro Martinez then dealt a further blow to United’s hopes of a comeback, picking up two quickfire yellow cards. His second offence resulted in a penalty as well, which Cole Palmer converted.

Now winless in nine games, the loss leaves the 20-time English champions just one point above the relegation zone, with the threat of slipping into the bottom three by the end of the weekend.

Many expected Carrick to be axed after last weekend’s 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth.

The former United midfielder was instead given the opportunity to turn his team’s fortunes around and will lament a lack of ruthlessness during the first half.

Carrick brought skipper Bruno Fernandes back into the starting line-up after dropping him last weekend, after the midfielder’s criticism of his manager’s tactics during United’s 4-1 Champions League loss to Como.

Fernandes should have marked his return with the opener when he blazed over from Bryan Mbeumo’s inviting cross.

The roles were reversed when Mbeumo couldn’t reach Fernandes’ delivery at the back post, before Amad Diallo was denied twice by Chelsea stand-in goalkeeper Mike Penders.

United did get the ball in the net when Matheus Cunha turned in Harry Maguire’s header from a corner, but the Brazilian had strayed just offside.

Carrick couldn’t hide his frustration in a half-time interview to broadcasters and his mood soured further with a disastrous start to the second period.

Rogers credited Carrick with revitalising his career during their time together at Middlesbrough but went on to deal a decisive blow to his former manager.

(With AFP Inputs)

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