Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United: Martinez red card turns the game
Chelsea beat Manchester United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 31 October, and a red card for United defender Lisandro Martinez changed the match.
Morgan Rogers gave Chelsea the lead in the second half. Then Martinez, who was already on a yellow card, made two bookable fouls within one minute and 23 seconds. A yellow card is a caution, and a second one in the same match brings a sending-off.
The first foul came when Martinez tried to block Wesley Fofana at the far post. Estevao had swung in a corner, and Martinez raised his elbow and caught Fofana in the face. The referee, Peter Bankes, missed it at the time. The video assistant referee (VAR), James Bell, a review official who watches replays from a room away from the pitch, advised Bankes to check the screen. Bankes went to the monitor, and Martinez was penalised.
Cole Palmer stepped up and scored from the spot in the 64th minute, one minute after Martinez had been sent off in the 63rd. Chelsea's Premier League site confirmed the penalty was awarded after a VAR review of the elbow. Earlier, VAR had also ruled out an effort from Estevao for offside, which means he was in an illegal position when the ball was played to him.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick said the second goal and losing a man had a big influence on the game. Playing with 10 men against a side already ahead is a hard job, and United could not get back into it.
The result leaves United with a difficult week. Martinez will miss the Premier League match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford because of his suspension, which is the automatic ban that follows a red card. Carrick will have to plan without one of his centre-backs, a defender who plays in the heart of the back line.
For Chelsea, the win came with a clean sheet, meaning they did not concede a goal. Their goalkeeper did not have to make a save that changed the result, because the match turned on discipline rather than chances. Rogers's goal came from a sharp move, and Palmer's penalty took the lead beyond doubt.
Both teams will want to put this game behind them quickly. For a Chelsea side that can use momentum, and a United side that now has to rebuild its shape without a key defender, the next few days will show how much one afternoon in west London mattered.
For neutral fans, the lesson is simple. A player who has already been booked has to be careful with every challenge. One reckless moment, and a game can change in less than a minute and a half.
