Lisandro Martinez was sent off and conceded a penalty as Man Utd slipped to a 2-0 defeat that leaves Michael Carrick's future in doubt.
Manchester United lost 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, their ninth game in a row without a win in all competitions. Morgan Rogers gave Chelsea the lead five minutes after the interval, and the match turned when Lisandro Martinez was shown a second yellow card for raising an arm to the face of Wesley Fofana. Cole Palmer scored the penalty that followed.
United had the better of the first half. Bruno Fernandes, back in the side after being dropped for criticising Carrick's tactics following the Como defeat, fired over when unmarked, and Amad Diallo was twice denied by Mike Penders in the Chelsea goal. Michael Carrick, the United head coach, told TNT Sports: "We didn't start the second half great. They struck the first blow and that made the difference."
Martinez had pointed the finger at technical director Jason Wilcox and the club's decision-makers in an outspoken interview after the Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid on 13 October. Against Chelsea he was making only his second start since then, and he was booked for fouling Rogers. He elbowed Fofana at a corner. The incident was missed in real time, and video assistant referee James Bell sent referee Peter Bankes to the screen.
World Cup final official Darren Cann called Martinez's actions "inexplicable". "Martinez was rightly sent off for two bookable offences, as well as conceding a needless penalty for the reckless challenge on Fofana," Cann told BBC Sport.
Asked whether he felt let down by Martinez, Carrick said he had not seen the incident again. "It's a big moment in the game." Carrick did not look at Martinez as the defender left the pitch.
Former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole, on TNT Sports, said: "In a Man United shirt, he's just at the scene of the crime too often." Former England midfielder Danny Murphy, on BBC Radio 5 Live, was equally scathing: "You can't rely on him. He is a liability."
Carrick also said:
"It's not going to change it. We've got to move forward and win football matches, it's as simple as that."
Chelsea moved above Liverpool into fourth. Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said: "I am very demanding. We can do better." On Chelsea's Estevao, who had a third goal ruled out for offside by VAR, Alonso said: "Estevao did really well."
Before the match, the expectation had been that Carrick would still be in charge when United host Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday, a game they need to win to keep their hopes of qualifying realistic. Martinez is suspended for the Premier League match with Aston Villa at Old Trafford next Sunday.
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