Sunday’s match ended in a 1-1 draw as Chelsea equalized Manchester United with a strong goal from Moises Caicedo in the second half. United had hoped for a triumphant performance, but this was their first Premier League game since manager Erik ten Hag was fired.
After this match, Chelsea had 18 points and finished fourth in the league standings, while United had 12 points and remained in 13th place after 10 games. Ruud van Nistelrooy, United’s interim manager, was tasked with solving the team’s issues.
After the game, United captain Bruno Fernandes said, “We could have won the game,” expressing the team’s dissatisfaction with chances lost. He admitted that Ten Hag’s departure had a negative effect on the club and that it was regrettable for all parties.
“Whenever you see a manager go, you have to take some of the blame on yourself,” Fernandes added, underscoring the players’ shared accountability for the manager’s dismissal and suggesting that the team’s performance played a role in the coaching changes.
After Rasmus Hojlund was fouled by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in the 70th minute, Fernandes scored a penalty kick to give United the lead. Van Nistelrooy became excited at this point and joyfully cheered when Fernandes threw Sanchez in the wrong direction.
Four minutes later, when Casemiro failed to clear a Chelsea corner, the mood drastically changed, even though United appeared to be on course to secure a much-needed victory. Caicedo took advantage of the situation and sent a low volley into the net after deflecting off United’s goalie, Andre Onana.
After scoring, Caicedo said, “It was the chance to score a goal,” expressing his joy. I succeeded. I’m overjoyed. He expressed his delight in the team’s accomplishment while acknowledging the necessity of prompt equalization, saying, “If we waited too long, it would have been complicated.”
Due to a poor start to the season, which left United in 14th place, Ten Hag was fired. He was replaced on Friday by Ruben Amorim, who will start playing for the team on November 11.
The team’s inability to score goals was one of Ten Hag’s frequent complaints, and it persisted in this game as only Southampton and Crystal Palace scored fewer goals than United’s nine goals.
Alejandro Garnacho came close to scoring in added time with a long-range attempt that narrowly missed the crossbar in a frantic match finale. Fernandes squandered a vital opportunity shortly after, sending a close-range shot over the goal.
Fernandes said, looking back on his own performance, “Everyone knows how much I wanted the goal to come.” He expressed his dissatisfaction with the difficulties of the current season by saying, “I need to help the team with goals and assists.”
Garnacho generated another opportunity as the game was coming to a finish by passing the ball to Joshua Zirkzee, but his shot went over the bar after deflecting off a Chelsea player, causing the Old Trafford crowd to groan. Both teams had struck the woodwork in the first half, with Marcus Rashford of United and Noni Madueke of Chelsea both going very close to scoring.
