Sánchez's Fifth-Minute Dismissal Turns Old Trafford Into a Shooting Gallery

Très Divertissant Score Futmetrix: 76/100. Two red cards and relentless Intensity mask a match that never found its rhythm.

When Chaos Arrives Before the Coffee Cools

Chelsea arrived at Old Trafford already fragile. Robert Sánchez made sure they'd leave shattered. A fifth-minute professional foul—last man, no choice—meant Manchester United faced 85 minutes of 11-on-10 football. The Stakes flipped instantly. Chelsea's superior possession (59%) and passing accuracy (85%) became theoretical luxuries against a team that could simply suffocate.

Noussair Mazraoui orchestrated the suffocation. His 7.9 rating and tireless pressing transformed United's numerical advantage into a psychological vice. By minute 14, Patrick Dorgu's assist found Bruno Fernandes for the opener—the Balance already tilted beyond recovery. Casemiro added a second at 37 minutes. Chelsea had managed one shot on target. One.

Then came minute 45+5. Casemiro, already operating on borrowed time in a match United controlled, received a red card for a foul. The Intensity spiked. Suddenly, both teams played with ten men. The narrative inverted. Chelsea's possession became purpose. Their passing became penetration.

Trevoh Chalobah exploited the chaos at 80 minutes, turning in a rebound to score 2-1. A defender scoring against a team defending with nine effective outfield players told you everything: this wasn't football, it was attrition. United's 41% possession and 79% pass accuracy reflected a team managing a game that had spiraled beyond tactical control.

The corner pressure (10 total) and 16 total shots created a false sense of Intensity. The truth: two dismissals fractured the match into three separate contests—a 14-minute romp, a 31-minute siege, and a 45-minute scramble. No team ever found a rhythm. No performance transcended circumstance.