By Boluwatife Kehinde
Manchester United turned Old Trafford into a theatre of chaos and glory as they battled past world champions Chelsea 2-1 in a rain-soaked Premier League thriller.
The victory extended United’s unbeaten home run against the Blues to 13 league matches and handed Ruben Amorim’s men a statement win.
The match burst into life after just five minutes when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez was sent off for clattering Bryan Mbeumo while chasing Benjamin Šeško’s flick-on.
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That early setback set the tone for a torrid first half in which United pressed relentlessly. The breakthrough came in the 14th minute as Bruno Fernandes latched onto Patrick Dorgu’s header and calmly fired home his 100th goal for the club.
United doubled their advantage before the break when Luke Shaw recycled a corner and Casemiro rose highest to nod past Filip Jörgensen.
The home fans revelled in the stormy spectacle, only for Casemiro to see red in stoppage time after two reckless challenges, leaving both sides with 10 men at half-time.
The second half grew scrappy on the drenched pitch, with Chelsea chasing a way back. Wesley Fofana briefly thought he had scored from a set-piece, only for the flag to go up for offside.
Their persistence paid off late on when Trevoh Chalobah powered in a Reece James cross with 10 minutes left, sparking tension around Old Trafford.
But Amorim’s men dug deep. Altay Bayındır pulled off crucial saves, and Manuel Ugarte’s last-ditch block denied Andrey Santos a dramatic equaliser.
After seven nervy minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle unleashed celebrations as United inflicted Chelsea’s first league defeat of the season and stretched the Blues’ winless run to three matches.
In a storm that mirrored the fury of the football, United proved they could not only withstand the world champions but also topple them memorably.
Liverpool edge Everton in 247th Merseyside derby to stay perfect
Meanwhile, Liverpool maintained their perfect start to the season with a 2-1 victory over Everton in the 247th Merseyside derby at Anfield, with Ryan Gravenberch at the heart of the action.
The Dutch midfielder opened the scoring inside 10 minutes, racing onto Mohamed Salah’s clever pass before lifting the ball over Jordan Pickford with composure. Salah nearly doubled the lead minutes later with a curling effort, while Cody Gakpo also went close after a sharp counter-attack.
Everton threatened a response as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall spurned a golden chance from Jack Grealish’s delivery, but Liverpool struck again soon after.
Gravenberch, this time the provider, released Hugo Ekitike with a perfectly weighted through ball, and the Frenchman slotted through Pickford’s legs to make it 2-0 on the half-hour mark.
The Toffees fought back, with Beto firing over and Idrissa Gana Gueye testing Alisson Becker before half-time. Their persistence paid off shortly before the hour when Iliman Ndiaye set up Gueye to drive home and reduce the deficit.
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That goal sparked a tense finale, with Everton pushing for an equaliser while Liverpool sought to kill the game on the counter. Salah and Gakpo both wasted chances, while Alisson was called upon again to preserve the lead.
In the end, Arne Slot’s side held firm to claim derby bragging rights and secure a fifth consecutive win, keeping them top of the Premier League table.
