Martinez red card sinks Manchester United in Chelsea defeat

Manchester United's dismal run deepened on Saturday as a two-goal second-half capitulation at Stamford Bridge left Michael Carrick's position increasingly precarious, Sky Sports Football reported.

Lisandro Martinez was sent off as United slumped to a 2-0 Premier League defeat, their third straight loss in the competition and a result that leaves them 16th, just a point above the relegation zone.

The outcome had looked unlikely at half-time. According to Yahoo Sports, United were the better side in the opening 45 minutes and squandered several clear chances before unravelling entirely after the break.

Bruno Fernandes, restored to the starting XI, blazed over from close range in the 19th minute after Bryan Mbeumo sent him clear, and later flashed another effort across goal. Amad Diallo twice failed to beat goalkeeper Penders when put through, the clearest opportunity arriving just before the interval.

United also thought they had taken the lead when Matheus Cunha turned in a Fernandes corner, won in the air by Harry Maguire, but VAR ruled the finish offside.

The game turned five minutes into the second half when Morgan Rogers broke the deadlock for Chelsea, with several United defenders, including Martinez and Maguire, criticised by Yahoo Sports for backing off as the forward strolled through.

A yellow card arrived for Martinez in the 59th minute after he repeatedly pulled Rogers back, a habit the referee had already noted. Four minutes on, with his back turned away from play at a corner, he pushed Wesley Fofana around the face, prompting VAR to upgrade the offence to a second booking. The incident also gifted Chelsea a penalty, which Cole Palmer converted to make it 2-0.

Goalkeeper Senne Lammens got a hand to Palmer's spot-kick but could not keep it out, and was otherwise United's standout performer, making seven saves including a strong stop to deny Estevao in the 85th minute.

Carrick made changes as the game slipped away, sending on Kobbie Mainoo for Carlos Baleba in the 58th minute, then Ayden Heaven for Andrey Santos and Mason Mount for Cunha in the 66th minute following the red card. Amad was replaced by Joshua Zirkzee in the 77th minute after picking up a knock.

Mount, making his first appearance against his former club, gave the ball away cheaply for a Chelsea counter that ended with a disallowed Estevao goal. United produced a late moment of quality too, Penders tipping a powerful Mbeumo volley onto the crossbar deep into stoppage time.

Carrick's assessment after the match, relayed by Yahoo Sports, acknowledged that his team's approach had worked in the first half but that a lack of discipline after the interval had proved costly.

The defeat extends United's winless run in all competitions to nine games, their worst sequence since 1988, according to Yahoo Sports, intensifying scrutiny on Carrick as his side sit just above the drop zone heading into the next round of Premier League fixtures.