Pressure is mounting on Manchester United manager Michael Carrick after his team suffered a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday, extending their winless run to nine matches in all competitions.
United also finished the Premier League match with 10 players after defender Lisandro Martinez was sent off in the second half.
The club’s board had decided to keep Carrick in charge for the Chelsea game despite recent defeats. United had lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth last weekend after suffering a 4-1 defeat against Como in the Champions League.
However, the team failed to stop its poor run as goals from Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer secured victory for Chelsea.
The result leaves United provisionally 16th in the Premier League table with seven points from nine matches, just one point above the relegation zone. Chelsea, meanwhile, moved into fourth place with 16 points.
Chelsea took the lead four minutes into the second half when Rogers collected the ball just inside United’s half. He ran past a hesitant defence before calmly lifting his shot over goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
United’s problems increased in the 63rd minute when Martinez brought down Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana inside the penalty area. The defender received a second yellow card and was sent off.
Palmer stepped up to take the resulting penalty and beat Lammens, who managed to get a hand to the ball as he dived to his right.
The defeat further increased the pressure on Carrick, who spent 12 successful years as a midfielder at Manchester United.
Chelsea supporters also taunted the former United player during the match, chanting: “You’ll be sacked in the morning.”
