Manchester United had several positives to take from Saturday’s 2-1 win over Chelsea in the Premier League, with some big winners in red.
When Chelsea comes to Old Trafford, historically, it doesn’t end well for the Blues. This fact remained true on Saturday as Manchester United came out on top in a dramatic clash.
Bruno Fernandes put United ahead shortly after Chelsea went down to 10 men after Robert Sanchez took out Bryan Mbeumo, denying a clear scoring opportunity.
Casemiro made it 2-0 before he saw red himself for a very harsh second yellow, and that let Chelsea back into the game.
Despite getting one back, it was of little consequence as United held out the remainder of the game to secure a vital three points.
United had several key players vs Chelsea, while there were also multiple winners.
Winners
First, the winners.
Benjamin Sesko: Starting for the first time at Old Trafford, and Sesko looked the part immediately for United. He still awaits a goal in red; however, Sesko’s all-around performances have been so encouraging.
Sesko won the header to knock the ball on for Mbeumo, which led to the Sanchez red card, which is a method of getting up the pitch we expect United to use with this duo in attack.
The goals will come, but for now, Sesko is doing the little things right, which is very encouraging.
Harry Maguire: Eyebrows may have been raised when Maguire was named in the starting line-up ahead of Leny Yoro, but the Englishman was excellent.
As usual, Maguire was a mountain in defence, and also in the attacking box as he won the header which Casemiro then converted.
Maguire still has a massive role to play at United.
Luke Shaw: Last week, during the Manchester derby, Gary Neville singled out Shaw for his underperformance, as the England international struggled in defence.
However, Amorim stuck with Shaw on Saturday, and he was justified in doing so with a really solid performance and a couple of brilliant tackles.
Shaw is quietly having a solid season, and it has come at the perfect time for Amorim.
Bruno Fernandes: It was a good day for Fernandes in midfield, as the club captain scored his 100th goal for United, joining an exclusive club of only 18 others to do so.
This is a big deal for the Portuguese ‘magnifico’ as he further cements himself as a modern-day great for United.
Fernandes was United’s man of the match in the win as he put in a real captain’s display.
Patrick Dorgu: On the left, it was also a good day for Dorgu as the Dane got his first assist for United since joining in January.
It was a header which looped over the defence for Fernandes to convert, playing a part in the landmark goal for his captain.
Dorgu also shone without the ball, showcasing his defensive quality, winning seven duels in the game.
Bryan Mbeumo: Once again for Manchester United, Mbeumo stood out for his quality and danger, which is quickly making him the biggest threat the club has.
The runs Mbeumo makes in behind are excellent and threatened Chelsea all game long.
United have yet to scratch the surface of Mbeumo, and he will only continue to improve.
Losers
And the two losers from the game.
Alejandro Garnacho: Before the game, there was so much dialogue about Garnacho’s return to Old Trafford, but the Argentine didn’t play a single minute.
Garnacho was booed by supporters, and a new chant for him rang out loud at the stadium all game long, one he won’t want to hear again.
It was an unhappy return, and his slow start at Chelsea continues.
Kobbie Mainoo: Joining Garnacho on the losers’ list is Mainoo, as his troubled campaign continued, with only a few minutes being afforded to him.
Mainoo was the best player on the pitch vs City, so to only get a handful of minutes this week will be a real frustration for the young midfielder.
The game state likely came into consideration, but Amorim needs to use Mainoo better.
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