Chelsea would ultimately pay the price for Robert Sanchez's red card after just five minutes, as Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro both scored during a dominant first half.

Casemiro's own red card just before the interval saw Chelsea go on to dominate possession during the second half but Trevoh Chalobah's impressive header in the final ten minutes was all the Blues had to show for a much-improved second period.

The Blues made two changes to their starting XI, as Wesley Fofana returned in the heart of defence in place of Tosin, while Estevao Willian came into the side in place of Malo Gusto, with Reece James moving to right-back.

Dramatic start

United started brightly and saw Bryan Mbeumo have a header palmed away by Sanchez inside the opening three minutes, before James needed to make a world-class last-ditch tackle to deny what seemed like a certain goal moments later.

Then before there was even five minutes on the clock, Sanchez was given a red card after rushing outside the box and bringing down Mbuemo. It meant Maresca decided to make a double change immediately, as Filip Jorgensen and Tosin were introduced from the bench, with Estevao and Pedro Neto the ones to make way.

United made the extra man count as Patrick Dorgu's header in the box on 14 minutes was put into the path of Fernandes and he just beat the offside trap to volley in from close range. It took several minutes for VAR to confirm the United skipper was onside, such was how close the call was.

The home side kept coming and Maresca decided to make a third substitute in the 21st minute, as Cole Palmer made way for Andrey Santos, as the Italian looked to stem the tide.

United continued to dominate. Casemiro had the ball in the goal again just after the half-hour mark when he nodded in Amad's cross but the ball had gone out of play.

However, the Brazilian did get his goal shortly after Chelsea saw a penalty appeal waved away when Joao Pedro was brought down in the penalty area. Dorgu's header back into the danger area couldn't be cleared by James and Luke Shaw won the resulting header, leaving Casemiro to nod home from close range for 2-0.

Chelsea had only managed one shot on target as half-time approached but we were given hope when Casemiro received a second yellow card for a tackle on Andrey Santos and the teams were back to a level playing field.

The Blues immediately looked better, as Cucurella flashed a shot over and wide from a tight angle, before James then delivered a dangerous cross into the box, as we dominated the final minutes.

We were then the better team in the second half and thought we had pulled a goal back just after the hour when Fofana headed in from close range following a near-post flick from James' corner. But the offside flag was raised and the goal was ruled out.

Clear-cut chances were much harder to come by in the second half, as United rarely troubled Jorgensen in the Chelsea goal. Amad's wayward volley was the only opportunity of note for some time for the hosts.

But Chelsea did pull a goal back with ten minutes remaining when a trademark James cross from the right was met expertly by the head of Chalobah as the ball nestled into the bottom corner.

The Blues continued to search for the equaliser but there was a warning shot from United when skipper Fernandes forced Jorgensen into a good save with a powerful low drive from distance.

James' deliveries from the right continued to be a threat and one of those during injury-time fell to Andrey Santos but his goal-bound shot was blocked, and in the end, United managed to hold on for the win.

What it means

This result sees Chelsea drop to sixth place in the Premier League on eight points, with Manchester United up to ninth one behind.

What next

We will travel to Lincoln City on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup third round, in a game which will kick off at 7.45pm and will again be shown on Sky Sports in the UK.

Teams

Man United: Bayindir; Maguire (Yoro 69), De Ligt, Shaw; Mazraoui (Cunha 65), Casemiro, Fernandes (c) (Mainoo 87), Dorgu; Amad, Mbeumo (Mount 69); Sesko (Ugarte HT)
Unused subs: Lammens, Fredricson, Heaven, Zirkzee
Scorer: Fernandez 14, Casemiro 37
Bookings: Casemiro 17, 45+8
Red card: Casemiro 45+8

Chelsea: Sanchez; James (c), Chalobah, Fofana (George 64), Cucurella (Gusto 64); Caicedo, Enzo; Neto (Tosin 7) Palmer (Andrey Santos 21), Estevao (Jorgensen 6); Joao Pedro
Unused subs: Hato, Garnacho, Gittens, Guiu
Scorer: Chalobah 80
Bookings: Cucurella 44, Enzo 48, Chalobah 50, George 72, Tosin 90+6
Red card: Sanchez 5