Manchester United eased the pressure on head coach Ruben Amorim as they held on to beat Chelsea 2-1 in a frantic encounter which saw both sides down to 10 men.

United made a blistering start and caught Chelsea cold in the pouring Old Trafford rain as Robert Sanchez was sent off after four minutes for chopping down Bryan Mbeumo. Goals from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro then put United firmly in control heading into the break.

However, Casemiro had levelled the playing field when he was shown a second yellow for bringing down Andrey Santos in first-half stoppage-time. Chelsea pulled a late goal back through Trevoh Chalobah but failed to truly take advantage of the opening to extend their nearly 13-year winless run at Old Trafford.

United threatened to collapse but pulled through to secure Amorim's first back-to-back Premier League home wins since taking charge. The second-half performance was unconvincing, but the three points will create some breathing space for now.

Fernandes: This is a massive win

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes to Sky Sports:

"Every three points is massive in this moment because we haven't started the season as we wanted. But we go game by game. Today was massive and the next one will be massive too.

"Every goal is important. It doesn't matter the moment. A big moment for me, reaching that milestone for a massive club. I'm very happy, I won't hide from that, but it wasn't something I was trying to achieve when I came to the club. It was about trying to do the best I could and obviously if I can get more goals to help the team win games, that is what matters the most.

"We were more sit back, try not to concede goals, not let them play through the lines as they have a lot of players who like to drop to play. It was about pushing them to the sides to cross the ball, as we had big players. We still conceded the goal from the corner, but we defended very well. We got the result we wanted in the end."

Redknapp: Amorim's biggest result as Man Utd boss

Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp:

"This is Amorim's biggest result as Manchester United manager, certainly at home. This was huge for him today. It got edgy once Casemiro got sent off, you weren't sure they were going to be able to see it out.

"But Bruno Fernandes was magnificent, second half especially. He carried the fight. It feels like a big occasion but they've got to build on it. They've got to go and win two, three, four games.

"It was a mad game, I have to be honest. Some of the substitutions, some of the tactical changes. It was hard to keep up with at times. But it was a joy because it was so chaotic."

Amorim: We like to complicate our wins!

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim to Sky Sports:

"Really good. Now it's time to create a bit of momentum. We started the game really well, really aggressive. I cannot remember a very good play from us, but we pushed our opponent in how aggressive we were in the first and second balls. We cannot have someone sent off near half-time in Casemiro, we like to complicate all our games! But it was a good game.

"I felt the urgency, especially in the beginning of the game. The sending off helped us. If you remember the first half, we had so many opportunities three against one, three against two. We have to be more clinical to finish the game sooner. With the sending off of Casemiro, you never know what is going to ha[pen so we have to take the chance to kill the game."

Chalobah: Not good enough, we're not kids anymore

Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah to Sky Sports:

"We have to look at ourselves as players. It wasn't good enough for ourselves, for the club. The first 15 minutes is the worst we've played this season. We have to reflect on that as a team and learn from this.

"With the red card that happens, you go 2-0 down in the game, any team you play against, it's always difficult coming back. We struggled in the first half.

"It's always difficult going down to 10 men and you can see that United were up for it. They put us under pressure. It wasn't good enough at our end. We couldn't get going in the first half.

"Things like this happen in the season. We can't say we're kids anymore, we've played in the Premier League long enough now. We have just got to learn from this and move forward.

Opta stats: Chelsea's Old Trafford woes persist

Chelsea are winless in their last 13 Premier League away games against Manchester United (D7 L6), against no other side have they ever been on a longer such run on the road in the competition.

Casemiro became the first player to score and be sent off in the first half of a Premier League match since Emmanuel Adebayor for Spurs against Arsenal in November 2012, and the first ever to do so for Manchester United.

Three of Casemiro's seven Premier League goals for Manchester United have come against Chelsea (43%). Indeed, against no other side has he netted more goals in his European Club career in all competitions (also 3 against Sevilla and Athletic Club).

Robert Sanchez received Chelsea's earliest ever red card in a Premier League game (5th minute), while it was the third-earliest red shown to a goalkeeper from the start of a game in the competition.

Since his Premier League debut in August 2022, Manchester United's Casemiro has been shown more red cards (3) than any other player in the competition.

Teams

Manchester United Bayindir, de Ligt, Maguire (Yoro 70), Shaw, Mazraoui (Cunha 65), Casemiro, Fernandes (c) (Mainoo 87), Dorgu, Mbeumo (Mount 69), Amad, Sesko (Ugarte 46)
Subs Not Used Lammens, Heavan, Fredricson, Zirkzee
Booked Casemiro
Sent Off Casemiro 45+5 (2 yellow cards)
Goals Fernandes 15, Casemiro 37

Chelsea Sanchez, James (c), Chalobah, Fofana (George 64), Cucurella (Gusto 64), Caicedo, Enzo, Estevao (Jorgensen 6), Palmer (Santos 21), Neto (Tosin 7), Joao Pedro
Subs Not Used Hato, Garnacho, Gittens, Guiu
Booked Cucurella, Maresca, Fernandez, Chalobah, George, Tosin
Sent Off Sanchez 5
Goals Chalobah 80

Attendance 74,124

Referee Peter Bankes

VAR Craig Pawson