A huge performance was needed by Michael Carrick's men heading into Stamford Bridge with Manchester United winless in their previous eight games. The first half did show lots of promise.

A game in which many expected chances to come for both sides with defences shaken and form facing turbulence. United were the better side in the first 45 minutes.

Bruno Fernandes returned to the starting XI after he was dropped in United's 3-0 loss to Bournemouth after questioning Carrick's tactics away in Como. Both sides saw a goal disallowed with the two Brazilians, Estevao and Matheus Cunha scoring from offside positions.

United still should have secured the early advantage with Amad finding himself in on goal on multiple occasions after picking the pocket of Wesley Fofana, but the Ivorian could not convert.

The second half saw United crumble as Romeo Lavia found Morgan Rogers in space who had an uncontested run into the United box gliding through Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez to dink his effort over Senne Lammens handing Chelsea the advantage with fifty minutes played.

A sequence of events from Lisandro Martinez within a two minute window threw away any hope of a win for United as his yellow card worthy foul on Rogers led to a set piece where the Argentine launched himself, forearm first, into Fofana. Martinez was given his marching orders as Cole Palmer doubled the lead securing a 2-0 win for Xabi Alonso.

Lisandro Martinez's errors cost United any chance of a win with his reckless performance playing into Chelsea's favour. 

Speaking on TNT Sports, former Chelsea star Joe Cole was brutally honest with the World Cup winning centre back after his blunders this afternoon, insinuating that the club may sell the player as his United career is now “done” following his red card.

He stated, "I'm still trying to come to terms with the Lisandro Martinez sending off. I don't know what he was thinking.

"Whatever the next Man United phase is, I think Martinez's time at the club has run its course.

"In a Man United shirt, he's just at the scene of the crime too often. I think that's his time done."

In a squad which is already showing defensive weakness through injuries and rotation, this red card not only blew away chance of a win at Stamford Bridge but also hinders United for their next Premier League outing against Aston Villa.

The first half showed that even with United's defensive flaws, the squad could still create chances and should have converted. Michael Carrick has been at the receiving end of lots of criticism during this winless spell but the loss today should not be put on his shoulders.

As one of the more senior players in the squad, Martinez failed to deliver the standard of performance that a player of his caliber should demonstrate.

Not only with the red card, but throughout the game he was ran past too easily by the likes of Estevao and even his most credible trait, being his on the ball ability, looked sluggish and lazy. 

Now, Carrick has to face the consequences with pressure mounting on his shoulders, his squad looking thinner and a tough sequence of games coming up. Old Trafford hosts Roma midweek as United look more desperate than ever for a win.