Manchester, September 21(HS):
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes marked two major milestones during Saturday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea at Old Trafford, scoring his 100th goal for the club on his 200th appearance. The Portuguese midfielder opened the scoring early in a tense and dramatic match that saw Chelsea’s goalkeeper Robert Sanchez sent off, and later, Casemiro also dismissed for United.
Fernandes’s historic opener came in the 14th minute, following a flick-on header from Patrick Dorgu. Despite a tense Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review for a possible offside, the goal stood, cementing Fernandes’s place as the 23rd player in Manchester United history to reach the century mark in all competitions. The 31-year-old showed his usual humility, telling Sky Sports, “Every goal is important, doesn’t matter the moment… If I can get more goals to help the team, that’s what matters the most.”
Casemiro doubled United’s lead with a header in the 37th minute but was sent off deep into first-half added time for a second yellow card. Despite being down to ten men in the second half, United held firm, limiting Chelsea to minimal chances. Trevoh Chalobah pulled one back for Chelsea in the 80th minute, but United’s defence held to secure a vital 2-1 victory under manager Ruben Amorim.
This win was especially significant for United, who had struggled for consistency under Amorim with only eight league victories before Saturday. Fernandes reflected on the importance of the points, saying, “You want to perform but at the end of the day what matters is points… At the end of the game we were very strong in defending our box.”
Chelsea’s chaotic game included the fastest three substitutions made by coach Enzo Maresca in Premier League history following Sanchez’s red card. Despite their adversity, Chelsea pushed hard in the closing stages but could not find the equaliser.
With this victory, Bruno Fernandes continues to cement his legacy at Old Trafford, also approaching 300 total appearances for the club. His ambition remains clear: to keep contributing goals and assists to help the team climb higher in the Premier League standings.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
