Chelsea FC v Manchester United - Premier League 2026/27
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Chelsea secured a much-needed three points against Manchester United after a dominant second-half display at Stamford Bridge. The Blues were arguably fortunate not to be behind at half-time, but there was only ever going to be one winner after Morgan Rogers broke the deadlock.
Rogers produced an excellent solo effort to open the scoring in the 50th minute before Cole Palmer converted from the penalty spot 14 minutes later. Here are The Chelsea Chronicle’s player ratings after a much-improved second-half performance.
READ MORE: Why Jordan Henderson was left out of Chelsea’s squad against Man Utd
Chelsea player ratings vs Manchester United
Mike Penders – 8/10
Mike Penders had a relatively quiet game. He made a few good saves but was rarely troubled by United’s attack until producing a stunning stop to deny Bryan Mbeumo’s long-range effort. It was pleasing to see him keep a clean sheet just a week after his nightmare performance against Tottenham.
Josh Acheampong – 6/10
Josh Acheampong is perhaps not a natural right-back. He defended well in one-on-one situations but was occasionally caught out of position. He did well to find Estevao Willian with the ball, although he offered little threat when overlapping down the flank.
Chelsea 2–0 Manchester United
Estevao of Chelsea celebrates scoring a goal, which is later disallowed following a VAR review, during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Chelsea FC and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 31, 2026 in London, England.
Wesley Fofana – 3/10
Wesley Fofana’s week went from bad to worse with another poor performance against Manchester United. He was caught out twice by Amad Diallo in the first half and was fortunate not to concede a goal or give away a penalty on either occasion. In fairness, Fofana was solid aside from those two mistakes, but they could have cost Chelsea all three points.
Levi Colwill – 7/10
Amid the chaos of the first half, Levi Colwill stood out as Chelsea’s best defender. He made several important clearances and, as always, produced some impressive line-breaking passes. He thoroughly deserved to keep a clean sheet.
Marco Palestra – 5/10
It is easy to see why Xabi Alonso wanted to sign Marco Palestra. He is perfectly suited to the wing-back role, given his desire to get forward and provide width. However, his defensive positioning is not good enough for him to play as an orthodox full-back, and he was caught out several times.
Romeo Lavia – 9/10
Romeo Lavia was arguably the best player on the pitch at Stamford Bridge. The Belgium international worked tirelessly off the ball, making several important interceptions, while also helping to launch numerous Chelsea attacks. He is a joy to watch in midfield, and every Blues supporter will hope he can stay fit. Lavia also played a key role in Chelsea’s opener, winning possession before playing the ball to Morgan Rogers.
Moises Caicedo – 6/10
Moises Caicedo did not have his best game against Man Utd. He did little wrong but was outshone by his midfield partner. Hopefully, he did not pick up an injury, as he looked uncomfortable before coming off late in the game.
Estevao Willian – 7/10
Estevao Willian immediately made his case to Xabi Alonso. He was Chelsea’s most dangerous attacking player, regularly taking on United’s defenders and getting past them. There were a couple of occasions when he should have passed rather than shot, while two goals were ruled out after he strayed just a yard offside.
Lacroix is set to miss the rest of 2026 through injury... what should Xabi Alonso do now? 😬
Switch to a back four
Take a big bite, Lacroix, you will recover quickly when you have a good appetite. My mother has told me this from I was a child.
I don't think there is any problem with tactics. Tuchel uses three defenders, Conte uses three defenders. No problem.The thin lineup is the problem.
Hoping Lacroix recover as soon as possible. He is very important to the defense.I like Lacroix. I didn't touch Lacroix, no one touched him, he just tripped, I don't think it's a big problem, he will recover soon.
Cole Palmer – 6/10
Cole Palmer struggled to get into the game in the first half but improved after the break, helped by United being reduced to 10 men. He confidently converted his penalty and was denied an assist after Estevao Willian was ruled marginally offside. He also rushed a couple of excellent chances to double his tally.
Morgan Rogers – 8/10
Morgan Rogers was a threat on the left wing but lacked the end product in the first half. That changed after the break when he dribbled past United’s defence before delicately lifting the ball over Senne Lammens to make it 1-0. His superb start to life at Chelsea continued, and the £117 million fee is starting to look like a bargain.
Pedro Neto – 6/10
Pedro Neto started as Chelsea’s false nine in a fluid front four. He missed a great chance in the first half, dragging his shot wide, but offered little else in attack. However, Xabi Alonso will continue to trust him in the role as long as he works as hard off the ball as he did today.