Chelsea FC v Manchester United - Premier League 2026/27
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Wesley Fofana continues to give Xabi Alonso a headache with his performances.
Wesley Fofana’s season has been an absolute grind, and right now he looks like an accident waiting to happen back there. The Liverpool game was brutal to watch, as he was second to every ball, gave away ridiculous fouls, and capped it off by skying a penalty in the shootout.
It didn’t get any better against Manchester United, either, as Amad Diallo had him on toast all afternoon, spinning him inside out and blowing past him on three separate occasions.
However, the stats don’t suggest that things were too bad.
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.
Wesley Fofana’s stats paint a different picture after Man United win
The wild thing is, if you only checked the stat sheet, you’d swear Fofana dropped a 10/10 clinic against United.
WhoScored gave him an 8.30 Man of the Match grade, pointing to five interceptions, a goal-line clearance, and 74 passes at 90% accuracy.
🇫🇷 Wesley Fofana | MOTM vs Manchester United:
🎯 2 shots
🥅 1 shot on target
🛑 5 interceptions (most)
🧱 2 clearances
🚫 1 clearance off the line
🦶 72 touches
📊 74 passes (most)
📈 90% pass accuracy
⭐ 8.30 WhoScored rating#CHEMUN | #CFC pic.twitter.com/6A6m5yITXj
— WhoScored (@WhoScored) October 31, 2026
On a spreadsheet, he looks like prime Maldini. But anyone actually watching the match saw a completely different game.
The data completely ignores him lunging into tackles, the chaotic panic whenever United countered, and Diallo turning him inside out. It’s the ultimate example of the eye test laughing at algorithm ratings.
It’s clear that Fofana has the ability to get things right, it’s just these repeat mistakes that a team like Chelsea cannot afford if they are to challenge for silverware and at the top.