April 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nThe Brazil international would celebrate with his trademark surfer dance in unison with Fernandes. It was a goal scored against the run of play, but this is one of Fernandes\u2019 superpowers. If there is such a thing as football sprezzatura \u2014 the art of effortless, spontaneous grace \u2014 then he has mastered it.<\/p>\n
Carl Anka<\/p>\n
Frustrated Fernandez<\/p>\n
After serving a two-match internal suspension for comments that cast doubt on his Chelsea future, Enzo Fernandez was greeted with a cheer when his name was announced ahead of kick-off at Stamford Bridge. The hope was that the Argentinian\u2019s playmaking abilities and box threat could jump-start a Chelsea attack that has broken down in recent games, having failed to score in more than six hours of Premier League football.<\/p>\n
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\n Fernandez was frustrated on return (Justin Setterfield\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Fernandez did bring valuable creativity and urgency, but his team-mates\u2019 lack of cutting edge saw those chances go to waste. The absence of Joao Pedro, Chelsea\u2019s most reliable focal point, will not have helped. <\/p>\n
Fernandez came close to a goal of his own in the first half, skewing one shot past the post and seeing a cross bounce off the back of his heel just in front of goal after it floated over Liam Delap\u2019s head. He also earned a roar of approval from the crowd for his out-of-possession work, tracking back to win the ball from Fernandes in a full-blooded challenge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But as the second half wore on, Fernandez cut a frustrated figure. He was constantly asking for the ball, often dropping into the back line to find space to receive it, and on one occasion, moved to practically within arm\u2019s reach of Wesley Fofana to get the centre-back to pass to him. At one point, he moved smartly to nudge a pass to Casemiro into Liam Delap\u2019s path instead, only to throw his arms in the air in frustration seconds later when Cole Palmer lost possession to Kobbie Mainoo.<\/p>\n
He was withdrawn for Romeo Lavia with five minutes remaining, shortly after going to ground in apparent pain, but remained in the dugout, rather than heading straight down the tunnel, to watch the final stages.<\/p>\n
Fernandez showed what he can add to Chelsea in this run-in in terms of creativity, but his frustrations and Chelsea\u2019s continued failure to score also showed that his return is nowhere near enough to push them to the finish they want.<\/p>\n
Cerys Jones<\/p>\n
How did Garnacho perform against his former club?<\/p>\n
A muscle injury to Estevao saw him substituted for Alejandro Garnacho early in the first half. A recent interview with the 21-year-old saw Garnacho admit to having some regrets regarding the end of his United career, but that did not spare him the wrath of Stamford Bridge\u2019s away section. <\/p>\n
Travelling United fans were content to treat Garnacho as a pantomime villain on Saturday night, booing his substitution and many of his touches when he came onto the ball on the right wing. <\/p>\n
A tussle with Diogo Dalot in the 29th minute by the corner flag saw more than one United fan applaud their full-back for a hefty tackle. And there was a very loud cheer when\u00a0Mazraoui performed a perfect slide tackle in the penalty area with less than 10 minutes left, managing to win a goal kick in the process. <\/p>\n
Garnacho was slow to react to United\u2019s opener, with Fernandes targeting the space behind him and beating him to the punch during the goal\u2019s build-up. He had registered 64 touches of the ball, but he had lost possession five times and failed to manage a shot on goal as Dalot nullified his more threatening runs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It can be difficult to play against your former club, against opposition defenders with good knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses. Garnacho\u2019s Chelsea career is yet to truly ignite.<\/p>\n
Carl Anka<\/p>\n
Blue at the Bridge<\/p>\n
The mood among Chelsea fans was not great before kick-off, but it was even worse after this latest setback to their hopes of qualifying for European competition next season.<\/p>\n
Up to 1,000 supporters made their feelings clear about the negative direction the club are heading in by staging a protest, which marched down the Fulham Road outside the stadium, ahead of the match.<\/p>\n
Those in the ground did try to get behind the team for the most part once it got underway, only to be let down by familiar frailties at both ends of the pitch.<\/p>\n
Chelsea once again toiled in front of goal, though they were unlucky to hit the woodwork three times. Still, Manchester United were without four defenders, yet the home side still failed to score.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That extended their drought in the Premier League to more than six hours, with Joao Pedro\u2019s third goal in a 4-1 win at Aston Villa on March 4 being the last occasion a Chelsea player scored in the top division.<\/p>\n
Given Chelsea have only kept one Premier League clean sheet under Liam Rosenior, which was his first league game at the helm against Brentford in January, it was no surprise when Fernandes set Cunha up for the winner. It does not take a genius to figure out that you will not win many games with those statistics.<\/p>\n
As Chelsea toiled in the second half, the chants heard outside the ground pre-match were heard loudly inside, too. \u201cWe want our Chelsea back\u201d was one of the more printable ones.<\/p>\n
Simon Johnson<\/p>\n
What did Rosenior say?<\/p>\n
No goals in four, one clean sheet in 12, are you worried your message is not getting across?<\/p>\n
\u201cTonight was a really difficult result to take. They have had one shot on goal when we were down to 10 men through injury and scored. Then we have wave after wave in attack, crosses in the box, moments we didn\u2019t take advantage of. I think we hit the woodwork 4-5 times. What we can\u2019t do is get into a cycle where we think it is not going to be our day or feel sorry for ourselves. We have to keep working, we have to turn this around. I will never lie, I can\u2019t speak on things I don\u2019t see. I saw a team that was dominant from the first moment of the game to the last, but we have to take care of our moments better. That\u2019s what\u2019s costing us points at this moment in time.\u201d<\/p>\n
How is Estevao?<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was devastated, he was crying at half-time. I am really devastated for him. It looks like his hamstring and came at a moment when he was running through on their goal one-v-one. He pulled his hamstring in that moment. They are good lads, they are honest and working hard. I don\u2019t want them to feel like everything is against them, and I hope Estevao comes back sooner rather than later.\u201d<\/p>\n
What did Carrick say?<\/p>\n
Thoughts on the result\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re the moments we live for. Big performances. Supporters to feel it, a lot of satisfaction when I can be part of that, see people enjoy that. Important win for us tonight in different ways, coming through suspensions, injuries, Leny pulling out quite late, coaches putting a plan in place, adapting, making sure the boys were in a good place. We can play better, but a game for a result.\u201d<\/p>\n
What next for Chelsea?<\/p>\n
Tuesday, April 21: Brighton & Hove Albion, 8pm (A), Premier League<\/p>\n
Sunday, April 26: Leeds United, 3pm (H), English FA Cup semi-final<\/p>\n
Monday, May 4: Nottingham Forest, 3pm (H), Premier League<\/p>\n
Saturday, May 9: Liverpool, 12:30pm (A), Premier League<\/p>\n
Sunday, May 17: Tottenham Hotspur, 3pm (H), Premier League<\/p>\n
Sunday, May 24: Sunderland, 4pm (A), Premier League<\/p>\n
What next for Manchester United?<\/p>\n
Sunday, May 3: Brentford, 8pm (H), Premier League<\/p>\n
Saturday, May 9: Liverpool,\u00a03.30pm (H), Premier League<\/p>\n
Sunday, May 9: Sunderland, 3pm (A), Premier League<\/p>\n
Sunday, May 17: Nottingham Forest, 3pm (H), Premier League<\/p>\n
Sunday, May 24: Brighton, 4pm (A), Premier League<\/p>\n