Chelsea’s struggles continued on Saturday as they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, with a first-half goal proving decisive in a dour encounter.
The Blues, who looked below par for much of the game, were undone in the 43rd minute when Bruno Fernandes produced a moment of quality.
The Portuguese playmaker delivered a precise square pass into the path of Matheus Cunha, who made no mistake in slotting home what turned out to be the match-winner.
Despite falling behind, Chelsea showed flashes of urgency after the break but were left frustrated in front of goal. Their closest opportunities came in the second half when they struck the woodwork twice in quick succession.
Liam Delap first rattled the crossbar with a well-timed header in the 56th minute, before a dangerous delivery into the box took a deflection off Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui and crashed against the bar.
The result marks a worrying run of form for Chelsea, who have now lost four consecutive matches without finding the back of the net.
It is their worst scoring drought since November 1912, when they endured a five-game run without a goal in league competition.
For Manchester United, the victory strengthens their position in the upper tier of the table. They now sit third, holding a 10-point advantage over sixth-placed Chelsea as the race for European qualification intensifies.
Chelsea, meanwhile, face increasing pressure as they remain four points adrift of fifth place, the final spot that guarantees qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Fernandes’ influence was once again evident, with his assist taking his tally to 18 for the season – just two shy of the mark set by former Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in a single campaign.
