Robert Sanchez: Chelsea goalkeeper makes unwanted history with disastrous early red card
- Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez made unwanted history with an early red card against Manchester United.
- The Spaniard was dismissed just five minutes into the match after bringing down Bryan Mbeumo
- The shot-stopper has broken his silence after the costly blunder that denied Chelsea a vital point at Old Trafford
Robert Sánchez etched his name into the wrong kind of history on Saturday evening with a costly early red card against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Chelsea goalkeeper looked unsettled from the start, miscontrolling simple touches, before disaster struck when Bryan Mbeumo broke free on goal.
Source: Getty Images
After Benjamin Šeško’s clever flick released Mbeumo behind the Blues’ backline, Sánchez rushed off his line in a desperate attempt to intervene, a decision that backfired spectacularly.
Mbeumo toyed with the Spanish stopper, rolling the ball around him before Sánchez’s outstretched leg brought him crashing down.
The referee’s whistle followed immediately – red card. It became Chelsea’s earliest in the Premier League era and ranks as the third-fastest goalkeeper sending-off in the history of the competition.
Enzo Maresca could do little but watch as his goalkeeper trudged off, gloves in hand, the early dismissal leaving the Blues with 10 men in the first quarter of the match.
Backup goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen was rushed on to replace Estevão, while Enzo Maresca immediately reshuffled his side with a daring tactical change.
Pedro Neto was withdrawn for defender Tosin Adarabioyo, forming a five-man backline alongside Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah, with Reece James and Marc Cucurella operating as wing-backs.
Cole Palmer was forced off just 21 minutes into the game due to injury concerns.
But with a man down so early, Chelsea’s shape quickly unraveled, and United capitalised.
Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro struck before the break to hand the visitors a 2-0 lead. Chalobah’s second-half goal offered a flicker of hope, yet the mountain was too steep to climb.
Robert Sanchez apologises to Chelsea fan
Taking to social media after the game, Goal reported that Sanchez asked for forgiveness and took the blame of Chelsea's first league defeat of this season upon his shoulders.
"On me today guys, big sorry for that, team put a massive effort in the second half but couldn't get there," the former Brighton keeper wrote on his Instagram story.
Here is Robert Sanchez's post:
Since referee Peter Bankes dismissed him for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, the Spanish international faces only a one-match suspension.
According to the Sun, he’ll miss Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Lincoln City, but will be available for next weekend’s Premier League clash with his former club Brighton.
Chelsea, meanwhile, will aim to reset in midweek, with the EFL Cup fixture offering a chance to rebuild confidence before Brighton’s visit to Stamford Bridge.
Source: Getty Images
Chelsea's UCL hopes in jeopardy?
In a separate report, YEN.com.gh revealed why Chelsea’s Champions League hopes were in jeopardy despite their current fifth-place standing in the Premier League.
The real hurdle came from ownership complications, as the club’s parent company, BlueCo, also holds a majority stake in French outfit Strasbourg.
Source: YEN.com.gh
