According to a report by ESPN UK on Saturday, October 31, 2026, Manchester United suffered another disappointing afternoon after Matheus Cunha’s surfing celebration was cut short by a VAR decision during their 2-0 Premier League defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Cunha thought he had opened the scoring for United after finding the net from close range. The Brazilian forward immediately celebrated with his teammates, including Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo. However, their excitement did not last long as the Video Assistant Referee intervened and ruled out the goal for offside.

The incident represented another frustrating moment for Michael Carrick's team, who began the encounter positively but failed to convert their promising opportunities into goals.

Cunha had found the net after Harry Maguire won the initial header from a corner. Unfortunately for United, a VAR review established that the Brazilian was in an offside position when the ball returned to him, forcing the referee to disallow the effort.

United had shown attacking intent before the interval, with Amad also threatening Chelsea's defence and Mbeumo contributing to several dangerous moves. However, their inability to take advantage of those opportunities meant both sides went into halftime without a goal.

Chelsea returned from the break with a completely different approach and eventually took the lead in the 50th minute. Morgan Rogers produced an impressive individual effort, breaking through United's defensive line before lifting the ball beyond goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

The breakthrough shifted the momentum in Chelsea's favour, making life increasingly difficult for Carrick's players. United's problems worsened when Lisandro Martinez received a second yellow card following a VAR review of an incident involving Wesley Fofana.

The decision reduced United to 10 players and resulted in a penalty for the home side. Cole Palmer confidently converted the opportunity, taking Chelsea's advantage to 2-0. The strike also marked his 50th Premier League goal for the club.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, United continued searching for a response. Mbeumo nearly reduced the deficit during stoppage time, but his powerful long-range effort struck the crossbar after goalkeeper Mike Penders managed to touch the ball.

Chelsea also saw a goal from Estevao Willian disallowed for offside, but the hosts had already secured a comfortable victory.

The result ended Chelsea's disappointing run following defeats in the Premier League and Carabao Cup. Meanwhile, United were left facing further questions about their performances under Carrick.

According to Reuters, the defeat extended Manchester United's winless run across all competitions to nine matches. The growing struggle to convert scoring opportunities has intensified concerns about the team's direction and increased pressure on Carrick's position as manager.