Manchester United hit 40-year-low with worst Premier League start since 1986-87 season

A turbulent week for Manchester United wrapped up with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea, marking the club's poorest league start in nearly 40 years. Moises Caicedo's impressive long-range volley secured a point for Chelsea and left United with just 12 points—its lowest tally after the first 10 matches since the 1986-87 season. That season was significant, as it marked the arrival of Alex Ferguson, who would go on to guide the club to an era of remarkable success, claiming 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies. Fans will be hoping this serves as a good omen following Erik ten Hag's dismissal and the hiring of Ruben Amorim.

United captain Bruno Fernandes commented, "When a manager is let go, some responsibility falls on the players because the team isn't performing well. I spoke to Ten Hag to express my disappointment and apologized." Fernandes had initially put United ahead with a penalty in the 70th minute during the match against Chelsea, as interim head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy aimed to secure consecutive victories after defeating Leicester 5-2 in the League Cup. However, Caicedo equalized just four minutes later, ensuring the points were shared, much to the dismay of the watching Olivia Rodrigo.

Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca praised his team, stating, "We managed to do something very difficult in this stadium against this opponent... we were down and quickly fought back." With this result, Chelsea climbed to fourth in the league standings, ahead of Arsenal on goal difference, while United lagged six points behind in 13th, struggling to keep pace in the Champions League qualification race.

Earlier in the day, Tottenham triumphed over Aston Villa with a score of 4-1. Ten Hag was dismissed on Monday, and although Amorim has been selected as his successor, he won't officially take charge until November 11. For now, Van Nistelrooy is at the helm, making management seem relatively straightforward for a brief period. Fernandes' penalty had United on track for a win that would have closed the gap to four points from the top four, but Caicedo's strike changed that.

"I'm disappointed that we didn't win. We created more chances, but overall the performance was fantastic. The players gave their all on the pitch," Van Nistelrooy remarked. His future remains uncertain once Amorim steps in, but he has two matches left—against PAOK Salonika in the Europa League and Leicester in the league—before handing over the reins. "We'll support him (Amorim) and work to restore Manchester United to the level we aspire to," added Van Nistelrooy.