Manchester United’s difficult Premier League campaign continued on Saturday after they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, leaving them just above the relegation zone.

United entered the match under pressure following a disappointing run of results, but their struggles continued as Chelsea secured all three points through goals from Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer.

The visitors had opportunities to take control during the first half but failed to convert their chances. Chelsea grew stronger after the break, with Rogers finding the net before Palmer converted a penalty in the 64th minute.

United’s afternoon became even more difficult after Lisandro Martinez was sent off, leaving the visitors with little opportunity to fight their way back into the contest.

The defeat extended United’s winless run in the league to nine matches, increasing pressure on manager Michael Carrick and raising further questions about the club’s performances.

Elsewhere, Coventry City secured a 3-1 victory over Sunderland, while Brentford defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0. Those results added to the movement around the bottom end of the Premier League table.

United remained on seven points and avoided dropping into the relegation zone on Saturday, but their position remained precarious. Nottingham Forest also lost, while Coventry collected three important points.

The situation leaves United facing growing pressure to improve their results before the gap between them and the teams below becomes more difficult to manage.

With several matches still to be played, United have time to change their fortunes. However, their latest defeat has intensified concerns among supporters about the direction of the club’s season.