After Cole Palmer’s thrilling last-gasp triumph, the whole Manchester United team was criticized for being “asleep.”
The lifelong Red Devils supporter scored a penalty kick in the 100th minute to tie the game at three all at Stamford Bridge.
With Kobbie Mainoo hands on his hips, Marcus Rashford staring the other way, and Bruno Fernandes pointing, none of Manchester United’s players accepted responsibility at the corner.
Cole Palmer had the freedom of West London to receive Enzo Fernandez’s pass
Following the record-breaking goal, Palmer was surrounded by teammates.
After that, eighty-two seconds later, he miraculously turned defeat into triumph by unleashing a speculative effort from a short corner that rebounded off Scott McTominay and found the back of the net.
It caused scenes of pure joy among the home team’s players, coaches, and spectators.
However, it completely shocked everyone associated with Manchester United.
The falling flops got a lot of flak from supporters who thought they should have paid more attention to the most recent Premier League winner.
Palmer collected the loose ball in the corner of the penalty area after Enzo Fernandez missed the target with a corner kick in the 101st minute.
No red-clad individual was within five yards.
Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount were both spotted pointing at Palmer before the kick but did not take responsibility to deal with him themselves.
Then Kobbie Mainoo had his hands on hips while Marcus Rashford was facing the wrong way.
Ex-Chelsea academy man Mount did run across to try and close Palmer down but it was too little, too late as the ex-City star got his shot away with devastating consequences.
McTominay leaned into the path of the ball but could only knock it beyond Andre Onana while the rest of the team stood around helplessly.
Former Red Devils centre-back Rio Ferdinand blasted on TNT: “Palmer shouldn’t be able to get there and turn if you’re concentrating, if you’re professional.
“You can’t afford to have those moments.”
“That tells you concentration is a problem, an issue.”
Rio Ferdinand let rip for their lack of concentration
And it also prompted a series of furious comments from supporters on X.
One said: “Falling asleep from a corner. Yeah get in the bin. Threw this game away like that. Unforgivable!!!!”
Another wrote: “And that Chelsea winner sums it up. Corner to the edge of the area to Chelsea’s biggest danger, United completely asleep as an entire team. Embarrassing.”
A third added: “Half the team pointing at Palmer and nobody going to him is very funny.”
A fourth raged: “Seasoned pros don’t defend a corner. Stunning absolutely stunning.”
A fifth moaned: “I’m not being funny but who is organising the defence for that corner? Onana, Maguire it’s on the GK and CB to ensure you don’t get done by a simple short corner!”
And a final fan simply fumed: “The marking for short corner, madness and irresponsible.”
The spectacular collapse all unfolded in front of new United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe who was in the posh seats in West London.
Antony and Alejandro Garnacho, though, did themselves no harm with their performances at the other end of the pitch.
The former put in one of his best performances for the club – including a superb outside-of-the-boot cross for Garnacho to head in for his second of the night to make it 3-2.
Mainoo also received praise early on for ‘bullying’ Fernandez to the floor.
But it was the Argentine World Cup winner who had the last laugh, sliding in celebration in front of the dugouts after Palmer’s magic moment right at the end.
Only Mason Mount made any attempt to close down the shot
The ball bounced off Scott McTominay into the back of the net
Erik ten Hag could not believe what he witnessed
Mason Mount looked totally stunned on his nightmare return to Chelsea