LONDON: Manchester United’s nightmare winless run reached nine games when they lost 2-0 at Chelsea and Manchester City also suffered a harrowing Halloween as the Premier League leaders went down 1-0 at ​home to Brighton.

United were the better team before halftime at Stamford Bridge but paid heavily for not taking chances as a solo effort by ‌Morgan Rogers and a Cole Palmer penalty after the break heaped more pressure on the visitors’ manager Michael Carrick.

A horror start to the second half for United was compounded by a needless red card for defender Lisandro Martinez in conceding the 63rd-minute penalty that Palmer tucked away.

Manager Michael Carrick has now overseen United’s longest winless run since 1988 and a fourth successive Premier League defeat means they ​have just seven points from their opening nine games.

United were spared dropping into the relegation zone only by virtue of Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace both losing – 2-0 at Brentford and Tottenham respectively.

City’s 100pc Premier League record was ended last week by ​Aston Villa and their hopes of bouncing back quickly were undone by third-placed Brighton who avenged their midweek League Cup loss to City thanks to Yasin Ayari’s early goal.

Champions Arsenal will replace City as leaders if they avoid defeat at Liverpool on Sunday. City have 21 points from nine games with Arsenal also on ⁠21 from eight, Brighton on 19 and Chelsea in fourth place on 16.

Resurgent ​Tottenham made it three wins on the bounce to move eighth although they were given a helping hand as Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta was red-carded in the 13th minute for a lunging tackle on Micky van de Ven. Archie Gray headed Spurs in front ​after 25 minutes and Jan Paul van Hecke wrapped it up with a header from a prone position after his initial effort hit the bar.

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