The pouring rain pouring down from the hazy sky at Old Trafford Stadium is a bad warning for Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim.
Man United's dismal start to the season has been no different from the gloomy weather, creating a suffocating scene for a match where Amorim knew he could not afford to lose after a slow start.
Under the increasing pressure on the captain in difficulty, the "Red Devils" players fought their best to help him win an important victory. This could be a catalyst for them to restart their campaign.
Amorim's technical area may be flooded with persistent rain, but the Man United coach is not negligent. He can breathe a sigh of relief after that important victory.
The night before the match, Amorim affirmed that even the popes could not make him give up the controversial 3-4-3 formation. But certainly, the Man United coach prayed for help from the lucky factor to keep the victory. After Chelsea scored, the home team had to go through worried moments.
Even though they lost the advantage of a Man because Casemiro was sent off in the first half, then conceded a goal with only 10 minutes left, Man United kept their calm and disciplined to finally win all 3 points.
On the damp rain, some players had a brave performance. Captain Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring, while Matthijs De Ligt and Luke Shaw - who were poor players in last week's Manchester derby - promptly paid the price with impressive performances.
This is the first of a three-match series before the international break, which is seen as a turning point in Amorim's future at Old Trafford, despite the board's public support. If the "Red Devils" fall to coach Enzo Maresca's team, the pressure will be even greater on the 40-year-old strategist before the away trip to Brentford.
In the context of Man United's declining form, Amorim's statements have also become less concise. Before the match against Chelsea, the message he sent was only limited to 125 words.
Although concise, Amorim's message after an unimpressive start to the new season is still full of weight: "Now is the time for action, not words".
After the humiliating defeat to Man City, Man United's leadership quickly sent out the message that the statistics prove that the team is improving under Amorim, instead of going down.
They pointed out that Man United currently lead the Premier League in total shots and touches in the box, second in expected goals (xG) in live football, fourth in shots on target and fifth in passes into the box. All are significant improvements compared to last season.
Those statistics may be accurate, but for Sir Jim Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, the only thing that is really meaningful is still the result. And that is why this victory - only Amorim's ninth in 32 Premier League games - is particularly important.
Man United entered the match against Chelsea with countless doubts. But now, they can look forward instead of constantly fearing the danger lurking behind them.
As Chelsea pressed for an equalizer, the 70,000 spectators at Old Trafford only breathed a sigh of relief in the penultimate minute, after Matheus Cunha was fouled right in the penalty area by the away team.
This situation allows Man United to extend the time, preserving the victory could become an important turning point in Amorim's challenging reign.
