Morgan Rogers has revealed that his delicate chipped finish in Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United was inspired by his teammate Joao Pedro. Speaking to former Blues striker Tore Andre Flo, Rogers explained that Pedro constantly urges him to attempt such finishes during training sessions. He pointed to how Pedro always asks him to do it when they train together.
The England international broke the deadlock at Stamford Bridge just five minutes into the second half. After Romeo Lavia dispossessed Bryan Mbeumo, Rogers surged through a static United defensive line before lifting the ball over goalkeeper Senne Lammens. This marked the 22-year-old’s fifth Premier League goal of the campaign following his British record £117 million transfer from Aston Villa this past July.
Cole Palmer later secured the result with a 64th-minute penalty—his 50th goal in the Premier League—after Lisandro Martinez received a second yellow card for a forearm challenge on Wesley Fofana. The victory moves Chelsea to fourth place in the standings with 16 points, while Manchester United remains in 16th place without a win in nine league fixtures.
Joao Pedro is currently sidelined after suffering a thigh injury during training just before the team’s defeat to Tottenham. Manager Xabi Alonso confirmed the striker will be out for several weeks and confirmed he is unavailable for upcoming matches. Consequently, the Brazilian forward has been omitted from his national squad for November friendlies against Japan and Singapore, with a potential return targeted for the home match against Leeds on November 21.
The team struggled offensively during Pedro’s absence, failing to score in a 3-0 loss at Brentford and a 2-0 home defeat to Spurs. Pedro, who signed a contract extension until 2034 in August, has tallied five goals and three assists in six league appearances this season. The squad is now focused on maintaining their momentum in an upcoming away match against Sunderland before the scheduled international break. He signed a new deal at the club until 2034 back in August.
