After holding on to claim three points at Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road last weekend, Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United would be hoping for another victory as they welcomed Fulham to Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
MUN: Onana; Lindelöf, Maguire, Varane, Dalot; Casemiro, Mainoo; Garnacho, Fernandes, Forson; Rashford
FUL: Leno, Robinson, Bassey, Adarabioyo, Castagne; Lukić, Reed; Iwobi, Pereira, Wilson; Muniz
Omari Forson was afforded his first senior start for Manchester United, with Erik ten Hag desperate to somehow fill the void left in his attacking lineup after an injury left the Red Devils without the services of Rasmus Højlund.
Manchester United simply did not look to pose a threat as they worked through the gears, and they were made to pay for their inefficiency in front of goal after 65 minutes, as Calvin Bassey slammed home a loose ball following a corner to seize the lead at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils would fight back though, seemingly salvaging a perhaps undeserved point in the final minute of regulation time as Harry Maguire picked up the pieces after Bernd Leno spilled a curling strike from Bruno Fernandes.
Yet the tale would have one further twist in the 97th minute, when Alex Iwobi arrived on the scene to dance around Diogo Dalot before picking out the bottom-left corner – beating a static Andre Onana in the process to seal all three points for the visitors.
Embed from Getty ImagesSaturday’s victory at Old Trafford is just Fulham’s second since 1963, and it ends a dire run of 11 straight Premier League away games without a win for the Cottagers. As for Manchester United, the defeat comes as a damning blow just days after new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe spoke of the club’s ambitions to ‘knock Manchester City and Liverpool off their perch.’
It is now simply imperative that Erik ten Hag’s side find form – and fast. They travel to Nottingham Forest for the Fifth Round of the Emirates FA Cup on Wednesday, before facing Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium next Sunday. The Red Devils received a 0-3 humbling at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
