Fulham 0 Man Utd 1
Marco Silva’s side welcomed Man Utd to Craven Cottage with Erik ten Hag’s position as manager coming under scrutiny as the side endure their worst ever start to a Premier League season. Marcus Rashford was demoted to the bench after a falling out with the manager.
The visitors were to score an early goal as Fernandes’ free kick was played back across goal for McTominay to slot home. Sadly for the Red Devils it was disallowed as Maguire was in an offside position and seen to be affecting play.
Willian then put a teasing cross into the back post, looking for Wilson, but Dalot did well to slide in and clear when a goal looked imminent. Willian was to show that he was not just a good Tracy Chapman lookalike as he bent one narrowly wide of the far post.
In a game of few chances the most interesting part of the first half were the questions as to whether Harry Maguire was concussed from an early collision as physios came on a few times to check the wellbeing of the defender.
Credit: @FulhamFC
There are few Man Utd defenders who don’t feel a bit punch-drunk this season such has been the battering their back line has been getting from opponents, the media and fans alike as they constantly look like conceding goals.
Fulham continued to try and create an opening, knowing the confidence of their opponents was so low that a goal could send them into another spiral. Wilson tried his luck from range in the second half but Onana managed to keep it out, unconvincingly.
When the United stopper does make saves, he all too often looks like an outfield player has been given the goalkeeper jersey. He has an uncanny knack of parrying the ball back into the danger area which puts pressure on his defenders to mop up.
Palhinha was the next Fulham player to have a sight of goal but he thundered his shot straight at the keeper who kind of palmed/punched the ball clear to keep the score level. It may not look pretty but Onana was keeping the ball out of the goal.
Garnacho went on a mazy run from the touchline before he was bundled to the floor. Fernandes opted to try his luck from a long way out but Leno was equal to it as he got down well to push it clear of the goal.
Dalot managed to get a cross in from the byline which Martial tried to overhead kick into the goal. The effort went well wide. Such is the striker’s goal return that this was really like someone doing a somersault on their first bungee jump.
Credit: @ManUtd
Fulham then lost their heads defensively as they failed to clear the ball at least five times, hacking it into Man Utd players constantly, before the ball broke to the edge of the box to Bruno Fernandes. Pressure was building on the hosts.
The Man Utd captain dummied a shot with his left foot before checking onto his right and bent the ball into the bottom corner of the goal. Fernandes’ 91st minute winner gave the Red Devils a much-needed win and all three points.
It wasn’t a classic performance by any stretch of the imagination but wins are all that matter right now for the Old Trafford outfit. Marco Silva will feel his side missed a chance to get a rare win against United but they seem to be lacking a proven goalscorer in the final third of the pitch.
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