The new season started with a gallant failure in the finest of Fulham traditions. Marco Silva’s side were tasked with repeating their shock win at Old Trafford on the Premier League’s opening night and succeeded in giving Manchester United another scare. The Whites could easily have gone in front over the course of the first twenty minutes and carved out several good chances in a second half that swung from end to end before having a point cruelly snatched away three minutes from time when substitute Josh Zirkzee converted Alejandro Garnacho’s cross to give Erik ten Hag’s far from convincing Red Devils the scrappiest of victories.
There was much to admire about Fulham’s endeavour especially as Silva’s side have been shorn of their talisman for a second season running. In the absence of Joao Palhinha, the Portuguese head coach took the bold option of dropping former United number ten Andreas Pereira into a deeper midfield role alongside Sasa Lukic and playing summer signing Emile Smith Rowe as an attacking midfield. The visitors’ early threat came from the wide positions with Kenny Tete rampaging forward for right back and forcing Andre Onana into a superb save before a revitalised Adama Traore, outstanding the right flank, fired over the bar and had another shot blocked.
The home side were far from fluent but improved after a nervy opening. Amad Diallo didn’t succeed in winning a penalty against Antonee Robinson, but Fulham were fortunate to escape when Bernd Leno’s atrocious pass allowed Casemiro to pick out Bruno Fernandes but the German goalkeeper made amends with his feet. Leno was on hand again to snuff out the danger when Fernandes pulled the trigger had been put through on goal and United went close again on the stroke of half time when Casemiro nodded into the side netting at the back post from a corner.
Fulham looked the likelier at the start of the second half with Iwobi glancing a corner from Pereira over the bar, but United enjoyed a strong spell that saw Leno repel a deft improvised finish from Mason Mount before England international Kobbie Mainoo cracked an effort wide from outside the area. Muniz, who battled manfully all night, almost put the Londoners ahead when his deflected bicycle kick was palmed wide by a backpedalling Onana.
The Brazilian then brilliantly held onto possession whilst being fouled by Lisandro Martinez – who somehow escaped a second caution – and found Pereira only for his compatriot’s pass to put Iwobi in the clear to be cut out by Harry Maguire. The Whites looked likely to break the deadlock when Tom Cairney picked out Pereira along the left wing with the ensuing low cross turned wide of his own net by a fortunate Martinez.
Silva withdrew Traore and Smith Rowe with time ticking away and the game’s pivotal moment came after Fernandes had curled disappointingly into Leno’s arms from the edge of the area. Zirkzee started the move, dropping deep and finding Casemiro on the right flank. Garnacho found space on the right flank to find Zirkzee, who threaded a dream debut goal into the bottom corner to give United the lead. Garnacho should have made sure of the points after an airkick from Calvin Bassey but the winger stabbed woefully wide having been gifted an open goal by Marcus Rashford.
Defeat was gutting for Fulham – but there was plenty to admire about an adventurous display that suggested Silva’s side can feel quite confident about competing in the top tier for a third season in succession.
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Onana; Mazraoui (de Ligt 81), Dalot, Maguire (Evans 81), Martinez; Mainoo (McTominay 84), Casemiro; Diallo (Garnacho 61), Rashford, Fernandes; Mount (Zirkzee 61). Subs (not used): Bayindir, Collyer, Eriksen, Antony.
BOOKED: Mount, Maguire.
GOAL: Zirkzee (87).
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, A. Robinson, Diop, Bassey; Lukic (Stansfield 90+1), Pereira (Reed 90+1); Traore (Wilson 78), Iwobi, Smith Rowe (Cairney 78), Muniz (Jimenez 78). Subs (not used): Benda, Castagne, Cuenca, King.
BOOKED: Bassey, Pereira, Cairney.
REFEREE: Rob Jones (Merseyside).
ATTENDANCE: 73,297.
I wish I had the same rose-tinted glasses as you but I saw this completely differently.
Three points thrown away. Well, at least, ONE point thrown away.
This game was there for the taking but too many sub-par performances. Awful lapses of concentration at critical moments. And it affected the entire team.
From the moment that Leno rashly presented United with an opening with his sloppy distribution in the first half; although, fair play, he saved himself from embarrassment with a smart save (and made a couple more timely saves) -to the terrible crossing of Robinson when we were in the ascendancy, second half, and the unbelievable mis-timing of Pereira’s passing at crucial times -to the total mis-kick by Bassey in the closing stages, this was an error strewn performance by Fulham.
Lukic had a decent enough game -for an hour- but, after 60 minutes, his passing, too, began to go astray. Why did Silva wait until the 90th minute to sub him?
Why was Jay Stansfield introduced in the 90th minute??? What the hell could Silva expect of him that late in the game. I’m just baffled by these decisions.
Silva has assured us that we WILL be signing a holding midfielder AND a central defender- which is great, BUT, IMO, we badly lack a left sided wide player. Iwobi is NOT a left winger, no matter how much we wish he was. He used to be a RIGHT winger and seems half decent on that side but, with Traore in the team, that is not an option.
As for Traore, a blistering run in the first half, showed his quality. At full pace, he is a threat. But, slow him down and he isn’t. It’s that simple.
Smith Rowe was a disappointment but he will improve with game time.
Just gutted that we came away with nothing because United, for all their hundreds of millions spent, are very ordinary indeed.
Leicester next and this loss should liven everybody up and we can get three points on the board.
Hold your horses Charles! Yes, for the ardent Fulham fan this game seemed to show that it was there to be taken and that only our player’s silly errors prevented us from getting the point(s). The truth however is that we were playing away in a very hostile stadium, against a team that spends over hundred million in new recruitment every season. I for one saw a battling display, yes our players made some unexpected errors but I was very happy to see them having the upper hand for the first 20 minutes. I totally agree that we are missing at least 3 players including a wide player instead of Willian but I am also full of hope for another good season after yesterday’s display. The next match against the foxes will show were we are really it, it will be anything but easy but if we manage to start the home games with 3 points I totally believe this will be another season full of satisfactions. COYW
I’m with Charles on this one.Normal service v Man Utd resumed.Couldn’t keep hold of the ball well enough.Couldn’t do enough with it when we had it.Couldn’t keep up concentration for 90+ minutes resulting in their usual late winner.How many times do we have to lose to United like this before we learn?Bitterly disappointed at the loss of an ideal opportunity to start the season with a positive result.Hopefully the new faces Marco’s been talking about will step us up a level.
Got to agree with you Simon. Bit scratchy alround, Man U were no better than us. Early season opener, full of errors but well contested. Things will improve.
Just to say there were a few positives to take from the game, notably Robinson, Tete, and Leno, despite the mistaken, so excellent saves. Thought Lukic showed signs of improvement too.