Manchester United 1, Fulham 2
Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi scored the goals as Fulham beat Manchester United at Old Trafford for only the second time since 1963.
Harry Maguire had earlier though he had rescored a point with an 89th minute equaliser – he might have been sent off earlier for a clumsy tackle on Sasa Lukic – but the Reds were urged to go for a winner and instead ended up conceding in the 7th minute of added time.
Timed at 96 minutes at 4 seconds it was the second latest winning goal ever scored against United in the Premier League – and the latest goal on record since 2006/07.
And it was all the more remarkable as it was only Fulham’s second away win since the opening day of the season – but also their first win against United in any competition since December 2009 – a run stretching back 18 games.
The result left United in 6th place, 8 points behind Aston Villa in fourth place with Tottenham in 5th place just 3 points ahead but yet to play this weekend.
They have now lost 10 Premier League games this season – only twice did they lose more in the Premier League era – in 2013/14 and 2021/22 and it is the fifth time they have lost 10 or more games in the competition since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
And there are just 12 games left for the Reds to claim an all important Champions League spot at the end of the season.
On the evidence of today – United know they will have a battle on to knock Manchester City and Liverpool off their perch after they were brought crashing back down to earth following the end of their 7 game unbeaten run this year.
Without the injured Rasmus Hojlund United’s strike force cost £325,000 in fees and for a time looked every penny of it as they toiled against an organised Fulham side.
Diogo Dalot went close while Rodrigo Muniz also struck the woodwork and saw a couple of efforts go wide in cagey first half.
Neither side looked capable of creating the killer chance to score in a game that did have chances but lacked good finishing until the Reds failed to pick up Calvin Bassey from a Fulham set piece.
Alex Iwobi shot wide twice after Fulham patiently looked for gaps to exploit against United.
Andre Onana had to clear an effort from Rodrigo Muniz while his defenders had too much to do as Fulham found gaps in the United midfield all too easily.
Antonee Robinson cleared off the line from Alejandro Garnacho with United improving but Fulham went very close after Muniz shot the post after turning Victor Lindelof and striking a rising shot towards goal.
Harry Maguire escaped censure after a badly mistimed tackle on Sasa Lukic Onana tipped away a curling shot by Andreas Pereira.
As the rain swept over Old Trafford in the second half there were injuries to Casemiro and Harrison reed after both clashed heads while going for the ball.
Scott McTominay replaced Casemiro, who went off with a cut to the head, while Christian Eriksen replaced Forson as United made the first changes with the ineffective Fernandes moving to the right flank.
And United could have been a goal down after Dalot was robbed in midfield and Iwobi set up a 3 on 1 counter attack but the Pereira should have done better with the final ball and gave Onana a chance to save.
Home fans became restless as the game slowed down in the rainy conditions.
But it was the away fans that celebrated after Harrison Reed’s cross was punched over his own bar by Onana and from the resulting corner the loose ball fell to Calvin Bassey who had two chances to score from Pereira’s corner – his first effort came back off Timothy Castagne before he smashed the loose ball into the roof of the net.
Reed shot just over the bar shortly afterwards with United reeling as the skies cleared over Old Trafford.
Leno saved a tame shot from Fernandes and also tipped away an effort by Rashford as United had to go for it with time running out.
Harry Wilson could have doubled the lead after Eriksen lost the ball in United’s poor midfield.
United lacked ideas until 1 minute from time when they caught a break after Maguire kept the ball in play and crossed to Bruno Fernandes whose speculative low shot from the left was spilled by Bernd Leno and fell to Maguire who had an easy tap in at the back post.
United finally had the crowd behind them and as 9 minutes of added time came up – enough for a winner?
Leno saved from Lindelof’s attempted header while Leno spilled another Fernandes shot but there was nobody around for the tap-in and in their eagerness to score they neglected to defend.
Muniz headed wide after a slick added time Fulham move before Adama Traore left Maguire in the dust in the 7th of 9 added minutes and passed to Iwobi who was free on the left flank to strike the winner from 15 yards out.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 1, Fulham 2
Andre Onana: 6. Early test by Andreas Pereira. Came off his line in a show of confidence to get the ball at the right touchline. Cleared Rodrigo Muniz header and tipped away a curling shot by Pereira. Saved from Pereira after it looks like Fulham would score. Punched over Harrison Reed’s cross to give away the corner for the first goal and was left on his own to fend off Alex Iwobi for the Fulham winner.
Diogo Dalot: 6. Had to look after Alex Iwobi as Fulham probed for weaknesses. Sent a long range shot wide and hit the post as he had a go too.
Raphael Varane: 5. Found it hard to mark the slippery Rodrigo Muniz.
Harry Maguire: 6. Solid defending from aerial threats but isolated upfield at times. Shot over the bar. Lucky to escape red card after a nasty tackle on Sasa Lukic. Headed a corner over the bar from close range before he tapped in the equaliser from close range. But left behind as Adama Traore broke free on the right and slipped the ball to Alex Iwobi to score the winner.
Victor Lindelof: 5. Cleared a cross in to the United box. Turned by Rodrigo Muniz.
Kobbie Mainoo: 5. A bit behind play as Fulham moved the ball around midfield. Sliced a shot wide when he should have looked for another pass.
Casemiro: 5. Sat relatively deep with little of the forward adventuring but Fulham still exploited space around him. Had to go off after getting a cut to the head while challenging for the ball with Harrison Reed.
Alejandro Garnacho: 6. Shots cleared off the line by Antonee Robinson and Bernd Leno. Faded in the second half.
Bruno Fernandes: 6. Not much impact early on, couldn’t find space and Hollywood passes initially didn’t come off. Moved to the right flank after early changes in the second half. A tame shot didn’t test Bernd Leno but a late shot did get the German to spill it and Harry Maguire did the rest.
Omari Forson: 5. Selected on the right flank ahead of Antony. Good touches in advanced positions but did not add anything to the performance.
Marcus Rashford: 5. Not much impact up front – did cut the ball back into the 6 yard box but nobody was there to tap it in. Didn’t exactly run to track back as Fulham worked hard to get the ball.
Scott McTominay (on for Casemiro, 53): 5. Didn’t find a lot of space as he occupied increasingly high areas of the pitch.
Christian Eriksen (on for Omari Forson, 53): 5. Ineffectual in midfield and gave the ball away in a move which could have cost United a second goal.
Amad Diallo (on for Kobbie Mainoo, 80): No time to mark.
Antony (on for Victor Lindelof, 90+9): No time to mark
TEAM NEWS – Manchester United 1, Fulham 2
Winger Antony was left on the bench on his 24th birthday after academy graduate Omari Forson was handed his full debut in the team after news of injury to Rasmus Hojlund and Luke Shaw emerged this week.
Hojlund was ruled out for two to three weeks and will almost certainly miss next week’s Manchester derby and Marcus Rashford was given the centre forward role in his absence.
Shaw might now miss the rest of the season after being ruled out for twelve weeks – his place in the team was taken by Victor Lindelof.
GOALS – Manchester United 1, Fulham 2
Man Utd 0, Fulham 1: 65. Calvin Bassey smashed the loose ball into the roof of the net from 8 yards out after his first shot came back off Timothy Castagne following Andreas Pereira’s corner.
Man Utd 1, Fulham 1: 89. Harry Maguire was at hand to tap in the loose ball after Bernd Leno spilled Bruno Fernandes low effort from 4 yards out.
Man Utd 2, Fulham 1: 90+7. Alex Iwobi had all the time he needed to guide the ball home from 15 yards out after Adama Traore left Harry Maguire trailing him on the right flank, cut inside and found his team mate unmarked on the left.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 1, Fulham 2
Man Utd: Onana, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Lindelof (Antony 90+9), Mainoo (Diallo 80), Casemiro (McTominay 53), Garnacho, Fernandes (C), Forson (Eriksen 53), Rashford
Man Utd Subs not used: Bayindir, Sofyan Ambrabat, Evans, Kambwala, Collyer
Booked: Maguire 36 (foul on Sasa Lukic), Fernandes 90+10
Goal: Maguire 89
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Adarabioyo, Bassey, Robinson, Reed (C) (Traore 77), Lukic, Wilson (Diop 81), Pereira (Cairney 68), Iwobi, Muniz
Fulham Subs not used: Rodak, Tete, Broja, Ballo-Toure, Ream, De Cordova-Reid
Booked: Adarabioyo 25 (foul on Alejandro Garnacho); Pereira 42 (shirt pull on Alejandro Garnacho); Wilson 45+2 (foul on Alejandro Garnacho); Leno 90; Cairney 90+10
Goals: Bassey 65; Iwobi 90+7
Referee: Michael Oliver
Attendance: 73,487