Manchester United’s winning streak has come to an end, with Erik ten Hag’s lethargic side deservedly running out losers against Fulham at Old Trafford.
Going into the game, Ten Hag was dealt with the news that both Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund would be on the sidelines for an extended period, which meant that the core of that winning run was cut apart before United’s turnaround got started for real.
Victor Lindelof started in Shaw’s place at left-back, with youngster Omari Forson coming in for Hojlund. It was hardly the absentees that would be the talking point after this game, however.
Fulham started as the better side and maintained that for almost the entirety of the game, with United making a push in the final 20 minutes.
Calvin Bassey opened the scoring in the second half when United, somehow, came out and performed worse than in the first 45.
In the opening half, United had been dealt several warning signs but there was little done to counter the threat Fulham were providing.
Instead, they continued doing just that in the second half and United didn’t have an answer. The opening goal was inevitable and when it came, United woke up. Briefly.
United’s desperate push in the final 20 minutes rewarded them with an 89th-minute equaliser through Harry Maguire and for a minute, it looked like a winner was looming large.
And it was. But it wasn’t United who were going to leave Old Trafford with three points. Yet again, United conceded a winner in stoppage time and lost the game.
It’s a story all too familiar for the Reds this season and really begs the question – where is the game management in these defining and decisive moments?
It’s an area United are severely lacking in and Ten Hag needs to look at adjusting his instructions – clearly, these players cannot execute what he’s asking of them.
And before any of them say it: they CANNOT make amends by beating Forest. We should be able to beat Fulham & Forest; beating just one (if indeed we do) is not good enough. ‘Not good enough’ is the soundtrack of our Season