Ian Wright maintains that during Fulham’s triumph over Manchester United at Old Trafford, the team continuously tried to expose Raphael Varane.
Calvin Bassey gave the visitors the lead in the second half as the Cottagers won a well-earned victory in Manchester on Saturday afternoon.
Although Harry Maguire gave Erik ten Hag’s team hope, Alex Iwobi scored deep into injury time to secure the victory, meaning there was no last-minute comeback this time.
It put a stop to United’s five-game winning streak, who were without Rasmus Hojlund, Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez.
The difference in skill between the two teams was so great that Fulham and Marco Silva were able to exploit a hole in the United defense, according to Arsenal legend Wright, who also feels Fulham might have defeated United by “three or four goals.”
‘Man United are non-existent without the ball,’ Wright told Wrighty’s House.
‘The front three don’t press as a three, the midfield are not close enough to players they are trying to receive it from. Fulham could have beaten them three or four.’
Regarding the subject of mounting pressure at Old Trafford, Wright added: ‘That is starting to bubble already. I tell you who you could hear a couple of… not groans but… is Varane. I could see Fulham targeted Varane.
‘They marked up everybody in the midfield and only gave him one pass back inside to Harry Maguire and he took so long to get the control down and play it to Casemiro, then he got caught on it and Fulham went again.’
With a win against Nottingham Forest, fourth placed Aston Villa moved eight points ahead of United in the Premier League standings.
Just when United were playing their best football of the season and getting results, the injury to Rasmus Hojlund has completely destroyed the team’s momentum. His absence was felt against Fulham at Old Trafford.
Numerous times United have lost points with their immaturity and poor in-game management and the defeat against Fulham was another such example. These points could come back to cost dearly at the end of the season.
