Key events
Jonathan Liew’s match report has landed, and it will be well worth reading. Thanks for your company, correspondence and frustration with VAR, and apologies for not getting through all the mail.
In the 3pm games, there have already been goals for Brentford and Everton, though somehow Bournemouth haven’t managed one at the Etihad. Do follow those dramas with John Brewinbut don’t deny yourself a look at Liew. His opening paragraph is a peach.
“You may have missed it,” says John Foster, “but there was a protest by Fulham fans during the game about the massive ticket price increases that have been a feature of Shahid Khan’s chairmanship. Home fans held up yellow cards in the 18th minute to reflect the average 18% rise in season-ticket prices this year. At a time when household budgets everywhere are squeezed, longstanding fans, and would-be new fans, are being priced out for the sake of short-term profits. Keep up the good work etc.”
Thanks, that’s kind, because I did miss this. Apologies to John and to Matt Morrissey, who made the same point during the game, in slightly fewer words: “Come on mate!”
A few minutes ago Scott McTominay presented Fernandes with the match award and gave him a hug. When they spoke to TNT, McTominay gave a little insight into the United players’ thinking. He said they’d been fired up by a banner in the away section that said “Play like you mean it”.
He certainly did that himself. And so did Harry Maguire, who was injured in the first 40 seconds of the match, yet somehow was still there, shepherding the ball out, in the 93rd minute. His head may have been sore, but it still rose to deal with half a dozen corners.
McTominay and Maguire: the men Ten Hag tried to sell. Of those he has signed, only Christian Eriksen (fitfully), André Onana (reliably, now) and dear old Jonny Evans (manfully) are playing well, though Mason Mount may just have begun the journey back to being a proper creative midfielder.
Pellistri won’t grab the headlines, but he really did seize the moment.
Facundo Pellistri’s assist for Bruno Fernandes was his second for Manchester United, and his first in the Premier League.
Big difference off the bench. 🇺🇾 pic.twitter.com/TsIVRC1OTz
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) November 4, 2023
United go sixth!
Had they lost, United might have slid down a snake to 12th in the table. Thanks to Fernandes and Pellistri, they shin up a ladder from eighth to sixth.
They have 18 points from 11 games – won six, lost five – which is enough to nudge them ahead of Newcastle and Brighton (both on 17 points from ten) for now. United’s goal difference is still an embarrassment – minus four. Still, for the sixth time out of seven this season, they’ve done just enough to see off a team below them in the table. Fulham remain 14th for the moment, behind Palace on goal difference.
The player of the match is Bruno Fernandes. After 89 minutes, it would have been Alex Iwobi.
Half an hour ago, our resident Fulham fan wrote this. “‘Fulham well on top’,” said Richard Hirst, quoting me with a snort. “More shots, more corners – we all know how this is going to end!” Visionary.
United did finish strongly
United were the lesser team for most of the second half, but they got their act together when it counted. They were better with their subs on – Mason Mount had some deft touches after secretly improving against Newcastle, and Facundo Pellistri’s persistence paid off. But the headlines will belong to Bruno Fernandes.
Fulham are left ruing their wastefulness They had 18 shots and only two of them were on target.
FULL TIME! Fulham 0-1 Man United (Fernandes 90)
United’s captain gets their manager off the hook!
90+7 min United get into the box but nothing comes of it.
90+5 min Erik ten Hag tells the fourth official that we’ve had five minutes. She firmly reminds him that the goal means extra added time.
90+4 min Fulhammore urgent now, get into the box. Maguire sees the ball out with some strength – of body, at this moment, and of mind, to be still on the field, 93 minutes after he was looking dazed.
90+3 min We’re having five added minutes, which will now stretch to six or seven.
90+1 min The chance was largely created by Pellistri, who was a dog with a bone as Fulham failed with a few opportunities to clear. But big credit to Bruno Fernandes too. He carved out the space and finished with great composure, into the corner, to Leno’s left. A captain’s innings.
GOAL! Fulham 0-1 Man United (Fernandes 90)
It’s Fergie time!
89 min Wilson takes the free kick and it’s another tribute to Bobby Zamora. It’s Wilson’s final kick of the match as he gives way to Tom Cairney. Raul Jimenez is on too.
87 min United come again, Fulham clear and Palhinha breaks away down the right. Fernandes brings him down without, as far as I can see, getting the booking that would bring him a suspension.
Dalot then cuts down Wilson and he does see yellow. That was about halfway to red.
85 min Garnacho draws another foul, from Harry Wilson, and the ref produces another yellow card. The pendulum has swung again: for the past few minutes, United have actually been quite good.
84 min Chances for United! Fernandes hits the free kick well and draws a save from Leno, low to his left. United keep the attack going and Dalot’s cross finds Martial, whose scissor kick goes just wide.
82 min Garnacho sets off on a run and it’s his best moment of the match. He beats three players and draws a foul from a fourth, Iwobi, who goes into the book.
79 min More United subs! Ten Hag removes Hojlund, who is visibly fuming. On trots Anthony Martial, who owes United a hatful of goals. Mason Mount comes on too, replacing Eriksen in midfield.
78 min Chance! Dalot, who got United’s last winner, blasts from the edge of the box, but it’s not his best.
77 min Fulham made another substitution then – Willian off, Sasa Lukic on. The latest man down is McTominay, maybe winded.
Muniz goes off in tears
74 min Oh dear. Muniz goes down again and he seems to be weeping. He’s at least able to walk off. Carlos Vinicius replaces him, not Raul Jimenez.
74 min At one end, Hojlund almost gets away on the break, but can’t sort his feet out as Castagne keeps pace with him. At the other, Iwobi shoots wide.
73 min It’s end-to-end now. Iwobi’s cross is a teaser, but Wan-Bissaka does well to head it away.
71 min A shot from United! Pellistri latches onto Eriksen’s cross, comes in from the right, shoots with his left … straight at Leno.
It’s becoming one-sided
70 min Since half-time, Fulham have had seven shots to United’s one.
68 min Muniz goes down and needs some treatment. He’s able to continue, as is Maguire for now. Maguire has played well but he probably needs to come off.
67 min Palhinha goes into the book for a foul on Fernandes in the centre circle. That may be harsh. Garnacho joins him, more straightforwardly, for tripping Wilson.
65 min Another chance! Muniz gets a header in from near the penalty spot, and it’s not bad. Another save for Onana’s collection.
64 min The first sub! Antony goes off, to a smattering of boos, which are surely not protests from United fans. He was lucky to last an hour. Facundo Pellistri takes over on the right wing.
62 min Fulham are well on top now. A scramble in the United box, a lunge from Maguire, yet another corner. Chance! To Calvin Bassey, whose shot is cleared off the line by Dalot.
61 min As Maguire comes back on, Fulham fancy their chances. Onana makes a good save, then another.
