MANCHESTER, OLD TRAFFORD — Alex Iwobi's 97th-minute winner ruined Manchester United's unbeaten start to 2024 as Fulham came away from Old Trafford with three points.
It's the second time in the Premier League era that Marco Silva's men have beaten United on their own patch. Their most recent league win at Old Trafford came more than two decades ago in 2003. It was also only the Cottagers' second away league win of the season.
Erik ten Hag's side thought they'd salvaged a point when Harry Maguire smashed home the equaliser in the 89th minute. Bernd Leno parried Bruno Fernandes' long-range effort into the path of the centre-back who made no mistake.
Calvin Bassey initially gave Fulham the lead as he found the roof of the net from a corner. His teammate, Timothy Castagne, blocked his first effort, but the ball fell kindly for the Nigeria international to thump past Andre Onana.
It was United's first match since injuries to Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund, two key players, and it showed. Aston Villa's win over Nottingham Forest sees Ten Hag's men eight points off the Champions League qualification places.
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Man United vs Fulham final score 2nd Half Goalscorers Man United 1 Maguire 89' Fulham 2 Bassey 65', Iwobi 90+7'Ahead of the match, the hype surrounded Omari Forson. He was the recipient of the loudest cheers as the starting lineups were announced and he replaced the injured Hojlund. United had three 2022 FA Youth Cup winners in the starting lineup: Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Forson.
Forson started ahead of the birthday boy, Antony, as he was left on the bench. Ten Hag's most expensive signing was embarrassingly brought on in the 99th minute and was essentially third-string behind Forson and Amad Diallo, who came on ahead of the £86 million man.
Just as United were enjoying their greatest run of form of the season, their impressive work could all be undone in the month of March. Without the likes of Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez and Hojlund, it's difficult to see who can step up to the challenge and be the difference-maker in a squad that lacks leadership.
They travel to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round in midweek ahead of their monstrous clash against their noisy neighbours.
97 - Alex Iwobi’s winner for Fulham at 96:04 is the second latest winning goal ever scored against Manchester United in the Premier League, and the latest goal on record (since 2006-07) scored by the visiting team at Old Trafford in the competition. Silenced. #MUNFUL pic.twitter.com/eE6APV2b6v
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 24, 2024Up next in the Premier League: A trip to the reigning champions at the EtihadWith Hojlund expected to miss the derby through injury, is there anyone who could step up for United in the goalscoring department?
The Danish forward's presence up front was greatly missed against Fulham and it took nearly half an hour to register their first shot of the match. The second half saw more of the same as United only had their first shot of that half in the 70th minute when Mainoo volleyed from Fernandes' corner and it went out for a throw-in.
As Ten Hag prepares his side to face title-chasing City, it appears their goal-scoring options will be limited and their current squad has little to no experience of scoring there.
From open play, Marcus Rashford and Antony are the only available players in the current United squad who have previously scored at the Etihad.
This may not be a sentence many expected to read in 2024 but the absence of Anthony Martial will be felt by United at the Etihad. The Frenchman is recovering from groin surgery and may not feature for the club again as his contract is up at the end of the season.
His forgettable brace in last year's damaging 6-3 defeat was his fourth goal at the Etihad in his career. Meanwhile, Antony, who also found the net that day, appears to have fallen out of favour in the starting lineup.
Prior to that, Jadon Sancho scored United's only goal in another heavy defeat back in 2022 under Ralf Rangnick. He's now on loan at Borussia Dortmund and Luke Shaw is out injured for up to 12 weeks, who was on the scoresheet when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were victorious in 2021.
Rashford, despite scoring on his first visit to the Etihad, hasn't scored there since United's 2-1 win back in December 2019.
That said, recent history hints that another hefty defeat for United could be looming.
MORE: Manchester United have officially been named most expensive squad in the world
Starting lineups:
Man United (4-2-3-1, right to left): Onana (GK) — Dalot, Maguire, Varane, Lindelof — Casemiro, Mainoo — Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford — Forson.
Fulham (4-2-3-1 right to left): Leno (GK) — Castagne, Bassey, Tosin, Robinson — Reed, Lukic — Iwobi, Andreas Pereira, Wilson — Muniz.
Man United vs Fulham live updates, highlights, and commentaryFT: That's it, Fulham hang on! It's their first win over United since 2009.
DRINK IT IN. ???? pic.twitter.com/p0jxv0Z8SM
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) February 24, 202490+7 minute: GOALLLL! FULHAM WIN IT! Traore dribbles the length of the pitch finding Iwobi on the left who tucks home and beats Onana with ease. Old Trafford is stunned.
90+3 minute: The atmosphere in here is sensational as United lump bodies into the box. Fulham can't get out of their own half.
90th minute: There will be a minimum of NINE added minutes. Can United grab the winner?!
89th minute: GOAL! MAGUIRE! He redeems himself as Leno parries the ball into his path and he smashes home.
80th minute: CHANCE! Maguire's header sails over the bar and he'll be majorly disappointed as he was left unmarked.
75th minute: Another break in play as Reed needs his wound patched up.
70th minute: Mainoo volleys from the corner but it goes out for a throw-in.
65th minute: GOAL! Fulham lead! Bassey smashes into the roof of the net from a corner.
Phwoarrr... ???? pic.twitter.com/0F4b5lGspK
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) February 24, 202457th minute: Are Fulham going to rue these missed chances? This time they hit United on the counter after dispossessing Dalot on the halfway line but Pereira's run into the box is blocked by Lindelof and the ball trickles out for a goalkick.
52nd minute: Casemiro is on his feet but heads straight down the tunnel and McTominay replaces him. Eriksen also comes on for United and Forson makes way but Reed is carrying on for Fulham.
49th minute: A clash of heads sees Casemiro and Reed require treatment.
46th minute: The second half gets underway.
HT: That's it for the first half. Fulham have been slightly the better side but United have looked the more dangerous when they have found themselves in the final third.
39th minute: What a save from Onana! Pereira's curling effort was headed to the bottom right corner but the United goalkeeper makes a cracking save.
36th minute: Maguire wipes out Lukic and Michael Oliver brandishes a yellow.
33rd minute: Muniz bullies Lindelof to turn the United defender and smashes the ball off the post!
31st minute: The crowd demands Dalot to try his luck from distance and he does so brilliantly. His effort strikes the post but had beaten Leno.
27th minute: It's taken a while but we have seen the first United shot. Garnacho's curling effort is headed off the line!
21st minute: Pereira's corner is met by Muniz and Onana parries it right back into the danger zone. Fortunately for him, Lukic can't poke it home.
17th minute: What a chance for the visitors! Iwobi really should have done better and didn't even test Onana.
10th minute: Fulham are growing into this one as Andreas Pereira begins to take control of the midfield.
6th minute: It's been a bright start for the hosts and Forson starts on the right, ahead of Ten Hag's most expensive signing, Antony.
1st minute: We're underway at Old Trafford!
15 minutes to kickoff: There appears to be a new DJ at Old Trafford today. The speakers are creating a party-like atmosphere in here as it's the first official game of the Sir Jim Ratcliffe era.
30 minutes to kickoff: United's team has just been read out on the PA system inside Old Trafford and the loudest cheer was for Omari Forson. No pressure, Omari...
1 hour to kickoff: Team news is in! Omari Forson starts his first game for Manchester United. The 19-year-old is by trade a winger and starts in United's front three this afternoon.
???? TEAM NEWS ????
The Reds make 2️⃣ changes, with @VLindelof and Omari Forson — making his first senior start for the Reds — coming into the team ????#MUFC || #MUNFUL
How we're looking today: ????#MUNFUL pic.twitter.com/ilhVdfpyg3
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) February 24, 20241 hour 30 mins to kickoff: Despite the injuries, there is some good news for United. They're unbeaten in their last 16 league games against Fulham, a run spanning 15 years.
2 hours prior to kickoff: After such a positive week with the Sir Jim Ratcliffe confirmation, United have been dealt a blow on the pitch. Rasmus Hojlund has scored seven goals in his past six league matches, but he'll play no part today.
???? More from Erik on Rasmus: "It is a small injury. That is what happens and the risk [when you are] playing at high intensity.
"As I say it is not a big injury, but he has to wait for one, two, three weeks." #MUFC || #PL
This Premier League clash takes place at Old Trafford in Manchester, UK and kicks off on Saturday, February 24 at 3:00 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major territories:
Date Kickoff time USA Sat, Feb. 24 10:00 a.m. ET Canada Sat, Feb. 24 10:00 a.m. ET UK Sat, Feb. 24 3:00 p.m. GMT Australia Sun, Feb. 25 2:00 a.m. AEDT India Sat, Feb. 24 8:30 p.m. ISTMan United vs Fulham lineups, team newsTen Hag faces more defensive concerns with Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund ruled out of Saturday's game.
Victor Lindelof is expected to come in at left-back and Antony may come into the starting XI, which would see Marcus Rashford start as striker.
Man United (4-2-3-1, right to left): Onana (GK) — Dalot, Maguire, Varane, Lindelof — Casemiro, Mainoo — Garnacho, Fernandes, Antony — Rashford.
Man United subs (9): TBC
Fulham are without midfield lynchpin Joao Palhinha, as he begins a two-game ban, after picking up his 10th Premier League yellow card of the season in last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa.
Raul Jimenez remains sidelined with a thigh injury but Chelsea loanee Armando Broja has recovered from illness.
Fulham (4-2-3-1 right to left): Leno (GK) — Castagne, Ream, Tosin, Robinson — Reed, Cairney — De Cordova-Reid, Willian, Iwobi — Muniz.
Fulham subs (9): TBC
Man United vs Fulham live stream, TV channelHere's how to watch this Premier League match across selected areas of the world's major regions:
Region TV Streaming USA — Peacock Canada —Fubo Canada
UK — — Australia — Optus Sport India Star Sports 3 Asia, Star Sports Select 1 JioTV, HotstarUSA: This game is available on the Peacock Network.
Canada: Every Premier League game this season is live-streaming exclusively via Fubo.
Australia: Fans in Australia can stream every match live and on-demand on Optus Sport.
UK: This game is not available for live broadcast in the UK with BBC Radio 5 Live providing radio commentary.
India: Star Sports Select will be broadcasting this game live with JioTV and Hotstar on streaming duty.
