©AFP
©AFP

Red Devils welcome their fans at Old Trafford with a disappointing stalemate

Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 18.05.21. | 21:53

Relegated Cottagers snatch a point from the Theater of Dreams

With a beautiful sight of 10,000 fans inside Old Trafford, making plenty of noise, Manchester United surprisingly drawed against the relegated Fulham side. Final score 1-1.

Green and gold banners were raised on mass as the teams came out, protesting against the Manchester club's ownership.

And after only 15 minutes, home team was in front. De Gea punted a ball forward into midfield, and Bruno Fernandes looked to flick the ball for on-running Edinson Cavani behind a high Fulham line.

Cavani spotted Alphonse Areola off his line from 40 yards and lifted a brilliant effort over the Fulham goalkeeper.

Cavani is only the third Man Utd player to reach 10+ goals in a single Premier League season while aged 33 or over at the start of that campaign, after Teddy Sheringham in 2000-01 and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2016-17.

Bruno Fernandes could have scored himself in the 26th minute but his shot was well held by the loaned goalkeeper from PSG.

Fulham had an incredible opportunity in the 38th minute to level the score. Fabio Carvalho produced a wonderful solo run, but his shot was not dangerous enough and the ball ended in De Gea's gloves.

David De Gea is the fourth goalkeeper to assist a Premier League goal for Manchester United, after Peter Schmeichel (x3), Tim Howard and Edwin van der Sar.

Just before the half time mark, Fernandes again tried to find the net himself but his shot, as Carvalho's, didn't have the power to defeat the keeper.

Second half looked a lot like the first. Fulham did not want to go down easy - in the 61st minute, Ademola Lookman was lurking on the edge of the box and managed to take a shot a goal but it was an effort De Gea stopped easily.

Man United's talented youngster Mason Greenwood had two major chances to double the advantage. In the 68th minute, his header went narrowly wide of the right post. Six minutes later, he nicely zig-zagged through the defence, but his low drive to the middle of the goal was smartly dealt with by Areola.

Then came the punishment by the visitors from London. Reid went down the right and he sent a beautiful cross to the back post, finding Bryan to head into the floor and past De Gea.

After the goal, energy went up on the pitch. Both teams wanted to score their second but it looked like they both burned down in their desire. A lot of mistakes in the midfield, tackles and intercepted passes.

Red Devils remain second and they have their last fixture of the Premier League campaign on the 23rd away against Wolves. Their biggest match of the season - Europa League final against Villareal - takes place on the 26th of May in Gdansk.

PREMIER LEAGUE - ROUND 37

Tuesday

Manchester United - Fulham 1-1 (1-0)

/Cavani 15' - Bryan 76'/

Southampton - Leeds 0-2 (0-0)

/Bamford 75', Roberts 90+5'/

Brighton - Manchester City 3-2 (0-1)

/Trossard 50', Webster 72', Burn 76' - Gundogan 2', Foden 48'/

22.15: Chelsea - Leicester City

Wednesday

20.00: Everton - Wolverhampton

20.00: Newcastle - Sheffield United

20.00: Tottenham - Aston Villa

21.00: Crystal Palace - Arsenal

22.15: Burnley - Liverpool

22.15: West Brom - West Ham



tags

Manchester UnitedFulhamEnglish Premier League

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