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regular-article-logo Monday, 23 December 2024

Premier League: Manchester United fumble at home as Fulham ride late strike 

United, who lost for the first time in six league matches, are sixth in the table on 44 points, eight behind fourth-placed Aston Villa

Reuters Manchester Published 25.02.24, 10:46 AM
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Alex Iwobi scored deep in stoppage time as Fulham shocked sub-par Manchester United 2-1 in the English Premier League on Saturday, the London side's first win at Old Trafford since 2003 and second since 1963.

United, who lost for the first time in six league matches, are sixth in the table on 44 points, eight behind fourth-placed Aston Villa. Fulham are 12th on 32 points.

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"I'm over the moon right now to come back into the team and get the win here — there is no better feeling," Iwobi said. "We feel we performed really well and have been performing really well recently, it is just about getting the results."

Fulham struck first when Calvin Bassey scored in the 65th minute, firing his own rebound into the roof of the net for his first goal for the Cottagers.

United defender Harry Maguire equalised in the 89th minute with a half-volley from inside the penalty area after the ball came off keeper Bernd Leno and the home team looked poised to salvage at least a point.

But Iwobi, who earlier squandered two good chances, swept a shot past Andre Onana, who stood rooted in his goal, into the bottom corner in the 97th minute following a counter-attack to leave the home fans shell-shocked.

Fulham manager Marco Silva joined his players to celebrate in front of the delirious visiting fans after the final whistle.

United were missing injured striker Rasmus Hojlund, who scored in their six previous league games, and Alejandro Garnacho was their most dangerous forward with a shot cleared off the line by defender Antonee Robinson and another that Leno pushed away with a diving save.

Fulham's victory was their first in 12 league away games. United have suffered 10 league losses this season, more than in the whole of their 2022-23 campaign.

Aston Villa held off a spirited comeback attempt from Nottingham Forest to secure a 4-2 home win, with the hosts' Douglas Luiz netting twice and striker Ollie Watkins and winger Leon Bailey setting each other up to score.

Bailey teed up Watkins to open the scoring in the fourth minute and Luiz added two more in a dominant first half by Villa before a goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time by Moussa Niakhate earned the visitors a lifeline.

Morgan Gibbs-White pulled another one back for Forest three minutes after the break, but Bailey steadied the ship in the 61st minute, reacting first to a deflected effort from Watkins to slot home and restore Villa's two-goal cushion.

Forest battled hard but fell short of another comeback as Villa held on for a win that kept them fourth in the table on 52 points, three behind Arsenal. Forest are 16th on 24 points, four above the relegation zone.

Crystal Palace scored three second-half goals to beat 10-man Burnley in manager Oliver Glasner's first game in charge of the club.

The Eagles dominated possession in the first half but could not find a breakthrough before Josh Brownhill was shown a straight red card.

James Trafford played a ball to Brownhill, who was under pressure from Jefferson Lerma, and he brought down the midfielder when he was through on goal.

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