I saw Manchester United finally find a replacement for star that fans have lost patience with
Man Utd defeated Fulham in the FA Cup fifth round and here are the main talking points from the win.
Manchester United were knocked out of the FA Cup on penalties following a 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday night. Bruno Fernandes scored an excellent goal to cancel out Calvin Bassey's opener, but United could not find a precious second goal and eventually lost a chaotic clash when Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee both had penalties saved.
United showed a lot of spirit in the match to hang in as long as they did and their players dug deep in a match where they were without 10 senior players. Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt both impressed with their respective performances, though Fernandes was officially named Player of the Match.
It means United's only hope of a trophy this season will be success in the Europa League and a possible passage back to the Champions League. Here are some of the main talking points from their FA Cup defeat to Fulham.
A new face on the bench
Manchester United were able to name nine players on the bench to face Fulham but ended up naming just seven. Half of those have not started a competitive match for the club, as Chido Obi and Ayden Heaven were joined by goalkeepers Hubert Graczyk and William Murdock.
Murdock, 17, was the latest new face to be named in a United squad under Ruben Amorim after his heroics in the Youth Cup win over Arsenal on Friday night. It was not only a testament to his ability, but a damning reflection of the lack of senior options available to the head coach.
Amorim has had to contend with an awful injury crisis since he arrived at the club, and without 10 senior players against Fulham, the current team news situation is certainly relevant to their struggles.
Fighting for their future
Christian Eriksen is expected to leave Manchester United when his contract expires at the end of the season, but his performance against Fulham was a reminder of what he can still offer. The Danish playmaker took a little while to settle into the match, and once he did, he was integral to their improved attacking display.
Eriksen helped United keep possession with some wise passing choices, sent a great ball into the box for compatriot Rasmus Hojlund, and tested Bernd Leno with a fine curling effort in front of the Stretford End. A lack of fitness eventually caught up with him before he was replaced in the second-half, the other reminder that this great is on the decline.
Victor Lindelof is another who will leave the club as a free agent this summer, and he, too, showed what he still has to offer with a versatile defensive performance in two different positions. Amid the ongoing injury crisis, they are both needed by Amorim, but beyond this season their respective futures will lie elsewhere.
United fans make clear who is to blame
The pre-match fan protest over rising ticket prices might not have gotten the coverage it deserved, but Manchester United supporters made sure to make their feelings known throughout the game. The Stretford End so often sets the tone for the rest of the stadium, and although derogatory chants towards the club’s owners have been heard at every home match this season, it was turned up a notch for a clash broadcast live on BBC One.
It felt like the entire home support took action as ‘Stand up if you hate Glazers’ reverberated around the stadium they have neglected, while there was further venomous verse against both the Glazer family and Ratcliffe over the £66 ticket price scandal.
At a time when there is so much analysis over on-field matters, it is important to remember they all root back to the club’s atrocious decision-making and the growing debt that is a stain on their name. Ruben Amorim and his players face the consequences every time they take to the pitch, but fans know who is really to blame.
Losing patience with Hojlund
It is now 18 consecutive matches without a goal for Rasmus Hojlund, and patience is wearing thin. United matchgoers are well aware of their power to influence the mood around Old Trafford, but they could not hide their despair at the sight of their striker struggling again.
Hojlund had started the game brightly with some nice movement, but as soon as things didn’t go his way, his head dropped and the frustration kicked in. He fired an effort well wide of the Fulham goal and, a few moments later, was emphatically outmuscled by Calvin Bassey that all but ended his influence on proceedings.
A drop in form can be tolerated by United fans, but a lack of effort can’t. When Bruno Fernandes thumped a long ball into the Fulham half, and Hojlund just stood still to watch, there was no place to hide. The loud cheers that accompanied his replacement by Chido Obi further highlighted that patience is wearing thin.
Manchester United finally have another striker option
A key reason why Hojlund has embarked on such a long goalless run is that United have simply had no choice but to start him in every match. Joshua Zirkzee was viewed as the only competition for a striker spot but has since excelled after a regular run as an attacking midfield.
It effectively reduced United to just one striker, that was until the emergence of Chido Obi. The teenage star was earmarked for a senior role as soon as he signed from Arsenal last summer, and he now looks ready to play a serious role for the remainder of the season.
The only criticism of the 17-year-old is that he could have had a hat-trick, never mind one. He fired wide from a tight angle and prodded the ball wide of the goal with the final chance of normal time before an expert stop from Bernd Leno denied him a dream first senior goal in extra time. He is still an extremely raw talent, but at least there is promise there. That was lost a long time ago with Hojlund.