Manchester United moved back into the Premier League top four on Sunday, with a dramatic 3-2 against Fulham at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils took the lead in the 19th minute as Casemiro headed home from a Bruno Fernandes free-kick, which had been downgraded from a penalty after VAR judged Jorge Cuenca’s foul on Matheus Cunha to be outside the box.
United then doubled their advantage 11 minutes after half-time, with Matheus Cunha finding space and being picked out by Casemiro, before blasting a powerful finish beyond Bernd Leno.
Fulham thought they’d pulled a goal back through Cuenca in the 66th minute at the end of a scramble in the box following Raul Jimenez’s blocked free-kick. However, VAR spotted an offside against Samuel Chukwueze and ruled the strike out.
The Cottagers did get a penalty in the final 10 minutes when John Brooks judged Harry Maguire to have brought down Jimenez. The veteran Mexican expertly dispatched the spot-kick into Senne Lammens’ top corner, setting the stage for Kevin’s stunning equaliser in second-half stoppage time.
Just when United thought they’d blown it, however, Benjamin Sesko came up with his best moment in a red shirt so far, controlling a Bruno Fernandes pass brilliantly in the box and leaving Leno helpless with his emphatic finish.
Man Utd are now three for three under interim manager Michael Carrick, having already pulled off impressive wins over Manchester City and Arsenal since his appointment. As a result, the Red Devils have moved back into fourth place on 41 points — just five behind Man City and Aston Villa, and one ahead of Chelsea.
Casemiro’s farewell tour moves up a gear to inspire Man Utd win
It’s not even been two weeks since Man Utd announced that Casemiro would leave the club at the end of the season, but it has certainly ignited a spark in his game.
The veteran Brazilian was his dependable self in the 3-2 victory over Arsenal. Here, however, he was in complete control.
Casemiro rose highest and caught the Fulham defence ball-watching to open the scoring inside the opening 20 minutes of the match for his fifth goal of the season. He then grabbed his second assist of the season with a perfect pass to compatriot Cunha in the second half.
But that was just the tip of the iceberg in a dominant performance from Casemiro. The 33-year-old completely shut down any notion of a Fulham comeback during his 74 minutes on the pitch, with three tackles, three clearances, an interception and three recoveries. Casemiro also won seven of his nine combined ground and aerial duels.
Meanwhile, he completed 31 passes — including seven into the final third — and his one attempted dribble, spreading the play further with three long passes from six attempts.
Casemiro turns 34 later this month, and there’s no doubt that he’s picking the right time to step down from the levels expected at Manchester United. Now, though, he’s doing so on a high, putting together a string of excellent performances on his farewell tour.
You need only listen to the ovation he was given from the Old Trafford faithful when he was replaced by Manuel Ugarte in the 74th minute to know just how the United fans feel about Casemiro.
Defensive woes highlight outstanding Man Utd issues
There’s nothing like a late winner, especially when you’d thought you’d just given up a sure result right at the death yourself.
The elation from Man Utd fans was palpable at Old Trafford on Sunday, and it’s moments like these and the late win against Arsenal at the Emirates that stay in the memory.
However, Michael Carrick will surely be taking a much colder, more calculated view of things. United have now conceded four goals in their last two games, and it could have been worse. Arsenal had 15 shots in their clash in London, while Fulham outshot the Red Devils 14-13 in their own backyard here. What’s more, the Cottagers had another goal of their own disallowed early in the second half for a desperately close offside call against Chukwueze.
United were superb for long spells of this game, but still never looked assured, even at 2-0 to the good. So, as great as it is for them to be back in the top four and putting together winning runs, there is serious work for Carrick to do at the back before anyone will be convinced this is the new Man Utd, rather than just a new manager bounce.
What next for Manchester United?
Man Utd will hope to build on their run of three straight wins when they take on a struggling Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday.
After that, it’s a pair of away trips to relegation-battling West Ham United and mid-table Everton, before welcoming a floundering Crystal Palace side to the Theatre of Dreams.
Man Utd’s next six fixtures:
- Tottenham Hotspur (H)
- West Ham (A)
- Everton (A)
- Crystal Palace (H)
- Newcastle United (A)
- Aston Villa (H)