Fernandes’ Dramatic Late Goal Lifts Manchester United’s Spirits
Manchester United’s captain, Bruno Fernandes, came to the rescue with a stoppage-time goal, securing a 1-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday and alleviating the mounting pressure on manager Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils appeared headed for their sixth draw in the first 11 Premier League games, following yet another uninspired performance at Craven Cottage.
Fernandes changed the narrative in the 91st minute with a powerful shot from outside the box that Bernd Leno couldn’t stop, offering some relief to his manager.
This win elevated Manchester United to sixth place, closing the gap to the top four to just five points.
Ten Hag had criticized Marcus Rashford for attending a birthday party at a nightclub after last weekend’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City, calling it “unacceptable.” However, he clarified that Rashford’s absence from the squad was due to injury, not disciplinary action.
United desperately needed a positive start after a difficult week that also saw them eliminated from the League Cup with a 3-0 loss to Newcastle at home.
United found the back of the net in the seventh minute, but it was ruled out by VAR due to Harry Maguire being in an offside position when he attempted to play the ball before it reached Alejandro Garnacho.
Following that disallowed goal, United struggled to create significant threats against Fulham’s goal.
Antony was substituted by Ten Hag after a disappointing performance from the £87 million winger in the 60th minute, and Rasmus Hojlund’s search for his first Premier League goal continued.
Since Aleksandar Mitrovic’s departure to the Saudi Pro League, Fulham has also been struggling to score goals. They have only scored nine times in their first 11 games.
Fulham missed a great opportunity to score during a dominant spell early in the second half, with Andre Onana forced to make important saves from powerful shots by Harry Wilson and Joao Palhinha. Willian also narrowly missed a good chance.
As the match appeared destined for United’s first draw since April, Fulham made a critical error in stoppage time. Palhinha failed to clear the ball twice, and it eventually fell to his Portuguese international teammate, Fernandes.
Fernandes, who has been under scrutiny due to the team’s difficult start, delivered a moment of brilliance when it was needed most. He calmly cut onto his right foot and found the bottom corner of the net, despite Leno getting a hand to the shot.
This defeat leaves Fulham in 14th place, still seven points above the relegation zone.
