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In what proved to be a close encounter between Manchester United and Fulham, the Red Devils took all 3 points with a 3-2 win at Old Trafford. The match saw new signings Robin Van Persie and Shinji Kagawa score their first goals for the club after Damien Duff had opened the scoring for Fulham inside 3 minutes. Rafael made it 3-1 before half-time, and Fulham showed promising signs of a comeback when Nemanja Vidic scored an own goal after a mix-up with David De Gea.
So, let us have a look at 5 things we learnt from the match-
1) Manchester United can play without Wayne Rooney
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Sir Alex Ferguson had indicated before the game that Van Persie would start. But no one expected it to be at the expense of Wayne Rooney. Many were surprised to see him missing from the starting line-up and considering how important he is to Manchester United, people had their doubts about Sir Alex’s decision. But never for a minute did United miss Rooney. Kagawa slotted into the ‘hole’ behind Van Persie perfectly and his link-up with the midfield, as well as attack, was excellent. His passing was quick, his movement off-the-ball always kept the Fulham defenders on their toes and he even dropped into central midfield regularly to help out Cleverley and Anderson.
He was rewarded with a goal for his fine performance and hopefully, he can keep up the good work. Robin Van Persie also proved himself when he scored with a brilliant half-volley and put to rest any doubts critics had in their minds as to whether he can continue his form from last season. And with Wayne Rooney out for 4 weeks with a thigh injury, Manchester United fans can breathe easily.
2) Manchester United’s unpredictability in attack
Very few expected Sir Alex to start Kagawa, Cleverley and Anderson together, and drop Scholes and Rooney to the bench. With the options Sir Alex has at his disposal now, he can play several different combinations. This keeps the opposition guessing as to who is going to play in what position, and there will be an air of unpredictability in their minds. The versatility of the players like Danny Welbeck, Ashley Young and Kagawa will allow Ferguson to easily change formations during the match.
3) Cleverley/Anderson/Kagawa trio to make a difference
Kagawa has been spectacular for United
It was quite evident that the three midfield players were the ones who influenced the match the most. While Kagawa started behind Van Persie, the three of them took turns while going forward and they trio was in-sync throughout the mathc. They are quick, play a slick passing game and can track back quickly to help the defence. Their movement in midfield is lightning quick which helps in maintaining a high tempo during the game, and they can certainly make a difference this season if Sir Alex decides to stick with this particular combination. Their influence was clearly evident when Kagawa and Anderson were replaced in the second half which coincided with Fulham’s spell of dominance towards the end of the match.
4) Manchester United are susceptible to crosses in the box
It was evident against Everton that Manchester United do not have the necessary fire power to deal with crosses into the box. Everton scored from a corner in the last game and Fellaini destroyed them almost single-handedly using his height and aerial prowess. Manchester United were found wanting against Fulham too, as both goals were scored via crosses. The first goal was a well worked free-kick, with Damien Duff firing a low ball into the box. The marking from the Manchester United players was non-existent and Duff promptly took advantage of that.
The second goal was a dubious one, to say the least. Mladan Petric, David De Gea and Nemanja Vidic all went in for a cross into the penalty area from the left wing. And in the ensuing melee, David De Gea failed to punch the ball and Nemanja Vidic ended up conceding an own-goal. Was it miscommunication between the two or simply a goal-keeping failure? It is something which will be a question on everyone’s minds. But Manchester United will have to find an answer to that soon enough, as teams have identified this as a major weakness in their otherwise strong armour, and will certainly look to exploit it at any given opportunity.
5) Dembele can be Fulham’s next Dempsey
Fulham’s best player!
Dembele was clearly the standout player for Fulham in the match. Quick feet, marvelous technique and good composure on the ball are the attributes that make him a top quality player. He could be easily playing for any of the big teams in the league. Instead, he has chosen to stay on with Fulham and with all the rumours of Clint Dempsey leaving the club before the transfer window closes, Dembele can be the perfect replacement for him – both in terms of goals, as well as carrying the entire team on his shoulders. But Martin Jol has played him midfield for most of the matches and this has curbed his attacking instincts a bit. If Fulham find a good central midfielder, Dembele can move to a more attacking role, where he is much more dangerous and also more likely to chip in with goals.
All in all, it was an entertaining match which saw Manchester United get their first points on board for the season, while Fulham gave a good account of themselves as well. Cheers!
