Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Manchester United were embarrassing against Fulham in a 1-1 draw between the two sides, leaving plenty to dislike about the performance.
It was another outing to forget for Michael Carrick as Manchester United drew 1-1 with Fulham in a performance that was arguably the worst of the season.
This display leaving plenty to like and plenty to hate.
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Likes
Kobbie Mainoo: Probably one of the only decisive positives this season for Manchester United has been the manner in which Mainoo is currently performing. He has kicked on massively for this season, and Mainoo is now one of the best in the league.
Against Fulham, Mainoo was excellent as ever, dictating his teammates’ and their positions on the pitch. Mainoo is immense, and with every performance, he continues to have an individually excellent campaign.
Senne Lammens: Another positive from the game was the performance of Lammens as he only conceded thanks to Lisandro Martinez’s own goal. But besides that, Lammens kept Fulham at bay several times.
Lammens made six saves, five from within the box and without him being so sharp it could easily have been a scoreline that would embarrass the entire squad. Lammens remains without a clean sheet this season in the league, but this one was not his fault.
Dislikes
Marcus Rashford’s finishing: The bubble has well and truly burst around Rashford’s return to United as despite lots of positive performance and signs in the early weeks of the season, he is without a goal or an assist in seven games.
Against Fulham, it all came to a head with Rashford missing two massive chances in the first-half alone with one being clear cut. As a forward for United, you simply have to score these chances and despite all the positives around his displays, the argument to drop Rashford has quickly strengthened.
Unconvincing defending: While Lammens kept United in the game, he was not helped at all by the unconvincing ‘senior’ centre-backs ahead of him and the two long serving full-backs. There was a complete lack of aggression or quickness in the defensive-line which saw United really easy to carve chances open again.
Fulham should have won the game with Josh King having a few chances and Gonzalo Garcia scuppering one excellent opportunity. Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez need to improve massively, and really shouldn’t be starting together.
Work-rate: The worst part of the whole performance was United players walking for the majority of the game, not pressing or showing any desire to change the match, strolling around in a manner that makes Carrick look terrible.
Either he has told them to do it or they’ve stopped playing for him. Either way it was sickening to see such a blatant show of disrespect toward the badge and something needs to change. This might mean a change of head coach.
Use of substitutes: One issue which was absolutely of Carrick’s own making was the awful use of the bench and in game management on display for United. Instead of playing Shea Lacey, who should have started, Carrick turned to Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount off the bench, both letting the club down countless times, instead of playing a young star who has momentum behind him.
This raises huge questions around Carrick’s suitability to the role as it was not the decisions of a United boss. He can say he backs the academy all he wants, but actions speak louder than words and this was an embarrassment. Also no Carlos Baleba when the game was crying out for him… Not good for Carrick.