Manchester United warm up for FA Cup final with win over Fulham
THIRD: Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho (right) celebrates. Photo credit: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes made sure Manchester United ended the season - and warmed up for next week’s FA Cup Final - on a winning note as they came from behind to beat Fulham.
United also enjoyed the rare sight of a penalty save from David de Gea, who denied Aleksandar Mitrovic, and prevented Fulham from doubling their lead in the first half.
With a top-four finish having been assured in Thursday’s win over Chelsea, there was very much an end of season air about Old Trafford, although United players very much had half an eye on next week’s Manchester derby final.
The news delivered pre-match by ten Hag that Antony is hopeful of playing at Wembley just added to the sense of players battling for a cup final place.
All of which made the fact that they fell behind after 18 minutes all the more disappointing, as Willian’s corner picked out Kenny Tete at the near-post and the full-back headed firmly home.
Marcus Rashford was the closest marker but the lack of any sort of challenge so close to goal will have infuriated ten Hag.
So, too, would have the clumsy challenge by Casemiro on Tom Cairney just six minutes later that left referee Robert Jones with one of his easiest decisions of the season in pointing to the spot.
Mitrovic strode up but his effort was denied by a superb dive from de Gea low at the foot of his post, his first penalty save at Old Trafford in nearly nine years.
Handed the reprieve, United responded in fine fashion with Rashford shooting wide from 25 yards, Alejandro Garnacho scooping a shot at keeper Bernd Leno on the turn and then the exciting Argentinian winger clipping the crossbar from a wide angle.
On 39 minutes, the equaliser they had been threatening duly arrived as Fernandes sent Fred dribbling into the area and, after he appeared to be tripped, the ball broke kindly for Sancho to turn into an empty net.
It was all part of an open and swashbuckling kind of last-day fixture with Rashford in the thick of the action.
Bernd Leno saved superbly from the England striker’s first-half long-range free-kick then Rashford broke through just after the restart only to poke a shot wide from 12 yards.
A second United goal appeared imminent, and Fernandes provided it on 55 minutes, although it owed nearly everything to a phenomenal defence-splitting pass from his midfielder partner Fred which sent him through and allowed him to cooly finish from 12 yards.
There were chances for Fernandes and Rashford although Cairney might have equalised when he hooked an effort wide from a Mitrovic header on 68 minutes.
De Gea 8; Dalot 6, Maguire 7, Lindelof 7, Malacia 6; Casemiro 7 (McTominay 67, 5) Fred 7 (Eriksen 66, 6); Garnacho 7 (Martial 66, 5), Fernandes 7 (Pellistri 83), Sancho 7; Rashford 7 (Weghorst 76, 5). Substitutes (not used) Butland, Varane, Shaw, Wan-Bissaka.
Leno 7; Tete 7, Tosin 6, Diop 5, Robinson 5; Lukic 5 (Reed 66, 6), Palhinha 5; Wilson 7 (Solomon 66, 5), Cairney 7 (James 79, 5), Willian 7; Mitrovic 5 (Vinicius 79, 5). Substitutes (not used) Rodak, Kebano, Soares, Cordova-Reid, Dibley-Dias.
R Jones 7
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