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Manchester United logo
Premier League
Feb 9, 2014 at 4pm UK
 
Fulham logo

2-2

van Persie (78'), Carrick (80')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Sidwell (19'), Bent (90')

Live Commentary: Manchester United 2-2 Fulham - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's text coverage of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Fulham.
2

Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen returned to Old Trafford for the first time as Fulham head coach this afternoon in the Premier League.

He fielded a depleted XI but still came away with an unlikely point after a dramatic final 10 minutes that ended with Darren Bent heading in a 94th-minute equaliser.

Read how a barmy 90 minutes unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.


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Afternoon all! The second Premier League game of the day takes place at Old Trafford as Rene Meulensteen's rockbottom cottagers take on underwhelming Manchester United. Team news is just emerging in the North-West...

BREAKING TEAM NEWS! Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata all start for the hosts, while Nemanja Vidic is also fit to start in defence.

MAN UTD XI: De Gea; Rafael, Smalling, Vidic, Evra; Mata, Carrick, Fletcher, Young; Rooney, Van Persie

MAN UTD SUBS: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Giggs, Valencia, Kagawa, Januzaj, Hernandez

FULHAM XI: Stekelenburg; Riether, Burn, Heitinga, Riise; Tunnicliffe, Sidwell, Kvist, Richardson; Holtby, Tankovic

FULHAM SUBS: Stockdale, Hangeland, Kacaniklic, Duff, Cole, Parker, Bent

Okey doke, let's take a closer look at those lineups. David Moyes makes three changes to his United XI, bringing in Rafael, Vidic and Darren Fletcher for Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Tom Cleverley.

Meulensteen, meanwhile, looks to have gone with a risky lineup. At a place like Old Trafford you'd want experience in your side but the likes of Brede Hangeland, Damien Duff, Scott Parker and Darren Bent are all on the bench.



It's a huge day for Ryan Tunnicliffe, making his Fulham debut against the club that he left in January. The midfielder spent the first half of the season on loan at Ipswich Town in the Championship. I'm an Ipswich fan myself and can say that he did have a good season. Making the step up to the Premier League and Old Trafford in particular is a completely different matter.



As well as Tunnicliffe, there's another new Fulham player who recently joined the Cottagers from Man Utd. Larnell Cole is on the bench and would love to get on the field today.

Of the 11 players in Fulham's starting lineup, four are January additions - Jonny Heitinga, Tunnicliffe, William Kvist and Lewis Holtby. Dan Burn and Muamer Tankovic are also quite new faces who have only just broken into the team in the last month.

What a day it is for Tankovic of Sweden. He's just 18 and before today had appeared for a combined total of 14 minutes in the Premier League.

Ipswich left-back Aaron Cresswell is supporting Tunnicliffe today: "Buzzing for @RyanTunnicliffe ! Against the mancs! Wonder if he will celebrate if he scores haha!!" he says on Twitter.

Fulham are actually starting the game without a recognised striker. Their big January signing Kostas Mitroglou isn't fit enough to feature today and it's pretty surprising that Darren Bent isn't on the field. It looks like Meulensteen wants to see what some of his players are about, but with United reeling following defeat to Stoke last weekend, Fulham look set up for a mauling.



The likes of Rooney, Van Persie and Mata must surely be licking their lips at facing a depleted, bottom-of-the-league outfit. If you fancy the Cottagers to pull off a huge shock, you can back them at about 14/1.

H2H! United have won their last 11 league and cup games against Fulham at Old Trafford. When these two sides last met back in November, United scored three times inside the opening quarter of the game before running out 3-1 winners.

Nemanja Vidic is back today after suspension. Although that's good news for the home supporters, they now know that he won't be one of their own next season after he announced his intentions to leave at the end of the season.

Click here to read our feature on the big Serbian's top five moments in a red shirt.

Nemanja Vidic poses with a Manchester United shirt on January 09, 2006.© Getty Images


REFEREE WATCH: The man in charge today is Kevin Friend, who is now ready and waiting in the tunnel for the players.

PREDICTION TIME! Just five minutes until the off at a sensitive Old Trafford. The home fans are remembering those who died in the Munich tragedy on February 6, 1958. You have to say that Fulham look ripe for a spanking and I expect United to win by at least three goals.



A dodgy minute's silence as the ref blew the whistle to start it when the teams were being read out over the tannoy!

KICKOFF! Off we go at Old Trafford. Surely United can't lose today?!

You can hear that the United fans are in expectant mood. Little to speak of so far, with a corner dealt with well by Fulham's defence.

Swedish teenager Tankovic may be a midfielder but he's the one who's been tasked with leading the line and chasing down the United defenders. A daunting task on your full Premier League debut.

Young curls over a menacing-looking cross from the left that's well dealt with by Burn in the middle. Rooney was lurking just behind.

It's been a nasty weekend of weather in the UK and Manchester's no different, the rain is slashing down at the moment.

GREAT TACKLE! Phenomenal defending from Riether as he riskily slides in on Van Persie, who was about to shoot, but cleanly takes the ball away.



Plenty of early pressure from United. They've had 66% of the ball but are yet to test Stekelenburg.

GOAL! UNITED 0-1 FULHAM (SIDWELL)

OH MY GOODNESS!

The visitors go in front and it's a beautifully-worked goal. They've barely been in United's half but take full advantage of a rare foray forward. Holtby had the ball and floated it perfectly into the run of Sidwell, who wasn't tracked and simply sidefooted home on the volley. Lovely goal.

MISS! United have a chance to equalise as Van Persie comes in at the back post but can only volley wildly over from a tight angle.



Mata curls a ball to the back post where Evra's header back across goal is palmed out unconvincingly by Stekelenburg. Rooney very quiet so far.

Almost a carbon copy at the back stick for United as Fletcher's cross is met by Van Persie. This time his header back across goal beats Stekelenburg but there's no United shirt coming in to turn it home.

Great finish!


MISS! What a chance for Fulham to double their lead! They streak forward from a corner through Tankovic, who does really well to hold up the play until Richardson supports down the left. The former United man just has De Gea to beat from close range but lifts it over the Spanish keeper and the crossbar.

CLOSE! End-to-end stuff at the moment as Carrick has a shot beaten out by Stekelenburg before Van Persie's follow-up is blocked on the line by Sidwell.

Vidic would love a goal on his return and he comes close by meeting the resulting corner but heading straight at Stekelenburg.

Almost a calamitous moment for Richardson as he chests the ball onto the roof of his own net. United certainly knocking at the door but we know that Fulham can break in numbers and quickly. Half time almost upon us.

Just one minute has been added on and it's Fulham who will have the last attack of the half as they win a corner. Richardson burst down the left but couldn't pick out Holtby in the middle.

HALF-TIME: MAN UNITED 0-1 FULHAM

Well, well, well! Who predicted this scoreline at the interval?! Certainly not me.

If you're only just joining us and don't believe the scoreline above, catch up quickly on the first 45 with our HT report here.

Blimey, Man United have had 29 touches in Fulham's area. The visitors have had just three but have a surprise lead thanks to a wonderfully-worked goal. Holtby's pass was perfect and Sidwell finished calmly on the volley.

SIDWELL SILENCES THE STRETFORD END!

Steve Sidwell of Fulham celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford on February 9, 2014© Getty Images

As things stand, Fulham will be moving off the bottom of the table and to within two points of safety. United will remain seventh and be a whopping 10 points off rivals Liverpool in the final Champions League place.

Meulensteen is making a half-time change and it's hardly a defensive one! He's bringing on Darren Bent for the second half.

KICKOFF! The visitors get us back underway. Swedish youngster Tankovic is the one to make way for Bent.

At the halfway mark United had 73% possession. That is surely going to stay the same but can they find the net? It's been a nervy start to the second period so far.

United's have their first attack of the second half as Carrick gets to the edge of the box. His cross-cum-shot is cleared before Evra's vicious cross is flicked out of play by Van Persie.

CHANCE! Van Persie is rolled in on the overlap and his low centre is just too powerful for Rooney to slide in and meet.

Rooney does well to bring down Mata's searching long through-ball. He moves it onto his right foot but is slightly off-balance and can only slice way over.

SAVE! Unbelievable stop from Stekelenburg! Mata controlled the ball in the area and touched it off for Rooney who dug out a shot that looked destined for the roof of the net until the Dutch keeper somehow arched back to push it over.

Another brilliant chance for United as Young picks out Rafael at the back post, but the Brazilian was flagged offside.

There's almost 75,000 people inside Old Trafford and many of them are singing Adnan Januzaj's name. The young Belgian should be on shortly.

Just half an hour left. Can Fulham really pull this off?!


MAN UNITED SUB: It's Fletcher who is sacrificed for Januzaj. Can the teenager make a difference?

He's in the action straight away but can only direct his cross into the belly of Stekelenburg. Looks like Rooney has dropped a bit deeper into midfield now that Januzaj is on.

Januzaj's deep cross is headed back by Young to Rooney, but the England striker can only poke weakly at Stekelenburg, who makes an easy save.

FULHAM SUB: Meulensteen makes his second change, bringing on Scott Parker for Tunnicliffe.

CHANCE! Januzaj has been in the thick of the action since coming on and almost sets up an equaliser by crossing to the back post where Young should head at goal but tries to be unselfish. His header back across goal is straight at a Fulham player and they hang on.

MAN UNITED SUBS: Moyes makes his last two changes in sending on Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez. Rafael and Young are those taken off. Hernandez thrives on these sort of situations when a goal is needed most.

So United now have Van Persie, Rooney, Mata, Januzaj and Hernandez on the field. They have to commit and if Fulham still have some energy left then they will have chances on the counter-attack.

A little over 15 minutes left at Old Trafford and United don't look too dangerous at the moment.

United have sent over at least 60 crosses but Fulham are defending so resolutely. Burn, at just 21, is having a blinder at centre-back. Not bad considering he spent the first half of the season on loan at Birmingham City in the Championship.

GOAL! MAN UNITED 1-1 FULHAM (VAN PERSIE)

Finally, United make the breakthrough as Mata's volley across goal is turned home by Van Persie.

GOAL! MAN UNITED 2-1 FULHAM (CARRICK)

You have to feel ever so sorry for Fulham. It's now United who are in front as they continue to pour forward and Carrick's shot from the edge of the area takes a slight nick of Sidwell before looping into the far corner.

FULHAM SUB: Meulensteen makes his final change by sending on former Red Devil Larnell Cole for Kvist.

Carrick is in confident mood now and tries his luck with a volley from outside the area that's dipping but straight at Stekelenburg.

Man United 74-3 Fulham. That's how the cross count currently stands.



Januzaj has an opening to make it a two-goal lead but can only poke over from close range.

United are set to close to within two points of sixth-placed Everton if they see through this victory.

FIVE minutes of time added on at Old Trafford. Fulham can't do the unthinkable, can they?

JUST WIDE! Mata is within inches of opening his United account when his near-post curler bobbles just wide.

GOAL! MAN UNITED 2-2 FULHAM (BENT)

The Cottagers have done it!

I can't believe it! Vidic's header to Carrick is stolen by Sidwell and he lays in Richardson. The left-sider's shot is palmed up into the air by De Gea and Bent is on hand to nod it in from close range. Incredible scenes.

FULL TIME: MAN UNITED 2-2 FULHAM

A crazy game of footy comes to an end. Fulham led for such a long time but then conceded twice in 80 seconds. It looked like United's pressure had finally paid off but then the visitors stole a point with almost the last kick of the game through Darren Bent.

Fulham remain bottom but that's a huge, huge point for the club. They're now four points adrift of safety.





Thanks for joining us on SM this afternoon. Stick around for plenty of reaction and analysis from Old Trafford and further afar after another memorable Premier League weekend. Good evening!

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Charlie Adam of Stoke City celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Manchester United at Britannia Stadium on February 1, 2014
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