Alex Iwobi’s late reply stuns Manchester United as Fulham conquer Old Trafford
On this showing the “perch” Sir Jim Ratcliffe wishes Manchester United to knock Manchester City off is atop a kilometre-high skyscraper and the new 27.7% owner’s side is peering up from ground level as, from 88 minutes here, chaos ensued. It was bookended by Alex Iwobi’s 97th-minute winner and the Harry Maguire equaliser that cancelled out Calvin Bassey’s opener.
Iwobi’s strike came from the latest Fulham break to punch through Erik ten Hag’s men. Adama Traoré, on as substitute, skipped infield from the right and tapped to the No 22. With no United defenders anywhere near, he teased André Onana with a dawdle, then beat the home goalkeeper to his right to send Fulham into raptures, the travelling fans taunting their counterparts with hearty choruses of “Who are you?”
Maguire’s finish registered his first of this Premier League campaign. It came after Bruno Fernandes dipped a shoulder along the left and shot - Bernd Leno beat the ball out and there was the former captain to score to his and all those of a United persuasion’s delight. Nine minutes of added time were signalled and Ten Hag’s team, initially, kept coming.
Scott McTominay blazed wide from the right and Leno repelled a 25-yard Fernandes bullet out for a corner. At this Amad Diallo went close but, then, moments later, United’s paper-thin structure was exposed - as it was throughout - and Fulham broke to claim the spoils via Iwobi’s cool-headed winner.
Bassey’s goal also derived from a counterattack as Harrison Reed thumped a diagonal attempt that Onana tipped over and which presaged the opener. Andreas Pereira floated the corner in from the right and the ball fell to Bassey; as those in red slumbered the centre-back struck, the ball rebounded back to him off Timothy Castagne, and he rifled it into the roof of the net.