For a number of weeks now, Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United have been riding a wave and hoping to secure a top-four finish at the end of it all.
But on Saturday, that jubilant mood was shut down by Fulham, who secured a deserved 2-1 win at Old Trafford, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Alex Iwobi.
Harry Maguire, who was already on a yellow card, allowed Adama Traore to burst past him and provide the assist for the winning goal, with many Manchester United fans questioning why he didn’t just bring him down, take the second yellow and get sent off.
But then others feel the recently stripped Manchester United skipper is lucky to be on the pitch in the first place.
Alan Shearer says Harry Maguire should have seen a red card for his ‘poor tackle’ and ‘lunge’ on Fulham’s Lukic, as he told Premier League Productions (24/02/24 at 11:00 pm).
The referee waved play on because Fulham were on the attack, but it was still a dangerous tackle from the experienced £189k-a-week defender.
There was a major talking point during Liverpool’s League Cup final win over Chelsea, where this Harry Maguire incident was brought up.
Perhaps the on-field referee should have gone to his monitor, but either way, Alan Shearer slammed the actions of the Manchester United man.
Harry Maguire’s tackle
“I understand that,” on Fulham being upset with Maguire’s tackle said Shearer. “I think it was a poor tackle. If it had been a red card, then he would have had no complaints.
“I thought it was very dangerous, the referee would say ‘it was on top of the foot’. But I think it’s on the ankle and the foot, with the force in it and the power that he goes there, the lunge. I think he is really fortunate it’s only a yellow card.
“The lunge there, he is going from a couple of yards out and the force. I think he is fortunate, really fortunate.”
Manchester United’s defence
Whilst the fans were excited about the team’s recent wins, especially at Villa Park, there is and has been one common theme emerging.
The amount of shots the opposition are having at Man United’s goal is very concerning and it’s not going to get them anywhere near a top-four finish.
Against Fulham, who were missing Joao Palhinha, Willian and Raul Jimenez, they still managed to have 17 efforts on goal, and in truth, should have scored a lot more.
This is clearly down to the way the team is set up and individual players just not being put in a defensive structure that allows them to be more solid or control football matches.
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