Fulham vs Manchester United 20/1/2021 Premier League/ FIFA 21

and i must say it's always a very pleasant walk to this venue craven cottage by the banks of the thames my name is derek ray and joining me for commentary as always is lee dixon and we've got premier league action coming right up it is fulham versus manchester united well thank you derek the excitement at the start of any game is almost tangible looking forward to this one the crowd are up for it the players look like they're gonna have a really good go at this game can't wait [Applause] mitrovic and that's going to be the goalkeeper's ball no real threat you've got to say manchester united have lost the ball well some teams find that they struggle away from home not manchester united not in this campaign they've been prosperingly well seven wins in eight and these visiting fans have been treated to some superb football they've been doing their bit too being very vocal with their support hopefully they will be given something to cheer about in today's game well manchester united have chosen this particular shape david decayer stands between the posts eric baie plays alongside harry maguire in central defence paul pogba plays with fred in central midfield and the oh big chance that is top-notch goalkeeping he had to reach in with his hand yeah it's all about reading the pace of the ball and the player's feet when do i go down when do i strip the ball did a brilliant job then well he went for placement but it didn't go to plan well would you see his body position there he's trying to open himself up bend it into that corner but he got it all wrong ivan cavaleiro great challenge he got nothing but ball and given away mitrovic [Applause] can he do it to take the lead not out of the woods yet well that's how to do it inside your own penalty area well i just wonder to myself how important that save will be come the end of the game really important goalkeeping to keep it all square wasn't it giving it a try and the goalkeeper covered a lot of ground to push that away from danger well he's given a corner they referee and strongly fisted away rashford and the keeper diving to towards him now how about the short corner targets available cross comes in no worries for the keeper [Applause] ayna and in possession caballero [Applause] now the attack fizzled out maguire here's martial now cavani united might be able to cash in and back with bruno fernandes fred really needed to be spot on with the challenge inside the box on gwisa went in strongly to win the ball look as though they had attacking momentum but not so and fred winkling possession away from the opposition oh you don't want to lose the ball in that position and a goal here cavani goal of the contest well here's the goal again and he's just been caught napping hasn't he had his pocket picked and rightly punished schoolboy stuff so the match has restarted one nil here number seven edison cavani and in possession caballero ayna [Applause] here's ademola lookman tom kearney moving the ball nicely trying to carve out the equalizer he must finish and the keeper able to hold on to it paul pogba and in some giovanni now well real difficulty keeping the ball lookman joe bryan delivered into the box fulham stats for possession brilliant but it's just whether they can convert that possession into clear-cut chances you sense they need to pick up the pace a little start utilizing the wide areas more the back line is doing a decent job hopefully the forwards can do that as well credit to them for winning back possession [Applause] goalkeepers ball every day of the week lookman making progress well the perfect tackle really and now a throw in throw into manchester united [Applause] well i think just lost his focus for a second and a throw in concede it well that is annoying for any manager to see your own player giving the ball away from a throw-in well he could really get at the opposition can he put it away oh he couldn't outwit the keeper well he's given a corner the referee and firing it into the area well punch happy the keeper really important piece of last ditch defending there goes the half-time whistle well just what we've come to expect from manchester united they do travel well and they're leading here league well derek he seems second half underway with united looking to build upon a largely positive first half showing [Applause] well they'll be happy to have regained possession alexander mitrovic [Applause] fruitful looking attack [Applause] kenny well he has the measure of his man trying to chisel a chance out of eight laid into the center oh he's missed italy still plenty of time to go derek but they won't get a better chance than that [Applause] oh they've lost it [Applause] useful looking position you've got to say potential danger kenny this could square the game and that's exactly what has transpired now that could be a massive turning point and momentum is with them well it's brilliant positive football that's what the fans pay their money to come and see what a goal [Applause] well the earlier goal cancelled out one a piece [Applause] a wonderful bit of skill alexander how could he take them on and beat them [Applause] man he's won the ball [Applause] sustained pressure and now they have the [Applause] ball bodies forward and the break looks on [Applause] and that puts them in position good pressure high up the pitch with the game level let's see what they can do with this corner crowd haven't had too much to cheer about for a while have they derek they need a goal here [Applause] no he's given the ball away unnecessarily [Applause] brian lemina kebano has it [Applause] the outcome is a goal kick here paul pogba martial and that's going to be the goalkeeper's ball [Applause] now far from a smooth challenge now will the referee produce a card and that will mean a caution well definitely a yellow card derrick [Applause] is it going to be lamina just found wanting in terms of the finish then [Applause] we're now inside the final 20 minutes of the game passing it around looking for the goal that would put them ahead it might be perfectly set up for the counter attack you know can they take advantage of the situation perfectly positioned to take it away marcus rashford bruno finance bruno fernandez and the ball is loose and a throw in it's going to be can he play us in with a textbook interception and he favors the inside roots van der beek onto bruno fernandes and a goal to re-establish their advantage just look at the celebrations well this is worth another look derrick lovely movement and gail to easily evade the defender but then there's plenty to do from there he's hit it so well lots of pace lots of power and the keeper just can't react in time great strike what a big moment in the dying embers will it prove decisive here with the noses in front in the second half what will be the thinking and the camp lee dixon the united players have to stay focused on not making any mistakes in order to protect this slender lead if a bit of magic from the opposition gets them back in it there's little you can do about that brilliant piece of skill martial luna finance now pogba alex terez onto bruno fernandes pogba from the bake well that takes the wind out of their sails great defending now paul pogba he's got to have a go here tremendous block [Applause] lamina now here's camera [Applause] good work to regain possession well it's been all united in the last 15 minutes or so derek and if you think they get another one here that would be the game over as a contest [Applause] intelligent threaded pass here and making sure nothing untoward happened following the cross well having been awarded the corner they'll no doubt look to put the issue beyond all the goalkeeper was called upon and they still have an opportunity here well as a goal down all you got to do is give your strikers a chance to get back in the game [Applause] ball's gone one minute remaining [Applause] they are making headway but really they need a goal with time not on their side had to come up with the ball and did time really is of the essence what can they do from this situation now the delivery and putting his body on the line [Applause] it's a short one now will the cross work out for them and there goes the final whistle manchester united are the winners today anyway lee what did you think of their performance all told yeah derek a win is a win and another away game master class smash and grab i used to love winning away from home especially by the odd goal really upset

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