Pogba perfection
Stunning strike puts United back on top
The comeback continues. Once again Manchester United fell behind, once again they found a way to win and once again they are back on top of the Premier League. It is not just United who appear back, but also Paul Pogba.
“Pog-back”, in fact, to revive that cheesy marketing phrase that was coined when he signed for a then world record fee in 2016.
Now there is no need for unnecessary hype. Twice in a week Pogba has scored stunning goals to win tricky away games as United showed the mettle to suggest that they could just be in the title race for the long haul. Like Pogba they might not be about to flatter to deceive.
With three teams claiming the leadership of the league within 24 hours it is going to be tight, but United have a two-point advantage, even if Manchester City have played a game fewer. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have also extended their unbeaten run away from home to 17 matches – equalling their record – while, remarkably, they have claimed 21 points – seven wins – from losing positions this season, just over half of their 40-point total.
Pogba may want to quit United and his future may lie elsewhere, but it would be some legacy if he were to help them towards reclaiming the title for the first time in eight years. He is a man on a mission and it was his desire to win the ball back as much as his goal that was so impressive. He even hurled himself into the hoardings, such was his commitment to dispossess Fulham’s danger man, Ademola Lookman.
For Fulham, so good and organised now under manager Scott Parker, this was another maddening result and although United probably did deserve the points they will look back at late missed opportunities.
In the end it may well come down to fine margins – as close, indeed, as Fulham came to claiming an injurytime equaliser when a header by substitute Aleksandar Mitrovic struck Eric Bailly in the midriff and trickled inches past a post with David De Gea rooted. Also in added time there was a brilliant block by Aaron Wan-bissaka as he threw himself to divert Lookman’s closerange shot over.
But the contest again belonged to Pogba, while United’s other goalscorer, Edinson Cavani, led the line superbly and showed he could make a vital contribution in the second half of the campaign. United look better with the Uruguayan.
Pogba’s goal was arresting. Not just the finish, but the way he created it as he deftly took down a high ball in the wind, shimmied past Harrison Reed on the corner of the box and arced a powerful shot around Tosin Adarabioyo to leave goalkeeper Alphonse Areola unsighted and grasping at air. It was worthy of winning any game, just like his volley against Burnley last week, while, as part of a midfield two with Fred, this was the third different position Pogba has played in three games.
United kicked off knowing City had claimed a late, controversial win over Aston Villa and maybe that contributed to the lack of concentration that led to Fulham taking the lead. The home side moved the ball well, they kept possession and there was little pressure as Andre-frank Zambo Anguissa threaded a pass through to Lookman. Somehow neither Harry Maguire nor Bailly were near the forward and Pogba let him go, wrongly believing he was offside, with Lookman taking the time to steady himself and drive the ball across De Gea and into the net.
It did provoke a ferocious response and, maybe, Fulham had scored too early. There could have been a penalty for Ruben Loftuscheek’s rash challenge on Fred, before Luke Shaw worked his way down the left. Fred found Bruno Fernandes and he cracked a shot against the base of a post from 22 yards. Still United quickly regained the ball as Fernandes pulled wide and centred low across the six-yard area with Areola at fault as he spilled it into Cavani’s path. United were level and how frustrating for Parker that they had been gifted the goal.
United continued to take the initiative, with Areola pushing away Fernandes’s dipping drive before Maguire was unmarked at a corner but planted his header wide. Fulham were defending ever deeper, with Fernandes almost alongside Cavani, but there was hope for them in the skilful combination of Lookman and Loftus-cheek and there was the occasional breakaway even if the impetus from United was becoming relentless.
That was summed up by Pogba’s goal with the ball turned over again just outside the Fulham area. Soon after taking the lead United almost added a third, with Cavani meeting a cross only for Areola to turn away his point-blank header. That would have ended it but Fulham have character and they threw everything at United, with Solskjaer making changes as he tried to stem the tide.
Even so two chances fell to Loftus-cheek. De Gea did well to divert a low shot away with his right leg and then Shaw cut out a dangerous cross only for the ball to fall to Loftus-cheek, who ballooned it over.
Fulham went close in injury-time, but United held on.
Fulham (3-4-2-1) Areola; Aina (Mitrovic 83), Anderson, Adarabioyo; Tete, Reed, Anguissa (Lemina 79), Bryan; Loftus-cheek, Cavaleiro (Kamara 71); Lookman. Booked Aina, Anguissa, Bryan Subs Rodak (g), Hector, Odoi, Kebano, Ream, Onomah.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-bissaka, Bailly, Maguire, Shaw; Pogba, Fred; Greenwood (Rashford 85), Fernandes, Martial (Mctominay 85); Cavani. Booked Pogba. Subs Henderson (g), Mata, James, Telles, Matic, Van de Beek, Tuanzebe, Mctominay.
Referee Martin Atkinson (West Riding).
Clinical: Edinson Cavani scores United’s opening goal in their victory at Fulham