Brighter United papering over the cracks
THERE were moments, as Manchester United took apart a desperately weak Fulham rearguard, when this place was transported to better, brighter days.
Each of the three goals which sealed things early were in keeping with a time when the club stood on the cusp of greatness.
But the crisp, clinical firsttime finishes of Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku did not send electricity through the place. The goals, which helped take United sixth, only temporarily lifted the stadium from a muffled silence. There were as many as 5,000 empty seats and a late-Wenger era Emirates feel about the place.
There is a listlessness: a sense that United, 16 points adrift of next week’s opponents Liverpool, are adrift and must rebuild under new management to bring the joy back.
Ashley Young jinked beyond Denis Odoi at the opener, nutmegging the Belgian to curl the ball rightfooted high into Fulham’s net.
Lukaku unlocked the second, sending Marcus Rashford into space behind the defence, from where he spotted Mata and cut back the pass which the Spaniard struck in first time.
Lukaku struck his first goal since March from Mata’s lay-back after Jesse Lingard had sent the midfielder into space to make it 3-0 before the break.
Rashford wrapped up the win with a shot from 20 yards after Fulham had netted a consolation penalty from Aboubakar Kamara and had Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa harshly sent off for two yellow card.
‘Anguissa, my player, touched the ball only and the referee gave a second yellow card. It changed the match,’ complained Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri.
Mourinho, who celebrated his 50th win as United boss by high-fiving his staff, said: ‘The first half was really, really good at every level. It was a good result, a good performance and good individual performances.’