Fulham Down Nine-Man Manchester United

We have a title race: Manchester United have lost consecutive league games to allow Liverpool and Chelsea a glimpse of the top of the table. Murphy and Gera netted the strikes to give Fulham the win over nine-man United...



Fulham 2-0 Manchester United





Fulham had not won against United here since 1964, and against a frustrated rival, executed their gameplan to perfection to stop the rot. Home form, a boon earlier in the season, had begun to wobble of late but this result will augment the Cottagers' European hopes.



Fulham triumphed thanks to a first-half Danny Murphy penalty and a goal on the break by Zoltan Gera with two minutes to play. Each goal brought a United dismissal; Paul Scholes was sent off prior to the Murphy penalty for handling, while Wayne Rooney blew his top in the wake of Gera's clincher.



There were off-days for Ronaldo, Berbatov and company, and despite battering Fulham for large swathes of the second half, Manchester United fell.



Not a good day at the office for Sir Alex. It may be, for him at least, squeaky bum time.



First Half



Sir Alex Ferguson shuffled his deck, making some alterations to the side that lost to Liverpool last weekend; Dimitar Berbatov replaced Wayne Rooney in an attacking capacity for the visitors in one of their more noteworthy changes, but it was Ferguson stalwart Scholes who was to be the chief protagonist in the first period.



Fulham, for their part, named the same XI that won at Bolton Wanderers last week and started on the front foot. Clint Dempsey went close early on with a drive, before United had a decent chance of their own. Patrice Evra, booked for diving at the end of the half, crossed from the left but Berbatov couldn't direct his header on the target.



The hosts maintained control of the game, dictated the pace in the opening stages and made United uncomfortable on a ground on which they triumphed 4-0 only a fortnight ago.



Bobby Zamora had a clutch of first half chances, but couldn't convert. He sent the first of a few speculative drives wide on the quarter-hour.



Fulham's early dominance was rewarded as soon as the 17th minute, when the Cottagers were given a penalty and Ferguson's side reduced to ten men.



Simon Davies fired in a corner, which was flicked on by Zamora. His effort prompted a handball on the line by Paul Scholes, who was shown the red card. Danny Murphy, not for the first time in his career, netted a penalty against the Red Devils.



The northern side failed to rouse themselves and were lucky not to be two-down on 20 minutes when Van der Sar saved from Zamora.



Zamora was again repelled by the occupied Dutchman before Dempsey stuck narrowly wide on the half-hour, as United continued to be sub-par.



Dickson Etuhu, from a Dempsey cross, made Van der Sar work again; Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans could not get to grips with their adversaries. Zamora, one of the more prominent first half performers, then unleashed a vicious strike, which was well-fielded by Van der Sar.



The champions went in at half-time a shadow of their selves; their game was blighted by a lack of responsibility and a palpable crisis of confidence in possession.



Second Half



No doubt on the end of the hairdryer treatment at half-time, it was a vastly improved Manchester United that appeared after the break. Park Ji Sung fired narrowly over immediately, as the world champions attempted to gain parity.



United dictated the second half tempo, but with their new-found attacking instincts now functioning, there remained the danger of a counterattack.



Nonetheless, a Ronaldo header, from Darren Fletcher's cross served to remind the Londoners who they were dealing with. Just wide on that occasion.



A Zamora shot, from an unlikely angle, alleviated the Fulham pressure and gave United a jitter before Rooney fed Ronaldo to shoot straight at Schwarzer on the hour.



Fletcher was next to try his luck, before a combination of Rooney and Ronaldo almost prised Hodgson's side open. The Scouser crossed from the right and Ronaldo, frustrated to the point of a booking, could only direct his header at Australia's number 1.



The custodian had to be on full alert moments later, pulling off an incredible pair of saves to protect Fulham's clean sheet. Park fired from close range and was denied; Rooney's follow up was shut out by Schwarzer in stunning fashion.



The wave of pressure never let up; Ferdinand, as well as Ronaldo and Rooney had another chance apiece as the game ebbed towards the last 15 minutes.



However, that threat of a counterattack ultimately outdid the Champions League holders. Pouring forward, Ferguson's side were caught by Andy Johnson running down the right with only two minutes on the clock. The Red Devils had scant cover when Johnson sent the cross over. Substitute Zoltan Gera was well placed in the box to control and fire an overhead shot into the corner to sink United.



Wayne Rooney's temper then further agonised Sir Alex; throwing the ball away, the England forward was handed a second yellow card to reduce his side to nine men. Facing fixtures with their cushion at the top eroded away is one thing, doing so without Nemanja Vidic, Scholes and Rooney is quite another.



Line Ups:



Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer - Paintsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky - Etuhu, Murphy (Dacourt 67'), Davies, Dempsey (Gera 82') - Zamora (Kamara 77'), Johnson



Manchester United (4-4-2): van der Sar - O'Shea (Tevez 70'), Evans, Ferdinand, Evra - Fletcher, Scholes, Park, Giggs - Ronaldo, Berbatov (Rooney h/t)



Goals:



Fulham: Murphy PEN 18', Gera 87'



Manchester United: -



Cards:



Fulham: Paintsil 42', Dempsey 70'



Manchester United: Scholes SENT OFF 17', Evans 27', Evra 45', Ronaldo 55', Rooney 81', SENT OFF 88'



Referee: Phil Dowd



Peter Staunton, Goal.com



