Alejandro Garnacho secured Manchester United a late 2-1 win over Fulham with a sensational goal at the death. At Craven Cottage, where Cristiano Ronaldo scored that famous goal from the left wing all those years ago, United’s latest young star found the net with one just as good.
He played a one-two with Christian Eriksen and showed his outstanding pace to get to the ball first and find a composed finish. The away end was a sea of Argentinian flags as the 18-year-old became the youngest player to score an injury-time winner in the Premier League since Federico Macheda. Whatever happened to him?
One thing is for sure, the teenager has the world at his feet at the moment. Even when United weren’t at their best, and they looked sloppy in the second half, he came up with the winner. It’s the sign of a big player. No matter his age. United turned to him when they needed inspiration and he produced the goods.
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It was a remarkable finish and United were far stronger when he came off the bench, but the rest of the display was one that felt like the players were carefully avoiding injury ahead of the World Cup. On Bruno Fernandes 100th appearance, he set up Eriksen to score his first Manchester United goal as they broke away and he added the final touch to a deflected pass from the Portuguese pass.
Fulham looked short without Aleksandr Mitrovic, while United were just waiting to capitalise on any mistake Marco Silva’s team made with the ball. But Fulham are different this season in the top flight. Instead of capitulating, they found their groove and as they grew stronger, United weakened.
In the second half, Dan James, off the bench against his former club, finished from close range after United’s full backs were caught far too high up the pitch. It was a goal that came just minutes after Erik ten Hag chose to substitute wide man Anthony Elanga for Scott McTominay and although that move on paper should have made the visitors more solid, what it actually did was unnerve them.
Across the whole second half, Fulham were the better team. James was electric every time he took on Lisandro Martinez and United looked sluggish. But just like the old days, even when United aren’t at their best, they found a way to win.
For Garnacho, he remarkably now has a month off, flourishing too late to make Argentina’s World Cup squad. But Lionel Messi and co deliver anything other than the trophy, huge calls from both Manchester and his homeland will question the decision not to take him. As we saw today, he is not just a game changer but a match winner.
United go into the World Cup with an important win, and a brand new superstar.
