Match Review
Fulham 1 v 2 Manchester United, Craven Cottage, London, 12.45pm, Saturday 24th February 2007.
Goals: Fulham: McBride (17), Manchester United: Giggs (29), Ronaldo (88)
Attendance: 24,459

"Today you will score" said Gabriel Heinze, and boy was the Argentine defender ever right, he had told his close friend Ronaldo of an epiphany whereby the young winger would score a goal at Fulham & he did just that pulling United out of the deep hole there poor performance had got themselves into. Brian McBride had opened the scoring earlier for the Cottagers capitalising on a defensive cock up, however soon after Ryan Giggs scored an equaliser bringing the Reds back into the game.

SAF saw fit to drop Gary Neville, many believing it was the repercussions of the Captain's reply in midweek after Lille players were contemplating abandoning the game & SAF had stern words for the Captain by which Neville had a reply for Fergie. 

A second rate United never seemingly getting out of 2nd gear were fortunate to come away with any points as the team on a whole played poorly, Larsson & Rooney were paired upfront & Wes Brown replaced Neville at right full back for the visit & United were pedestrians for most of the match.

Fulham saw a clutch of chances go there way as Smertin shot wide &  Simon Davies who was Fulham's standout player & Papa Bouba Diop both testing EVDS, Fulham's opening goal would come from a defensive cock up in which Vidic uncharacteristically gambled whilst being chased back toward his own goal by Simon Davies, EVDS ran from his goal and somewhere in the mix up hoping not to collide with the Serbanator, United's keeper missed the ball which travelled to the right of the goal, Brian McBride feeding on the scraps he was generously offered by the mix up, struck the ball hitting the post then the net and almost striking Rio Ferdinand for another own goal as per Fulham's visit to Old Trafford  at the start of the season.

Within minutes United's keeper was demonstrating more Chuckle Brother defending as Vidic passed a simply ball back to the Dutchman only for him to fall over his own feet with Radzinski bearing down on him.

Still lacking any sort of penetration & losing the battle in midfield tenfold, United did however go close as Ronaldo blazed a shot/cum cross across goal which any sort of touch would have meant an equaliser, The Reds didn't have to wait long however as Ryan Giggs passed a through ball to Wayne Rooney who not enjoying one of his quieter days gathered the ball from the left of the Fulham box, made beat his man on his way back to the right, the White Pele then seeing the marvellous run by Ryan Giggs, picked his man out with NFL quarterback perfection for Giggs to slice volley "Roy of the Rovers style" into the net passed Fulham's keeper Lastuvka.

As the match wore on Rio Ferdinand everyone's favourite pimp escaped a certain Red card after he did his best impression of Homer Simpson strangling Bart after placing his hands around Radzinski's neck.

In the second half Fulham totally dominant in midfield to the levels of Carrick & Scholes being anonymous continued to stop United gaining any rhythm and the Reds struggled to gain much in the way of attacking football, Simon Davies again tested EVDS to the limits with a volley on the turn which restoring some of his mistake laden 1st half the United shot stopper saved exquisitely.

Later a deep cross from Michael Brown was looking a certainty for Fulham to deservingly take the lead for the second time in the game as Radzinski beat Wes Brown to the header, but the effort somehow beat EVDS and smashed against the crossbar.  Davies & McBride would again made United's keeper work as he continued to make this the most employed match of his United career to date as he made more saves from the Welshman & the American.

In no way deserving much or indeed anything from the game, United would rise from the ashes, showing what good teams do by snatching a late late winner after playing poorly throughout, Ronaldo gathered a ball in his own half with two minutes to go & after a nutmeg beat another Fulham player before running on goal, progress further into the box saw Ronaldo let fly with a shot which with God like help after catching Phillipe Christanval passed the keeper and into goal for United's winner.

The resulting scenes were a joy to watch as Ronaldo dashed to the dug out pointing at Heinze continuously as the rest of the team & coaches alike soaked up the atmosphere of the now sure fire victory, in the midst of the celebrations Gary Neville then smacked Ronaldo one in the face & punched Gabby in the back, in true Roy Keane fashion like a true United captain would!!!!

Second's later Fulham saw a penalty appeal turned down when Van der Sar was caught in the penalty box with Helguson, but referee Walton waved play on & United ran out undeserved but ecstatically happy winners.

United Starting Line-up
Rant Ratings in parenthesis
van der sar (8); Brown (5), Ferdinand (6), Vidic (5), Evra (5); Ronaldo (7), Scholes (6), Carrick (5), Giggs (7); Rooney (6), Larsson (5).
Subs Used: O'Shea (5) for Vidic (59 mins), Saha (5) for Carrick (66 mins), Silvestre (5) for Evra (67 mins)
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Park.

United's Man of the Match
EVDS was totally of his game in the 1st few minutes, then realising how much of twat he looked, played like the keeper we all know &have come to love.

Keano16's Reaction
Do not underestimate the importance of this game, being brutally honest as we always are here @ Encyclopaedia Manchester United, United were very poor & this was probably United's hardest game of the season, Fulham showed there best form of the season to day and came away with nothing.

As TV footage showed by SAF's reaction this was a major victory from the jaws of defeat and boy did he know it.

Was Rant's Prediction Right?
We said 3-1, United Rant 7 v 33 Wrong Predictions.

Milestones
Ryan Giggs's 98th League/Premiership goal of his United career & 140th goal overall.
Ronaldo's 34th Premiership goal of his United career & 43rd goal overall.

Miscellaneous Info
United’s next match is on Tuesday 27th February 2007 (A) to Reading in the FA Cup 5th Round Replay, 20.00pm K.O.