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Manchester United host Fulham at Previous Trafford aiming to maintain their profitable streak alive as they make a late sprint for the UEFA Champions League locations.
The present streak stands at 4 video games and with a conflict away to Nottingham Forest subsequent within the FA Cup, they’ll prolong it to 6 earlier than a marquee recreation away to Manchester Metropolis.
Nonetheless, the rapid ideas are on the subsequent recreation as Fulham pose a singular risk as a result of their multi-dimensional assault and transition supremacy.
Listed below are the three battles that can resolve the destiny of the game-
Andreas Pereira vs Casemiro
Casemiro endured a torrid time towards Luton City as the fast and pacy attackers repeatedly bypassed him. He was hooked at half-time as the sport flew by his ageing legs. It was the primary concrete state of affairs the place he seemed a step slower than the sport.
Towards Fulham, the pacy attackers gained’t be as huge a risk, however he might want to rein in his foul-happy methods to make sure United keep away from a sucker punch by the previous Pink Satan in Andreas Pereira.
The Brazilian is not the participant who was ridiculed at Previous Trafford. He has developed into the artistic hub of Fulham, particularly as a result of his mastery of set items. United battle to defend set-pieces with conviction, Casemiro fouls so much, and Pereira is a menace from set-pieces.
This may go disastrously if at the very least considered one of these three issues doesn’t change. One is just not in United’s arms (Pereira’s mastery), and the opposite gained’t change in a single day (set-piece defending), thereby leaving Casemiro to adapt for this one.
Joao Palhinha vs Bruno Fernandes
Identical to it’s the battle of the Brazilians in Pereira vs Casemiro at Fulham’s attacking finish, it’s the conflict of the Portuguese at United’s.
Palhinha has shrugged off his failed Bayern Munich transfer in the summertime to return to his combative finest this season. He’s virtually a one-man wall in entrance of the defence, sweeping up all the things, tackling exhausting, and being a basic nuisance by closing down house between the traces.
That’s exactly the form of defensive midfielder who can frustrate Fernandes, inflicting him to hurry the play and cede possession.
United must cease making their video games like basketball, end-to-end, and Fernandes is a giant motive why that retains occurring. Getting round Palhinha and pulling him away from the warmth of the motion is an important a part of making that occur, which can be as much as Fernandes.
Omari Forson vs Fulham’s left wing
That is, after all, based mostly on current experiences that the United teen could possibly be set for his first Premier League begin as a result of Rasmus Hojlund’s absence.
Forson has lengthy been dubbed because the subsequent candidate to make the bounce to the primary staff and the stress can be on him from the off as a result of if he performs on the appropriate, he can be up towards Fulham’s finest.
Antonee Robinson and the wily veteran Willian will make it some extent to check him repeatedly by pushing ahead and testing his dedication to his defensive duties. Forson can be helped by the truth that Diogo Dalot is in the very best type of his profession however he can’t let the Portuguese get overloaded on that facet.
To steadiness his defensive duties with contribution in assault can be a tall job for the teen. If he has a star-making recreation, it could possibly be the beginning of one other sensible profession after Kobbie Mainoo. Sink or swim time.