My Man U a dance like Trevor Berbick to rahtid

[Westman]

The KOP knocked them down and now as they try to get up they look like Berbick break dancing when he was trying to get up after being knocked down. Interesting times. Fergie needs to stop the bleeding, even though they still have the mathematical advantage. They now have some serious confidence issues.

Scholes made a dumb play to get sent off and then the pretty boy harassed his team mates throughout because the pressure of playing a man down got to him. Fergie definitely needs to let him go to Real Madrid now.

[Karl]

Fulham 2-0 Man Utd

Fulham 2-0 Man Utd



Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney were sent off as Manchester United's title hopes took another crushing blow at Fulham.

Scholes saw red after 18 minutes for handling Bobby Zamora's header, Danny Murphy dispatching the penalty.

And as United pressed for a second-half equaliser, Zoltan Gera struck on the break with a superb control and finish. Seconds later, Rooney threw the ball away in frustration to earn a second booking on a miserable day for United, whose lead could be cut to one point.

[Lazie]

The KOP knocked them down and now as they try to get up they look like Berbick break dancing when he was trying to get up after being knocked down. Interesting times. Fergie needs to stop the bleeding, even though they still have the mathematical advantage. They now have some serious confidence issues.

Scholes made a dumb play to get sent off and then the pretty boy harassed his team mates throughout because the pressure of playing a man down got to him. Fergie definitely needs to let him go to Real Madrid now.

After a week's rest, why not go with your strongest team?

[Westman]

and Rooney's true colors come through as his petulance gets him a second yellow and a sending off. Fergie needs to flog these lads. No composure under pressure!

[Westman]

I have never been more disappointed in them. But they are still my team.

[OJ]

no need to panic. you are still in a good situation. your team has enough quality not to go in a prolong drought..

[Karl]

After a week's rest, why not go with your strongest team?

Just a few days ago...I thought you said you had so many combination and permutations as strongest team?

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

[Karl]

and Rooney's true colors come through as his petulance gets him a second yellow and a sending off. Fergie needs to flog these lads. No composure under pressure!

The composed team...the EMPIRE?

[Lazie]

Just a few days ago...I thought you said you had so many combination and permutations as strongest team?

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

Carrick is our best defensive mid ,, he should have started ... Rooney should have started. They had a week to rest.

[Karl]

What a poor team without Carrick ...and Rooney?!
Such a silly coach that Sir Alex!
Must have been pure luck those wins without Carrick and Rooney?

[Karl]

Fulham Down Nine-Man Manchester United

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 Man United...

Fulham 2-0 Manchester United



21 Mar 2009 17:55:10




EPL: Danny Murphy, Fulham v Manchester United (PA)

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 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 hand ball 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 in 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 counter attack.

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 prized 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 counter-attack 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

[Paul Marin]

Fixture congestion - nothing more...and disrespect for Fulham.

[Paul Marin]

Luckily for them...were they not as deep, this may well be a crisis. Still, dem cyan tek nutin wey from Fulham... DAT WAS A WIKID SECOND GOAL BY GERA!!! Pure skill. Remind me of me "back in the day"
Rooney showed why he is a liability...Likkle bwoy...semi-pro player at best.

[OJ]

mind lazie and westman kill you fi call dem balla semi-pro// roonies temperment is what makes him good howerver.