Manchester United 2-2 Fulham: Key stats and player ratings
A 94th minute goal from Darren Bent stunned Manchester United at Old Trafford, the Premier League’s bottom side held last season’s champions to a 2-2 draw. Fulham took a first half lead through Steve Sidwell and defended doggedly until two late goals in three minutes from Robin Van Persie and Michael Carrick looked to have snatched victory for United.
However Fulham snatched a point from the jaws of defeat to leave United nine points adrift of a Champions League place.
Here’s how the players rated by Squawka Performance Score:
Manchester United:
David de Gea (-25): Let in two goals from just three shots on target.
Rafael (14): The United right back spent most of the game camped in the Fulham half and averaged a cross every 6.8 minutes that he spent on the pitch.
Chris Smalling (23): Made 76 passes, meaning that United’s central defenders made more passes (151) than the entire Fulham side (134)
Nemanja Vidic (16): The only outfield member of United’s starting eleven not to put in a cross, Vidic won six of his eight headed duels.
Patrice Evra (36): Evra put in 14 crosses from left back.
Evra Crosses
Juan Mata (60): Misplaced just three of his 73 attempted passes and put in 11 crosses.
Michael Carrick (100): Carrick’s goal was one of eight attempts on goal, whilst he made 88 of his 92 attempted passes.
Carrick Passes
Darren Fletcher (13): The Scot made 51 passes and found a United player with one of his two crosses.
Ashley Young (-16): Young put in 15 crosses – averaging one every 4.5 minute on the pitch – but found a teammate with just one of them.
Robin van Persie (30): Scored his third goal in three games since his return from injury, netting with his only shot on target.
Wayne Rooney (30): Put in 12 crosses and took seven shots, but lost five of the headed duels that he contested.
Substitutes:
Adnan Januzaj (19): On for less than half an hour but put in 12 crosses, finding a teammate with five of them.
Javier Hernández (-4): Had little impact, with one shot and four passes.
Antonio Valencia (5): Made all 16 of his passes, creating two chances.
Fulham:
Maarten Stekelenburg (2): Kept his side in it with a number of key saves.
Sascha Riether (14): Only managed ten passes, but made nine clearances, one tackle and won one headed duel.
Jonny Heitinga (10): Cleared nine balls and made 55% of his touches inside his own box.
Heitinga Action Areas
Dan Burn (3): A sign of how under the cosh Fulham were, Burn made 22 clearances but just seven passes.
Burn Heat Map
John Arne Riise (1): Made 12 clearances from left back.
Ryan Tunnicliffe (6): The youngster was restricted to just seven passes on his debut for the club, but made four clearances and two tackles.
Steve Sidwell (53): Opened the scoring with a tidy finish from Holtby’s through ball and made 10 clearances, three tackles and two interceptions.
Sidwell Clearances
William Kvist (6): Contributed seven clearances, three interceptions and one tackle.
Kieran Richardson (14): Nominally playing on the left of midfield, Richardson made nine clearances and three tackles and was one of two Fulham players to complete more clearances than passes.
Richardson Passes
Lewis Holtby (22): Made 23 passes, including the assist for Fulham’s opener; the most of any Fulham player.
Muamer Tankovic (-11): Spent his half on the pitch chasing lost causes up front for Fulham, restricting him to just two passes, and blazed over from his only sight of goal.
Substitutes:
Darren Bent (28): Silenced Old Trafford, equalising late on with his only shot on goal.
Scott Parker (14): Completed more clearances (3), tackles (1) and headed duels (1) than passes (4)
Larnell Cole (4): Made one pass and one tackle.