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Lisandro Martinez capitalises on let-off after resuming feud with Adama Traore in Man Utd win

kieran crichard
·34-min read
Lisandro Martínez
Lisandro Martínez reels away in celebration after scoring Manchester United’s winner thanks, in large part, to a slice of good fortune - Getty Images/Clive Rose

Lisandro Martínez – discuss. He certainly left his stamp on this game as the Manchester United defender scored the only goal in a vital win over Fulham, showing his fierce competitive spirit. But was he fortunate to even be on the pitch?

Earlier the Argentine had jumped into a spiteful looking challenge on Adama Traoré – resuming a little feud between the pair – and reacted by claiming he was injured. Maybe there was no contact with the winger. But there looked to be intent.

Lisandro Martínez escaped a booking for this challenge on Fulham's Adama Traoré
Lisandro Martínez escaped a booking for this challenge on Fulham’s Adama Traoré - TNT Sports

Later there was pushing and shoving between Martínez and Traoré who had clashed during the fixture between the two clubs earlier this season, which United also won 1-0, with another late goal.

“I sent him [Traoré] to the gym, no?” Martínez said after that game which provoked a reaction with Traoré jokingly tagging his opponent in an Instagram story saying “Don’t worry, we will meet again”.

Fulham's Adama Traore, right, argues Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez during the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage stadium in London, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025
Martínez was in the thick of the action at Craven Cottage - AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth

They did here. And it was Martínez who came out on top, again, as he capitalised on his luck with his rash challenge going unpunished by referee Anthony Taylor and the VAR Jarred Gillett.

In fairness to the officials the Uefa guidelines are that the action cannot be punished if the challenge stops before contact with an opponent. This was confirmed by the PGMOL who said it did not reach the threshold. Which, frankly, is a nonsense given the clear intent. So what do we have to do, wait for a serious injury? Wonder what Fifa president Gianni Infantino, in the crowd here at Craven Cottage, thinks of that?

Martínez has history, as well. He made a similar dangerous lunge against Crystal Palace on midfielder Daichi Kamada last September for which he was only booked. Again he was lucky. Is it just poor technique? He seemed surprised to be punished against Palace and, really, someone – i.e. Ruben Amorim – should have a word with him because one day he will really hurt an opponent.

“I cannot spend two months saying we need to be more aggressive and fight more and then I say to Lisandro don’t fight too much,” Amorim argued, having not seen the incident but asked about it. “It’s a balance but the most important thing is not to harm another footballer. But he wants to win.”

Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United celebrates after scoring a opening goal during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Manchester United FC at Craven Cottage on January 26, 2025 in London, England
Martínez’s actions were defended by head coach Ruben Amorim - Getty Images/Sebastian Frej

It is a balance and Martínez does play on the edge, which makes him such a warrior. But that challenge was over the edge, although there was far better from him with his goal as he showed the positivity that Amorim is demanding from his centre-halves in his highly defined formation, and which Martínez demonstrated also in scoring against Liverpool in the impressive 2-2 draw at Anfield when he again burst forward.

“Sometimes they are the midfielders because they have the space and they have the game in front. When the central defenders play well with the ball we play well,” Amorim said.

United did not play well. But they dug in. And then they scored, with Bruno Fernandes showing their first moment of quality as he picked out Alejandro Garnacho who drove into the Fulham penalty area. His cross was cut out but it fell to Martínez, who had ventured upfield.

His powerful shot from the area’s edge deflected up off Sasa Lukic as the midfielder tried to block, with the ball spinning high in the air. Goalkeeper Bernd Leno got a hand to it but it struck the underside of the crossbar before going in. It was United’s only effort on target before an injury-time ‘goal’ by Amad Diallo was ruled out for offside.

In front of the watching Sir Jim Ratcliffe – who heard more chants of “we want Glazers out” from the United fans who got behind Amorim but also urged their side to “attack, attack, attack” – this victory offered relief but nothing more convincing. United laboured throughout. In fact, despite five changes, they looked tired and were trying to slow the contest down after their late Europa League win over Rangers.

They lacked intensity in what was, in truth, a disappointing game and not an advert for switching fixtures to 7pm on a Sunday, if that is the endgame for the television planners.

Fulham felt hard done by and understandably so. They took the game to United and should have been ahead at half-time with Alex Iwobi carrying the threat. They dominated the midfield where Manuel Ugarte, in particular, and Fernandes were struggling to deal with the drive and physicality of Lukic and Sander Berge.

Further forward it was another worrying display by Rasmus Hojlund who is struggling to make any kind of positive impression with Joshua Zirkzee not performing much better when he replaced the Danish striker.

After falling behind, Fulham had three good chances to draw level and even get the win, with the frustration of their head coach Marco Silva all too evident. He agreed his team, too, lacked an edge.

United were indebted to two misses by substitute Rodrigo Muniz, who skied the best chance from just seven yards out. There was also an extraordinary goal-line clearance from United substitute Toby Collyer who managed to stand inside the goal and head away a flick from Joachim Andersen after he reached a corner.

Toby Collyer of Manchester Utd clears the ball off the line during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Manchester United FC at Craven Cottage on January 26, 2025 in London, England.
Toby Collyer’s work in defending on the goalline was crucial to United’s victory - Getty Images/Shaun Brooks

It seemed like it would be a certain goal with Collyer mobbed by his relieved team-mates as he made sure they preserved the valuable three points which staved off more crisis talk. Even if they – and Martínez in particular – were lucky. And Amorim knew it.

09:31 PM GMT

Calvin Bassey speaking to TNT

“I thought we deserved more. We controlled the game and it was not our day. You need a bit of luck in football and it did not come our way today.

“We had a lot of chances, maybe in the final part at the end could have been better. They did not create too much trouble for us. We were aware of their quality.”

09:23 PM GMT

Collyer’s intervention

This was at 0-1 with just a few minutes remaining:

09:20 PM GMT

The thoughts of Marco Silva

“Frustration really with the result in our dressing room right now. Overall looking at the game, we deserved more and taken more from the game. One shot on target from Manchester Utd, a lucky goal deflection.

“First half, better play from us. We were the team that dominated more and the ball arrived in dangerous areas more from us. We pressed well and created a lot of problems for them. We were the better team first half, second half was more balanced. They set back after scoring their goal but we did create. Overall we created much more and were the more dangerous team but we have to be more ruthless and clinical. Our plan was good but we should have been more ruthless in attack. I do not know how long Harry [Wilson] will be out for. We will assess him tomorrow.”

09:16 PM GMT

Manchester United continue good record away at Fulham

09:15 PM GMT

Victory for the visitors

09:14 PM GMT

Edwin van der Sar speaking to TNT

“The result is nice for the winning manager but the performance was not great. Fulham created the most chances. Great result for Manchester United but Fulham deserved more from this game. You need to stabilise the club [Manchester United]. Winning games breeds confidence but you do not really see that on the pitch. It is still early doors for Ruben Amorim.

“I am enjoying my time after resigning at Ajax but I am all good after the health scare. I have had a few calls but I am still considering my next option.”

09:11 PM GMT

Ruben Amorim talking to TNT

09:07 PM GMT

Victory on the road for Manchester United

09:05 PM GMT

Rio Ferdinand on TNT

“We can sit here and talk about lack of creativity, but I have played here and away games in the Premier League are tough assignments.

“Sometimes you have to grind it out.”

09:02 PM GMT

Lisandro Martinez and Toby Collyer speaking to TNT Sports

08:57 PM GMT

This weekend’s Premier League results

Saturday:

Bournemouth 5-0 Nottingham Forest

Brighton 0-1 Everton

Liverpool 4-1 Ipswich

Southampton 1-3 Newcastle

Wolves 0-1 Arsenal

Manchester City 3-1 Chelsea

Sunday:

Crystal Palace 1-2 Brentford

Tottenham 1-2 Leicester

Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Manchester United

08:57 PM GMT

FT stats

Possession: Fulham 51%-49% Manchester United

Shots: 9-4

Shots on target: 3-1

Corners: 3-0

Touches in opposition box: 22-8

08:55 PM GMT

Full-time

There is the final whistle and Manchester United claim all three points at Craven Cottage thanks to Martinez’s deflected strike. Manchester United won the reverse fixture at Old Trafford 1-0 on the opening night of the season and complete another 1-0 win in this game away at Fulham.

08:53 PM GMT

90+5 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

Diallo had the ball in the net and celebrated in front of the travelling Manchester United but there was a very narrow offside in the build-up.

08:52 PM GMT

90+4 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

Has Diallo sealed it for the visitors?

08:51 PM GMT

90+3 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

Big chance for Fulham! Robinson’s cross from the left is headed down to Muniz, who has the chance from eight yards out to equalise for the hosts but he blazes over.

08:49 PM GMT

90+2 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

Time is running out for Fulham to find an equaliser. They are having all the possession, with Manchester United sat deep protecting their lead.

08:47 PM GMT

90 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

There will be six added minutes.

08:45 PM GMT

88 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

Fulham have another corner as the last touch is adjudged to have come off Malacia. The ball is sent in and flicked on but Collyer makes a fantastic goal-line clearance. Fulham so close to an equaliser through Andersen but Collyer steps up with a crucial intervention. That was very close to going over the line.

08:43 PM GMT

86 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

Yoro slides into a challenge and pushes it behind for a corner. Pereira sends it in and Iwobi attempts a flick on at the near post but Manchester United are able to clear.

08:41 PM GMT

84 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

Robinson sends in a good ball from the left into a dangerous area but Traore cannot get an effort on target and the ball goes sailing over the bar for a goal-kick.

08:39 PM GMT

82 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

Marco Silva is going to respond with a few changes of his own as Smith Rowe and Lukic are replaced by Pereira and Cairney.

08:37 PM GMT

80 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 1

Ruben Amorim feels it is the time for a double change as Mainoo and Malacia come on for Garnacho and Mazraoui.

08:35 PM GMT

GOAL! Martinez’s deflected strike gives visitors the lead

Manchester United take the lead with just over 10 minutes of normal time remaining. Martinez’s shot from distance takes a huge deflection off Lukic and loops into the air. Leno gets his fingertips to it but it goes off the underside of the bar and in. The visitors celebrate in front of their travelling fans. That was Manchester United’s first shot on target tonight.

08:33 PM GMT

76 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Chance for Fulham. Traore is found by Smith Rowe on the left-hand side of the area. Traore cuts inside and powers a shot towards goal but he cannot keep it down and it goes over the bar. It then kicks off as Martinez was not happy that Fulham did not kick it off with Ugarte down and struggling.

Manchester United are going to take off Ugarte, who has been struggling since fouling Traore. Collyer is replacing him.

Adama Traore and Lisandro Martinez argue and push each other
Scuffle breaks out - Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

08:30 PM GMT

73 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Probably the easiest decision of the night for Anthony Taylor. Traore skips past a few Manchester United defenders and then is hacked down by Ugarte who, you guessed it, is booked.

Manuel Ugarte fouls Adama Traore
Definite yellow card - Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

08:29 PM GMT

72 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Castagne stands up a dangerous cross from the byline on the right and, with Muniz putting pressure on him, Maguire heads behind for the first corner of the match. The corner comes to nothing and Marco Silva is looking a little frustrated in the dugout.

08:26 PM GMT

70 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

70 minutes into this game and Manchester United are still yet to register a shot on target tonight. You would have expected both sides to show a reaction after a lacklustre first half but it simply has not come.

08:20 PM GMT

63 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Marco Silva is making his second change of the night as Muniz replaces Jimenez.

08:18 PM GMT

61 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Martinez is down injured and he has caused that himself as he went jumping into the challenge on Traore. He was out of control and lucky he did not cause Traore any damage.

08:17 PM GMT

60 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Castagne’s dreadful start to this second half continues as he fouls Garnacho and is slightly fortunate he has not been booked so far tonight.

08:15 PM GMT

58 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Ruben Amorim has decided to make a double change as Zirkzee and Yoro replace Hojlund and de Ligt. Hojlund was fairly anonymous tonight and it is no surprise to see him hooked.

08:14 PM GMT

57 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

It has been a mad couple of minutes for Castagne. He now takes down Mazraoui just outside his own area and Manchester United will have a free-kick in a great position. It was not far off being a penalty, that is how close it was to the penalty area.

Fernandes takes it and goes underneath the Fulham wall, with no-one lying behind it. His effort hits the side netting and he was not far away from giving the visitors the lead.

Manchester United won a free-kick right on the edge of the Fulham penalty area with United goalkeeper Andre Onana running into the Fulham half to help line up his team-mates before Bruno Fernandes’ kick. Onana has done it before but it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if the free-kick had struck the wall and Fulham had countered. It did not work, anyway, with the United captain trying to catch out Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno with a low effort which he scuffed into the sidenetting.

08:12 PM GMT

55 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Castagne nearly makes a huge error. He plays a ball back into his own area and Hojlund nearly gets to it but Bassey is on hand to clear ahead of Hojlund. Had Hojlund been a little more ready and proactive he may have got to that first.

08:09 PM GMT

53 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

That is going to be the end of Wilson’s night as it looks like a muscular injury. Traore is coming on for him.

08:08 PM GMT

51 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Both managers will have been looking for a reaction from their players at the start of this second half but so far not much of a reaction from either side.

There is concern now for the home side as Wilson has gone down and needs some treatment.

08:06 PM GMT

49 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Berge fouls Diallo inside the Fulham half and Manchester United will have the chance to send in a delivery into the Fulham box. Fernandes takes but Fulham deal with it well and clear.

08:02 PM GMT

Second half

We are back under way at Craven Cottage. No changes at the break.

Edwin van der Sar is on the pitch at half-time to receive a special award. What a fantastic goalkeeper the 54-year-old was for both Fulham and Manchester United and it is great to see him in such good health after the brain haemorrhage he suffered in July 2023. He has taken the acclaim of all four sides of the stadium. I remember going to the Netherlands once to interview him when he was on international duty. After patiently answering everything I asked him he finished by saying “you know, you ask too many questions”.

Edwin van der Sar waves to the crowd at the break
A former player of both teams on the pitch at half-time - Matthew Childs/Reuters

07:55 PM GMT

This weekend’s Premier League fixtures

Saturday:

Bournemouth 5-0 Nottingham Forest

Brighton 0-1 Everton

Liverpool 4-1 Ipswich

Southampton 1-3 Newcastle

Wolves 0-1 Arsenal

Manchester City 3-1 Chelsea

Sunday:

Crystal Palace 1-2 Brentford

Tottenham 1-2 Leicester

Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham

Fulham 0-0 Manchester United HT

07:49 PM GMT

HT stats

Possession: Fulham 50%-50% Manchester United

Shots: 5-1

Shots on target: 2-0

Corners: 0-0

Touches in opposition box: 9-7

07:46 PM GMT

Half-time

That is it for the first half and it remains goalless at the break.

07:46 PM GMT

45 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Iwobi sends in a cross from the left and Jimenez goes down in the centre of the box, claiming he was fouled. He wants a penalty but referee Anthony Taylor waves those appeals away. VAR does check but sticks with the on-field decision.

There will be one added minute at the end of this first half.

07:42 PM GMT

42 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Ugarte puts it through Berge’s legs near the byline and is brought down, giving Manchester United a free-kick in a dangerous position.

Fernandes sends in the delivery and the ball goes goalwards after a couple of touches but it goes straight into the hands of a grateful Leno.

07:38 PM GMT

38 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Jimenez has a second chance in quick succession after a cross from Robinson. It is not in front of him as he would have liked, forcing him into a touch, and then shoots wide.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is in attendance at Craven Cottage tonight. You may have seen him last week at Donald Trump’s inauguration!

Among the VIPs at Craven Cottage is FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Fresh from attending the inauguration of US president Donald Trump, Infantino is sat next to Fulham chief executive Alistair Macintosh in the balcony of the ‘Cottage’ which remains in the corner of this expanded ground.

07:37 PM GMT

37 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Iwobi finds Jimenez to his left and the Mexican cuts inside onto his right. He takes on the shot from outside the box but his effort misses the target comfortably.

07:33 PM GMT

33 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Lukic fouls Martinez not far outside his own area. Lukic needs to be careful; he is one booking away from his 10th yellow card of the season, which would result in a two-game ban.

Fernandes sends it into a good area but Berge does well under pressure to head away.

07:32 PM GMT

32 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

It is still early in this game but, to put it bluntly, Manchester United look knackered. Ruben Amorim made five changes from the team that earned a late win in the Europa League against Rangers on Thursday but there is certainly a lack of energy and urgency from his players. Fulham are making all the running here and United seem to want to slow the game down.

... and with that the United fans have responded with a chant of “attack, attack, attack”. Not something their team has done much of so far.

07:31 PM GMT

30 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

It has been sloppy at times from both sides, with both sets of players guilty at times of just gifting away possession. Fulham have had three attempts so far, two on target. Manchester United; zero attempts.

07:25 PM GMT

25 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Ugarte slides in late on Wilson and Fulham are calling for a yellow card but referee Anthony Taylor does not agree. The home side send in the free-kick, Andersen heads across but Manchester United clear their lines.

There is a constant chorus of “Amorim’s red and white army” from the travelling Manchester United fans in support of their head coach Ruben Amorim. But it is Fulham who are carrying all the threat especially when they get Alex Iwobi on the ball. The former Arsenal and Everton attacker has been outstanding this season and is the most dangerous player on the pitch so far.

07:21 PM GMT

20 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Garnacho, who has been linked with a move away from Manchester United in this window, beats Wilson on the left with a clever touch and moves into the Fulham area. He passes to the overlapping Mazraoui, who sends in a cross, but Fulham head away from danger.

07:19 PM GMT

19 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Iwobi has his second effort of the match. Jimenez finds him in space on the left and he drives towards the Manchester United penalty area. He cuts inside onto his right foot and sends a shot towards goal but it is straight at Onana.

07:16 PM GMT

16 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Chance for Fulham. Hojlund wanted a foul just inside his own half but referee Anthony Taylor is having none of it. Wilson then plays the ball forward, Jimenez touches it and Smith Rowe gets to it on the edge of the box. He tries to lift his shot over the onrushing Onana but his effort misses the target.

Emile Smith Rowe attempts a shot under pressure from Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt
Still no breakthrough at Craven Cottage - Bradley Collyer/PA

07:13 PM GMT

12 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

The ball nearly falls at the feet of Iwobi inside the Manchester United penalty area but de Ligt just gets to it first and clears away.

07:06 PM GMT

6 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

The first chance of the night comes for Fulham. Iwobi picks the ball up on halfway and is given space to dribble his way all the way into the Manchester United box. He fires towards the far corner but Onana gets down to his left to make a fairly comfortable save.

07:04 PM GMT

4 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

Marco Silva must want to rip into Andersen right now. The centre-back has already given the ball away two or three times with errant passes.

07:02 PM GMT

2 mins: Fulham 0 Manchester United 0

The ball is lifted in behind the Manchester United defence into the path of Jimenez but the offside flag goes up fairly quickly. The Mexican knew he had strayed offside.

07:00 PM GMT

Kick-off

We are under way at Craven Cottage. A warm embrace before kick-off between the two Portuguese managers.

06:56 PM GMT

Kick-off fast approaching

Both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off at Craven Cottage.

It could have been a different Portuguese coach in the dug-out for Manchester United. Fulham’s Marco Silva was under consideration last summer as United decided whether to replace Erik ten Hag at that time. They chose to stick with Ten Hag for a few more months with Ruben Amorim - who was not on United’s list back then but was being looked at by Chelsea - taking over. Silva has done a remarkable job at Fulham and has turned down big offers from Saudi Arabia to stay at Craven Cottage. He is still just 47 and certainly deserves another crack at a big club if the opportunity comes up. But first he wants to take Fulham back into European competition.

06:53 PM GMT

Reminder of the teams

Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Lukic, Berge, Wilson, Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Jimenez.

Substitutes: Benda, Reed, Rodrigo Muniz, Cairney, Traore, Cuenca, Andreas Pereira, King, Diop.

Manchester Utd: Onana, de Ligt, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dalot, Diallo, Garnacho, Hojlund.

Substitutes: Bayindir, Lindelof, Zirkzee, Malacia, Eriksen, Yoro, Casemiro, Mainoo, Collyer.

06:51 PM GMT

The thoughts pre-match of Marco Silva

06:47 PM GMT

Ruben Amorim speaking to TNT

06:43 PM GMT

Hosts preparing

06:42 PM GMT

Cantona’s kung fu kick – ‘The most unbelievable moment of my entire career’

Recollections vary about the provocation for Eric Cantona’s attack on a fan at Crystal Palace 30 years ago. In court Cantona’s version of events was that Matthew Simmons, the man he kicked, had shouted “F--- off back to France you French b-----d”, also calling him a “French animal” and his mother a “French whore”. Simmons claimed all he said was “Off! Off! Off! It’s an early bath for you, Mr Cantona!”

This difference in accounts is typical of one of the great mythical football stories of the Nineties. Had the game been a good contest or a woeful slog? Did Cantona deserve the dismissal which sent him down the touchline and past Simmons? Was Cantona a thug for what he did, or a hero? Few who witnessed it can agree on any of it, as if their recollection has been corrupted like computer memory after a power surge.

The lead-up to the match is easier to state with certainty. United, chasing a third consecutive title, had recovered from an uneven start to the season and sat two points behind leaders Blackburn Rovers. In their previous game they had beaten Rovers 1-0 at Old Trafford with a late Cantona header. That seemed to shift momentum in their favour.

Our senior sports writer Thom Gibbs remembers that infamous day.

06:40 PM GMT

Visitors gearing up

Manchester United are working on a version of the ‘rondo’ - when players pass the ball quickly in a circle to sharpen up their reactions as one or two others in the middle try to intercept - in the warm-up. This time it is the ‘back five’ moving up quickly as a unit to try and press and win the ball back quickly in a rectangular space.

06:38 PM GMT

The thoughts pre-match of Tom Cairney

06:37 PM GMT

All over at Villa Park

It has finished 1-1 between Aston Villa and West Ham. You can catch all the reaction to that match right here.

06:36 PM GMT

Rio Ferdinand on TNT

06:33 PM GMT

Diogo Dalot speaking to TNT Sports

06:28 PM GMT

Neville responds to Des Lynam over claim he can fix Manchester United

Gary Neville has politely asked his broadcasting “god” Des Lynam to “please stop putting me forward as the manager of Manchester United”.

Neville suggested he had been ridiculed by colleagues and friends after Lynam, writing for Telegraph Sport, said the former right-back was the “best candidate” to fix the crisis club. “My plea to him was over three years ago but as the men with their furrowed brows took their temporary residence in the United dugout, Neville has remained the best candidate, in my mind,” Lynam wrote.

Lynam’s article prompted thousands of comments, with many readers citing the pundit’s major failure as manager of Valencia in the 2015/16 season.

Speaking on his podcast on Sky Sports, Neville said: “I don’t believe that I’m the best man for the job by a long way.”

Tom Morgan has the full story.

06:23 PM GMT

Full team news

Fulham are unchanged from their 2-0 win at Leicester last time out.

Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Lukic, Berge, Wilson, Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Jimenez.

Substitutes: Benda, Reed, Rodrigo Muniz, Cairney, Traore, Cuenca, Andreas Pereira, King, Diop.

Manchester Utd have made five changes from the side which beat Rangers on Thursday. Andre Onana returns in goal, whilst Harry Maguire and Noussair Mazraoui come into the defence. Manuel Ugarte and Rasmus Hojlund also come in.

Manchester Utd: Onana, de Ligt, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dalot, Diallo, Garnacho, Hojlund.

Substitutes: Bayindir, Lindelof, Zirkzee, Malacia, Eriksen, Yoro, Casemiro, Mainoo, Collyer.

06:17 PM GMT

Hosts arriving

06:14 PM GMT

Closing stages at Villa Park

They are into the final ten minutes and it is 1-1, with West Ham equalising in the second half through Emerson. You can follow the closing stages of that match right here.

06:12 PM GMT

Ineos battle looks like child’s play next to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s United nightmare

Has there ever been a transfer window quite like Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s January 2025? By Saturday morning he may be able to say that in the space of 10 days he has got rid of the Spanish-Argentine boyband-style prodigy Alejandro Garnacho and the officers’ mess archetype, Olympian Ben Ainslie. At the very least one might say that the plutocrat now in charge of Manchester United does not discriminate on what kind of talent he considers dispensable.

This is the life of a 72-year-old in a hurry to do as much as he can with the fortune he has amassed over a lifetime in the chemical business. The fallout with Ainslie over the future of the Ineos Britannia America’s Cup challenge will likely come down to who owns the brand and the technology of the project and it would be hard to bet against Ratcliffe’s resources in a straight legal fight. By comparison with United’s fortunes it looks an easier battle.

United is an extraordinary case that grows ever more complex by the day. Might they sell Garnacho to Napoli or Chelsea, just 12 months on from him being arguably the team’s best prospect? All reliable sources indicate it will come down to the call of Ruben Amorim, who will be asked if he wants either the player or the resources in the transfer market that a Garnacho sale would generate in the last few days of the window. Garnacho will not be sold out from under Amorim, but even so – how did it come to this?

Our chief football writer Sam Wallace has his say on the situation.

06:06 PM GMT

Ruben Amorim arrives

06:02 PM GMT

Former Fulham and Manchester United goalkeeper in attendance at Craven Cottage tonight

06:00 PM GMT

Rachel Reeves throws support behind Man Utd’s plans for £2bn ‘Wembley of the North’

Manchester United’s plans for a new 100,000 capacity stadium as the centrepiece of a major regeneration project have been given a huge boost after the Government threw its support behind the proposals.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that she would be “championing” the project around Old Trafford which is forecast to generate £7.3 billion annually for the UK economy and create around 90,000 jobs nationally.

The Government said the plans – which will lead to new housing, commercial and public spaces – was a “shining example of the bold pro-development model that will drive growth across the region”.

To read more from our northern football correspondent James Ducker, click here.

05:55 PM GMT

This weekend’s Premier League fixtures

Saturday:

Bournemouth 5-0 Nottingham Forest

Brighton 0-1 Everton

Liverpool 4-1 Ipswich

Southampton 1-3 Newcastle

Wolves 0-1 Arsenal

Manchester City 3-1 Chelsea

Sunday:

Crystal Palace 1-2 Brentford

Tottenham 1-2 Leicester

Aston Villa 1-0 West Ham (60’)

Fulham vs Manchester United 7pm

05:51 PM GMT

Fancy a flutter?

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05:45 PM GMT

Manchester United team news

05:45 PM GMT

Fulham team news

05:42 PM GMT

Team news incoming

We are about to find out how each side will line up at Craven Cottage this evening.

05:40 PM GMT

Match preview

10th-place Fulham host 13th-place Manchester United at Craven Cottage in the Premier League in a repeat of the fixture that kicked off this season. On the opening night of the season, Manchester United were victorious 1-0 thanks to Joshua Zirkzee’s late debut goal. Fulham manager Marco Silva is keen to see his side reverse that scoreline from opening night.

“All our games against them are tight and many are decided in the last minutes,” said Marco Silva. “Performance-wise if we can repeat them then I would want us to do that and always we need to be strong in both ends to get the result we want. It can be an open game or maybe a compact game.

“Let’s see how the game goes. We have to be ready for everything, but one thing for sure is you will see our identity. They were solid, difficult and compact in the Manchester City game (2-1 win), Liverpool (2-2 draw) and Arsenal (penalty shootout win in the FA Cup).”

Fulham, who have no fresh injury concerns going into tonight, were last in action a week ago, winning 2-0 at Leicester. They have lost just one of their previous 11 games in all competitions, drawing six and winning four, and are unbeaten in their last six games at Craven Cottage.

Manchester United’s last league game ended in a 3-1 home defeat against Brighton. They did beat Rangers 2-1 at home in the Europa League on Thursday thanks to Bruno Fernandes’ late winner. Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim was full of praise for his captain Fernandes after his winner against Rangers.

“I think he is a top player and then people talk a lot about his frustration, always with his arms in the air. Sometimes it is not a good thing to see but you have to see the other side. When you are under pressure, he is always the guy that wants the ball, he is always available. And that is so important. Especially in the Premier League. And then he can run. And he runs a lot. He fights a lot.”

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes celebrates his goal against Rangers
Bruno Fernandes scored a late winner for Manchester United on Thursday night against Rangers in the Europa League - Dave Thompson/AP

Amorim’s side have lost six of their last nine league matches. In 11 league games under Amorim, Manchester United have lost six of those games, winning just three times.

The omens are seemingly not on Fulham’s side this evening; they have won just one of their last 18 Premier League games against Manchester United, which came in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford last season thanks to Alex Iwobi’s 97th-minute winner. Manchester United are unbeaten in their last eight league visits to Craven Cottage, winning the last seven in a row.

Team news to follow shortly.