Premier League: Manchester United win at Fulham; Villa continue fine form under Emery
Alejandro Garnacho came off the bench to score a stoppage-time winner for Manchester United as they beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage in their final Premier League game before the World Cup break on Sunday.
Christian Eriksen scored the opener in the 14th minute, sliding in at the far post to steer the ball home after Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes combined cleverly to create the chance.
The goal was his first in the Premier League for United, and Eriksen had a great chance to double his side’s lead in first-half stoppage time when he was picked out in the box by Fernandes, but this time he stabbed his shot wide of the near post.
Carlos Vinicius almost put Fulham level just after the break, twisting to fire a shot that goalkeeper David De Gea steered behind, and the Spaniard pulled off another tremendous save to keep out Tim Ream’s headed effort from the subsequent corner.
The home side equalised in the 61st minute with a goal eerily similar to Manchester United’s as winger Willian played Tom Cairney free down the right and he centred for ex-United winger Daniel James to score two minutes after he came off the bench.
Fulham’s Joao Palhinha and United’s Scott McTominay wasted decent chances for their respective sides with wayward headers, and the game looked to be heading for a draw until the 18-year-old Garnacho struck.
After coming on in the 72nd minute for Martial, he had some promising raids down the left before charging into the box in the third minute of stoppage time to fire his first Premier League goal and snatch all three points.
Aston Villa continued their fine start under Unai Emery by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday as two goals from striker Danny Ings helped them to get their first away victory in the Premier League for six months.
Villa, who beat Manchester United 3-1 last Sunday in Spanish coach Emery’s first game since succeeding Steven Gerrard, climbed to 12th in the table on 18 points after 15 games.
Brighton took the lead in the opening minute when Argentine midfielder Alexis Mac Allister intercepted a pass from Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to Douglas Luiz outside the area and lashed the ball into the net. The strike, after 49 seconds, was Brighton’s fastest ever goal in the Premier League.
Ings hauled Villa back into the game with a penalty, powering the ball past Robert Sanchez from the spot in the 20th minute after Lewis Dunk had tripped John McGinn.
The striker then put Villa in front in the 54th minute with a deft piece of skill and finish from inside the area after Luiz took revenge on Mac Allister by mugging the Argentine outside the box and slipping the ball to Ings.
