Live Commentary: Man Utd 3-2 Fulham - as it happened

By Michael Penkman, Reporter | 25 August 2012

Sports Mole brings you live text commentary of the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford.

Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary of today's Premier League clash between Manchester United and Fulham.

The two teams come into the fixture at Old Trafford on the back of contrasting opening-day fortunes.

It turned out to be a frustrating start for the Red Devils, who suffered a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park on Monday night.

That came after Fulham had romped to a 5-0 win over Norwich City on Saturday afternoon.

The statistics will not make light reading for Martin Jol's men, who have not scored against United since a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage in 2010. Their last victory - 3-0, also at home - was a year earlier.

All eyes will be on Robin van Persie, who is expected to start his first game under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson.

FULL TIMEManchester United fans can rest easy. It's full time at Old Trafford!

96 minsGREAT SAVE FROM DE GEA! The ball was swung in and Ruiz got his head to it, but De Gea was alert to the danger!

95 minsRooney is now being stretchered off.

93 minsRodallega twice hits the wall with a free kick. Rooney has a gash just above his knee which requires some treatment. It looks like a nasty one.

92 minsVidic has trouble with a long ball from the back, which Rodallega gives chase to. It goes for a corner, but the danger is eventually cleared.

91 minsRooney clips a right-footed effort over the bar.

90 minsWe're into the first of four minutes of injury time at Old Trafford.

87 minsBrilliant from Cleverley! United were playing keep-ball in Fulham's final third. It was played into Cleverley, who turned inside his pursuer before fizzing a left-footed shot just wide of the post from around 25 yards.

85 minsHangeland gives away a soft corner. He may be punished for that, although United have carried no threat from corners in this game.

84 minsUnited come forward with Giggs, but his ball into the box leaves something to be desired. Fulham clear their lines.

83 minsRuiz swings in the corner and Hangeland attacks the ball, but gets nothing on it. Fulham continue to press forward, though...

82 minsDANGER FOR UNITED! Ruiz slips the ball through to Rodallega, but his shot is blocked for a corner.

81 minsSir Alex makes his final change, and it's Giggs on for Anderson. Diarra is coming off for the Cottagers and he is replaced by Baird.

80 minsTen minutes plus injury time left for Fulham to grab an equaliser, or United to put the game to bed. Either scenario looks likely at this stage

78 minsAnother Van Persie corner is cleared...

77 minsRafael tests Schwarzer from long range, but he is equal to it and pushes it over the bar for a corner.

75 minsAshley Young and Shinji Kagawa are the two who have made way for United. Petric goes off for Fulham, as too does Kacanikilic to be replaced by Steve Sidwell.

74 minsWelbeck is also on for the home side. Hangeland is booked for a tackle from behind on Carrick. Free kick for United.

72 minsMeanwhile, Wayne Rooney has come on for United, and Rodallega for Fulham.

68 minsFULHAM GO CLOSE! ANOTHER GREAT SAVE FROM DE GEA DENIES THEM A SHARE OF THE LEAD!

64 minsIt was a calamitous mix up between Vidic and De Gea! The cross came in from the left and both men went for it, and it seemed to come off Vidic's head and went into the back of the net. Fulham are back in this!

63 minsGOAL FOR FULHAM!

61 minsBrilliant ball in from Young! It was his trademark right-footed in-swinger from the left, that Van Persie couldn't quite get on the end of.

62 minsUnited are knocking it around outside Fulham's area, probing for an opening. Jol's men look well drilled defensively.

59 minsVan Persie twists and turns outside the area before clipping a ball in to Rafael, whose header goes over Schwarzer's bar.

58 minsKagawa's shot is blocked and the ball goes out for a corner.

57 minsDembele runs at United's defence once again, but much like on previous occasions, he is outnumbered.

55 minsKacaniklic has looked bright for fulham this afternoon. He isn't getting much reward for his efforts, but he keeps plugging away.

51 minsCarrick goes close with a shot from outside the area!

50 minsUnited are still on the front foot in this second half.

46 minsNeither manager has made any changes at half time.

4.05pmThe second half is about to get underway.

HALF TIMEThe first 45 are up at Old Trafford and the home side are well in control. They have overcome an early scare and lead 3-1. There was a warning sign from Fulham as De Gea was forced to make a good save from Petric just before the break. However, as it stands, United's new boys have put them in a great position to bag all three points.

43 minsGREAT SAVE FROM DE GEA! Petric's eyes lit up when the ball rebounded to him inside the area. He ran onto it and smashed right footed at goal, but the Spaniard saved with his legs and it rebounded off the bar.

42 minsValencia was played in down the right after initially taking the corner, and he sent the ball into the box. The ball fell to the feet of Young on the left side of the penalty box and he stood the ball up at the back post for the Brazilian to nod in.

41 minsRAFAEL SCORES FOR MANCHESTER UNITED!

40 minsCLOSE! Valencia feeds Cleverley on the edge of the box but Riether blocks the shot. Corner.

39 minsCleverley punts one into the box and Schwarzer hesitates in coming out, but just does enough to smother Van Persie's volley.

38 minsRafael burst into the box and played in Kagawa, whose side foot shot hit the post. Evra then had a pop and the ball fell back to Rafael, but he was in an offside position. Replays justified the assistant referee's decision.

37 minsGoal disallowed for Manchester United!

35 minsShinji Kagawa scores on his home debut!

34 minsGOAL FOR MANCHESTER UNITED!

32 minsDembele looks like Fulham's brightest player, but he can't get out of his own half.

30 minsDavid De Gea decides to test his silky dribbling skills against Petric inside his own area. Nearly a Valdez moment for the Spaniard, but he gets away with it.

29 minsRuiz delivers the out-swinger, but a Fulham mix-up on the edge of United's area presents the ball to United, who break downfield once again. The ball ends up with Valencia, who cuts in from the left and curls one that Schwarzer sees over the bar.

28 minsIt's taken short, and Anderson tackles Ruiz for another corner...

28 minsCorner for Fulham.

26 minsUnited are enjoying the lion share of possession. Cleverley and Kagawa are seeing plenty of the ball.

23 minsBriggs got the better of Rafael down the right, but his cross was cut out and United broke. Kagawa fed Young in on the left, but he wasted the opportunity after cutting in on his right foot.

22 minsVidic is winning everything in the air.

20 minsKagawa always makes himself available in midfield. Always shows for the ball, and rarely (if ever) gives it away.

19 minsRiether clears the danger.

18 minsValencia gets down the right but is shoved to the ground by Briggs. Free kick, which Van Persie will take.

16 minsDuff swings a corner into the United area but Van Persie clears with his head.

15 minsThat goal has sparked Manchester United into life and they have definitely picked up the baton now. Their passing looks sharper and players are running off the ball.

13 minsVan-cy that, eh?! (I'll stop now...)

11 minsWhat a great (typical) Van Persie goal! The ball broke to him on the edge of the box, and he swivels and hits the ball on the turn. It flew past the despairing Mark Schwarzer! Magical!

10 minsVAN PERSIE SCORES FOR MANCHESTER UNITED!

8 minsCorner came to nothing.

7 minsCorner to Manchester United. Van PErsie received the ball on the edge of the area and there was a hush of anticipation around Old Trafford. He passed up the tempting opportunity to unleash one and instead played it wide.

6 minsValencia is played in down the right but his cross misses everyone and is eventually goes out for a throw in to Fulham.

4 minsThat was a well worked free kick by Fulham. It has caught Man Utd cold and they trail early on here at Old Trafford!

3 minsGOAL FOR FULHAM! Damien Duff scores from a Bryan Ruiz free kick!

3.01pmWe're about to get underway at Old Trafford. Here we go!

2.57pmBolt is given a shirt with his name an 9.63 printed on. Clever...

2.54pmUsain Bolt is present at Old Trafford today. He will be hoping that his team Man Utd put on a GOLDEN performance today (I'm so, so sorry)

2.42pmThe big pre-match news, undoubtedly, is that Wayne Rooney has been dropped. He looked out of sorts against Everton on Monday night and this could be a wake-up call, especially with Van Persie out to establish himself as the number one man at Old Trafford.

2.32pmAs I have alluded to in my light analysis, Old Trafford has been far from a happy hunting ground for Fulham (as is the case for a number of teams). But the Cottagers have also struggled to score goals against United in recent seasons. And as Sir Alex Ferguson looks to erase the memory of last week's defeat to Everton, Fulham's wait could yet go on...

2.27pmMartin Jol makes just one change to the side that routed Norwich City on the opening afternoon. Matthew Briggs comes in for John Arne Riise at the back.

2.25pmSchwarzer; Riether, Hangeland, Hughes, Briggs; Duff, Diarra, Dembele, Kacaniklic; Ruiz; Petric

2.24pmAnd for Fulham...

2.20pmWayne Rooney drops to the bench. Rafael replaces Antonio Valencia at right-back, with the Ecuadorian moving into his favoured midfield position. Anderson starts, effectively in place of Nani.

2.18pmDe Gea; Rafael, Carrick, Vidic, Evra; Valencia, Cleverley, Anderson, Kagawa, Young; van Persie

2.18pmI'm going to shower you with lashings of Manchester United team news now. Brace yourself...

2.16pmWelcome to live text commentary of today's Premier League clash between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford.