Manchester United vs FulhamOld Trafford – August 2013
Pre-Match Buzz
Sir Alex watched from high in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand. No words, no smile. Just a legend among shadows.
Mason Grant stood in the tunnel—hands behind his back, focused. He didn't speak. He didn't pace. He listened to the players breathe.
Fulham came out loose and unburdened. United? Tense, sharpened by pressure and pride.
Kickoff
The whistle blew.
From the first touch, it was clear: this wasn't the same United as last season. There was control. Shape. Discipline.
Carrick dropped between the centre-backs in build-up, with Casemiro shielding the lanes. The fullbacks — Valencia and Evra — held narrower positions than under Ferguson, forming a compact block.
The first ten minutes were all United: patient, methodical possession.
6' – Kagawa drifted into the half-space, received from Rooney, turned and let fly from 25 yards. Just over the bar.
9' – A Fulham counter forced Vidic into a sliding block on Berbatov, clearing a dangerous low cross.
13' – Evra overlapped late, found Nani inside. A quick flick to Rooney, who pulled the trigger—saved low by Stockdale.
17th Minute – Goal
Rooney dropped into midfield, dragging Fulham's right centre-back with him.Carrick, always scanning, clipped a clever diagonal to the left channel.
Nani touched it down first-time, cut inside on his right, beat Riether, and curled a stunning shot into the far corner.
⚽ GOAL – MANCHESTER UNITEDNani (17')United 1 – 0 Fulham
Old Trafford rose. Grant nodded once to Carrick from the sideline. No celebration. Just a shared signal: It's working.
22'–45': Tactical Battle
Fulham didn't fold. They adjusted quickly, tightening midfield spaces and pressing Casemiro in possession.United responded by using Kagawa deeper, almost as a right central midfielder, pulling players away to free Valencia's overlaps.
28' – Casemiro intercepted a through ball, immediately starting a break. Kagawa fed Van Persie in the channel, who cut inside and forced another sharp save.
35' – Rooney, pressing higher than usual, won a ball from Sidwell and slipped it to Carrick, who almost played in Nani again. Blocked.
44' – De Gea was tested after a long-range curler from Ruiz, tipping it wide. Ferdinand cleared the resulting corner with a dominant header.
HALF-TIME: Manchester United 1 – 0 Fulham
The home crowd hummed with cautious satisfaction. A new shape. A new feeling. But unfinished work.
Second Half
Fulham came out faster. They pressed higher, caught Valencia isolated on the right, and began crossing early.
50' – Evra was beaten on the outside by Dejagah, whose cross pinballed in the box. Ferdinand hesitated. Berbatov pounced but miskicked.
52' – GOAL FULHAMKasami whipped in a high ball. Bent rose between Vidic and Ferdinand. The header clattered off the post, fell to his feet, and he smashed it home.
United 1 – 1 Fulham
Old Trafford went quiet.
Grant made no gestures. No shouting. Just walked to the edge of the technical area and gave one short signal.
Double Substitution:
Kroos for Kagawa
Son for Evra (Nani dropped to inverted LB — a gamble, but it gave control)
Shape Change – 4-3-3 (Fluid)
Now it was Carrick deep, flanked by Casemiro and Kroos, who immediately began dictating from the left half-space.
Son's presence stretched Fulham wide, opening gaps between the lines.
65' – Kroos hit a diagonal to Valencia, whose low cross just evaded Van Persie.
67' – Vidic blocked a thunderous volley from Sidwell—a captain's challenge.
70' – A sharp transition: Casemiro broke up play, laid it to Carrick, who fed Rooney between the lines.
Rooney turned — one touch, then slid it to Van Persie, timing the run perfectly.He didn't break stride. A touch. A strike. Back of the net.
⚽ GOAL – MANCHESTER UNITEDVan Persie (71')United 2 – 1 Fulham
This time, Grant clenched a fist. Once.
Closing Minutes
77' – Marquinhos on for Vidic (managing minutes).
81' – Lukaku for Van Persie — a shift to hold up play and draw contact.
85' – Casemiro made a monster tackle, stopping a Fulham counter before it started.
88' – Kroos nearly added a third, curling just over the bar after a patient buildup.
United saw out the final five minutes with icy composure. No panic. No retreat.
FULL-TIME: Manchester United 2 – 1 Fulham
As the whistle blew, the stands erupted—not in euphoria, but in relief.Three points. A debut win. A new shape to something still becoming.
Sir Alex stood in the upper tier, arms folded, and gave the smallest nod.
In the press room:
Mason Grant:"The work's not done. This was just the opening paragraph. But they're learning the language I speak—and today, they answered."
The morning after United 2–1 Fulham
The Back Pages
Daily Mail Sport:📰 "Grant Off to a Flyer – But Can He Keep It Up?"
The Times:📰 "Disciplined. Calculated. Strange? Grant's United Win, But Look Very New."
The Guardian:📰 "United Find Their Shape – and Their Nerve – in Quietly Impressive Opener."
Sky Sports – The Verdict
Gary Neville:
"It wasn't flashy, but it was tight, it was smart. Casemiro grew into the game. Kroos was elegant when he came on. And Van Persie's still Van Persie. Grant made bold in-game changes, which tells me he's not just managing names—he's managing systems."
Roy Keane:
"I liked the aggression off the ball. Casemiro had a moment there late where he flattened a counter before it started. That's the kind of steel this club lost in recent years. Not pretty—but effective."
Micah Richards (laughing):
"It's like United signed half a Champions League team over summer. But let's see how it works when they're away to a big side. Fulham made it tricky, and still got undone."
MUTV – Fan Hotline Reactions
Sandra from Salford:
"That midfield's the most organised I've seen it in five years. Carrick and Casemiro looked like professors out there."
Jay from Didsbury:
"Rooney in the hole? Genius. Let him drop in, thread passes. That assist was class. And Nani's goal? Vintage."
"Mark the Red" from Redditch:
"I'll admit I doubted this bloke, but fair play. He's come in, made changes, and you can see the ideas. I'll reserve judgement till we play a proper side—no offence to Fulham—but I'm cautiously buzzin'."
Twitter/X Reactions
@UtdFaithful93"That wasn't Fergieball. It was something else. And I don't hate it. 👀 #MUFC"
@RedArmyEd"Casemiro isn't the finished product yet, but you can tell he's going to learn. You can see Grant coaching in real time."
@FootballJoe"Toni Kroos is going to be a problem for the rest of the league once he's fully settled. What a signing."
@TheStretfordEnd"Big up Nani. He's not done. That was a worldie."
Inside Carrington
That morning at training, there was a subtle shift.
Not euphoria—but clarity.A belief that the manager's plan might just be worth following.
Rooney joked in the gym with Van Persie about the Fulham centre-backs.Casemiro stayed behind with Carrick, asking questions in slow English, gesturing, learning.
And Mason Grant?
He stood at the edge of the pitch, coat zipped to his chin, watching the players stretch and jog—and for the first time since arriving from another time, another world…
He let himself smile.