In a thrilling encounter at Old Trafford on Saturday, Fulham secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Manchester United, courtesy of Alex Iwobi’s stoppage-time goal.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 65th minute through Calvin Bassey, only for United to equalize via Harry Maguire later on.
Iwobi’s late strike ultimately sealed the win for Fulham, leaving Manchester United eight points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.
Reflecting on the match, Maguire admitted that he could have prevented Fulham’s winning goal.
Despite being on a booking, Maguire had the opportunity to foul Adama Traore before Iwobi’s goal, a move that would have been cynical but potentially decisive in preventing a defeat.
Maguire acknowledged the setback caused by the loss of Casemiro at the start of the second half, which disrupted United’s rhythm. He described Fulham’s goal as soft and attributed it to vulnerabilities in defending set-pieces, an area they were aware of but failed to address effectively.
Despite the disappointment of conceding, Maguire highlighted the team’s belief and determination to mount a comeback, ultimately earning the equalizer.
He conceded that United’s eagerness to push forward in search of a winner left them exposed defensively, allowing Fulham to capitalize on a clinical counter-attack.
In hindsight, Maguire recognized the potential benefit of a tactical foul to halt Fulham’s momentum, even though it would have resulted in a suspension for the following match.
He admitted to some naivety in their approach and acknowledged the need for improvement in decision-making and game management.
Despite the loss, Maguire praised the team’s reaction to falling behind and their commitment to fight until the final whistle.
He emphasized the importance of learning from the experience and identifying areas for improvementmoving forward.
