MANCHESTER United’s bid for a top-four spot continues today with a home fixture against Fulham. And it’s one that they should win.
The Red Devils have won their last four league games on the trot, and a triumph today would make it five in six without defeat.
That’s a decent run by any standards, and manager Erik ten Hag alluded to it when he said this week that they are back in the race (for a top four slot).
There’s a lot going on at Old Trafford, with new part owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe finding his feet at the club.
And he will have delighted the Man United faithful when he said that it was his intention to “knock Manchester City and Liverpool off their perch”.
It was a line borrowed from Sir Alex Ferguson, who so famously said that he wanted to knock Liverpool “off their perch”.
In each case, Man United were and are a weaker team than the Anfield club and Pep Guardiola’s dominant Citizens, whom Ferguson called “noisy neighbours”.
Man United can get cracking on answering Ratcliffe’s call and lift the team by seeing off Fulham today.
The London side had a good run of form earlier in the season, but their performances have petered off, and ten Hag shouldn’t have too much trouble securing maximum points at the expense of their visitors.
A lot has been made of the form of young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in the media and the scoring prowess of Rasmus Hojlund, who has six goals in six games now.
Their performances will no doubt be watched closely.
Man United will also have to do without left-back Luke Shaw, who reportedly could miss the rest of the season through injury.
The England defender came off in the first half of last Sunday’s 2-1 win at Luton, having just returned from an injury layoff.
