Emile Smith Rowe: Manchester United were left to rue skipper Bruno Fernandes’ penalty miss as Emile Smith Rowe came off the bench to rescue a point for Fulham in a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
The game began at a frantic pace, with chances flowing at both ends. United’s summer signing Matheus Cunha looked lively, forcing Bernd Leno into an early save before striking the post with another effort. Bruno Fernandes also tested the Fulham goalkeeper from distance, while Josh King nearly found a breakthrough for the hosts, only to be denied by Altay Bayındır’s sharp reflexes.
The contest’s defining moment of the first half came on 35 minutes when Calvin Bassey was penalised for bringing down Mason Mount in the box following a lengthy VAR review. Fernandes, however, squandered the opportunity, blasting his penalty high into the Hammy End to the relief of the home crowd. Fulham grew into the half, with Rodrigo Muniz and Timothy Castagne both threatening from Saša Lukić deliveries, but the interval arrived with the scores still level.
