Chido Obi got an hour for Manchester United against Fulham in the FA Cup on Sunday and has been (over?)praised by the media for his performance.
Is the 17-year-old the answer to Ruben Amorim’s problems up front? Rasmus Hojlund is palpably struggling and Joshua Zirkzee is playing a little deeper and being ‘equal parts pants and excellent’.
We have taken a look at everything Obi did for Manchester United against Fulham as the Red Devils crashed out of the FA Cup on penalties.
68 mins: On comes Chido Obi for Rasmus Hojlund; Bruno Fernandes equalises three minutes later.
82 mins: Leaves one in on Joachim Andersen – no foul given but he receives treatment after the play is stopped.
86 mins: It’s only taken 18 minutes but Obi’s first touch of the game has arrived. His unsuccessful touch goes out for a Fulham throw-in high up in the United half. It was a failed attempt to chest it down for Joshua Zirkzee under pressure from Calvin Bassey.
97 mins: The first bit of action for the young man. Calvin Bassey struggles to deal with a bouncing ball and Obi uses strength to get there first, holds the defender off well to get goal-side – some strikers might have gone down seeking a penalty – and he scuffs his shot across goal poorly. It goes down as a ‘shot not past goal-line’ as it didn’t go on target, out for a goal-kick or get blocked.
100 mins: Fails to control a clearance and the ball goes through to Andersen as Fulham restart an attack.
100 mins: Nice lay-off for Zirkzee which leads to a big chance for Alejandro Garnacho.
101 mins: Latches onto a handy Matthijs de Ligt chest pass and Obi gets there before Bernd Leno but hits it wide. Pretty big chance.
Full-time: Eventful last four minutes of injury-time after pressing pointlessly for half an hour.
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92 mins: Fails in a duel with Bassey – hard to tell if it’s an interception or failed touch from Obi.
97 mins: Receives the ball with his back to goal and is quickly surrounded and dispossessed as United attack breaks down.
99 mins: Very slack pass for Zirkzee instantly kills counter-attack and allows Sander Berge to regain possession for Fulham. Zirkzee clearly frustrated.
100 mins: Superb De Ligt interception high up the pitch, Bruno Fernandes feeds it through a small gap and Obi miscontrols it. Leno collects and commentator Steve Wilson says “the ball hit him rather than him hitting it”, which is very kind; he should have done better.
103 mins: Receives the ball from Zirkzee in the box with his back to goal, Andersen manages to get there first. Disappointing that Obi could not control it after a decent team move.
104 mins: Misplaced pass with the outside of his foot leads to a Noussair Mazraoui foul.
106 mins: First time he can get his head up and shoot leads to a good save from Leno. Opens the body up and almost tries to scoop it into the far corner but it’s a strong hand from the goalkeeper. Alan Shearer reckons Obi has been “a real handful”, as well as “a nuisance and tough to play against”.
107 mins: Obi has made a pass! A succulent four-yard pass.
109 mins: Fails with a take-on on Harrison Reed, gets up off the ground, can’t get it out of his feet and Casemiro takes over just inside the box and loses the ball.
110 mins: Decent hold-up play and touches it to Casemiro. Zirkzee then passes it behind him and out for a throw-in. “I like what I see with Obi,” says Shearer. “Those centre-halves know they have been in a tough game since he has come on, he’s been physical, ran in behind, his touch has been good. Very promising.”
112 mins: Loses an aerial duel.
113 mins: Can’t get onto a low Garnacho cross as Berge got there first.
114 mins: Does pretty well to win a foul from a Fulham corner. Ball lands at his feet and instead of hoofing it, he dribbles out the box and Bassey gets done for holding on to him. Lots of talk about him doing better than Hojlund despite having a similar effect.
117 mins: Misjudges a bouncing ball in the opposition box.
Full-time: Doesn’t take a penalty and Manchester United are knocked out.
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