Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has criticized Marcus Rashford for failing to ‘recognize the danger’ and ‘not even looking’ before Cole Palmer’s dramatic late winner in Chelsea’s 4-3 victory over Manchester United.
Palmer once again proved the hero for Chelsea as he scored twice in stoppage time to complete a hat-trick and secure the hosts maximum points from Wednesday’s breathless encounter at Stamford Bridge.
United had been 3-2 in front with 20 minutes remaining in west London, as Alejandro Garnacho scored either side of Bruno Fernandes’ first-half header, but Erik ten Hag’s men were left crestfallen at the full-time whistle.
The result saw Chelsea rise to tenth in the English top flight, while United remain stranded in sixth, 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa with eight games remaining of their campaign.
Palmer’s stunning last-gasp strike, that deflected in off Scott McTominay, was timed at 100 minutes 39 seconds, making it the latest winning goal of the Premier League era.
Remarkably, it was also the first time the Blues had beaten the Red Devils in the league since as far back as November 2017, when Alvaro Morata scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win.
Watching back replays of Palmer’s decisive strike in the SuperSport studio, former Liverpool striker Fowler suggested that United’s players switching off for Chelsea’s quickly taken corner was a ‘trait of the modern game’.
‘Players can’t really think for themselves at that particular time, they’re waiting for someone maybe on the side, the manager or coaches, to make the decision for them,’ Fowler said.
‘That moment was screaming for someone to take charge.
‘You’ve got the captain of Manchester United [Fernandes] who is on the front post and he probably can’t get out, but he can make more of an effort to get out there and close the space down for Cole Palmer to shoot.
‘But I think it’s in keeping with Manchester United. They have lacked leaders this season and that is a classic example of Manchester United.’
Fowler pointed the finger at United substitute Rashford for ‘not even looking’ as Enzo Fernandez found Palmer in acres of space on the edge of the box.
‘There’s loads to pick from there. The quick corner, the players not coming out,’ Fowler added.
‘But you look at it again and you see Rashford going back so he’s probably not even in his position so maybe it was Rashford who should have been on the edge of the box to cover that area.
‘He’s not even looking!’
The ex-England forward went on: ‘You see Rashford running back and, obviously I’m not having a go at Rashford by any means, but when they take the quick corner it’s about recognizing danger.
‘If he goes with Cole Palmer, stops with him, then obviously Chelsea need to get set up and then he can maybe go back into his position.
'However, he doesn't observe and only desires to return to a place where he believes 'This is my job'.
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