Rashford dive shame, stunner punishes awful United

‘My word… he’s bought that’0:44

EPL: Highlights from the EPL.

Marcus Rashford of Manchester United and Jose Mourinho.

A sublime freekick by Icelandic international Gylfi Sigurdsson gained Premier League strugglers Swansea a deserved point in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday, dealing a blow to the latter’s Champions League hopes.

Sigurdsson’s 10th goal of the season but first in 11 matches cancelled out veteran Wayne Rooney’s contentious penalty in time added on in the first-half when Marcus Rashford made the most out of minimal contact with ‘Swans’ goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Swansea manager Paul Clement, speaking to BT Sport: “My players clearly thought it wasn’t a penalty, and seeing the replay the player [Marcus Rashford] has deceived the referee. It’s clear. “There’s no other way to look at it. The ref seemed to have some doubts because there was a big delay and I spoke to him afterwards and he said he was only receiving confirmation from his assistants. It was a mistake. He went down way before there was contact.

Awful Man U punished by Swans1:30

“It’s still very tight at the bottom. We are just concentrating on doing the best we can. Our form over the past two games has been good, we have to keep this going until the very last game of the season.”

The point saw United move level on points with city rivals Manchester City before they play later in the night, but remained fifth, a place outside the automatic spots for the Champions League, because of a poorer goal difference.

Swansea shocks Old Trafford0:42

EPL: A Gylfi Sigurdsson stunner shocks Old Trafford as Swansea draw 1-1 with Manchester United

It will be of little consolation to manager Jose Mourinho that it extended their unbeaten run to 25 and have not been defeated at Old Trafford since September 10th last year.

Afterwards, Jose Mourinho said: “We lost players and we lost points, so yes today was a bad day. We did not look tired and exhausted, we are tired and exhausted.

“You cannot isolate the performance out of the context. This is the ninth match of April, it is not human. We have a squad of 22 that is reduced to 13 or 14 players. The players are very tired.

“Did Jesse Lingard and Ashley Young look sharper than other people. Of course, they did not play the last match. I am more than happy with the players, they gave everthing they could. I have zero criticism.

Marcus Rashford clearly making the most of Fabianski throwing himself to the ground. These English players 🙄

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 30, 2017

Marcus Rashford’s half-time heatmap… pic.twitter.com/axpM1vPffS

— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) April 30, 2017

“I don’t know about the injuries. I think Luke Shaw’s must be a big injury, because to leave the pitch after 10 minutes I am expecting a very big injury.

“At the moment, we cannot walk from the bed to the toilet and break a leg.

I prefer not to speak about Phil Jones and Chris Smalling. I prefer to speak about Juan Mata giving everything to be available. I am grateful for that.

“We will give everything on Thursday. That is sure. Whether we go to the final or not doesn’t matter, I am really happy with the guys.”

Manchester United’s Eric Bailly is treated on the pitchSource:AP

Gylfi Sigurdsson of Swansea City celebrates scoring his side’s goal.Source:Getty Images

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford is bought down by Swansea City goalkeeper Lukasz FabianskiSource:AP

Wayne Rooney of Manchester United.Source:Getty Images

Spurs, though, will be aiming to keep the pressure on table-toppers Chelsea, who have a tricky match at Everton, who are on a streak of eight successive home wins.

For Swansea — who play Everton next up — it inched them to within two points of fourth from bottom Hull with three matches remaining.

Fabianski was harshly adjudged to have brought down Rashford by referee Neil Swarbrick with the United youngster making the most of it in a half Swansea had dominated.

Swansea City’s Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson (R) scores.Source:AFP

Rooney converted the penalty for his first goal at Old Trafford since May last year and his seventh of the season.

However, it was the English veteran’s foul on Martin Olsson that provided Sigurdsson with the opportunity which he seized brilliantly — helped also by David de Gea urging Ander Herrera to leave the post unguarded and move into the wall to leave Fernando Llorente offside.

Llorente should have added to his team-leading 12 goals this season as the game moved into time added on but with just de Gea to beat instead of heading the ball he tried to sidefoot it home and made a mess of it.