ERIK NEVLAND was part of a Fulham side that beat Manchester United twice in the space of nine months a decade ago.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were reigning champions of Europe and England when they lost 2-0 at Craven Cottage in March 2009.
They went back to Fulham’s patch as Premier League holders and Champions League finalists again in December – but were tonked 3-0.
On Saturday, Claudio Ranieri’s men host United again but their task looks even tougher given their woeful form and their opponents’ resurgence under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Even if they somehow pull off a shock victory, they will still be at least four points from safety as the threat of relegation looms large.
But Nevland believes there is still hope for Fulham because he was part of a Cottagers side who were in similarly desperate straits 11 years ago that managed to beat the drop on the final day of the season.
The Norwegian, 41, told SunSport: “As long as it’s mathematically possible, there’s always hope. The team need to believe that it is possible.”
Nevland was recruited along with compatriot Brede Hangeland by Roy Hodgson in January 2008 with Fulham staring relegation in the face.
Yet four wins in their final five fixtures, including victories at Reading and over Birmingham in which Nevland netted, saved their bacon.
The team kicked on from their close shave to qualify for Europe the following season which led to their unforgettable journey to the Europa League final the year after.
Nevland remembers being 2-0 down at half-time at Manchester City on April 26, 2008 – a result which would have confirmed the drop.
The former United youngster recalled: “Roy told us, ‘As it stands, we are relegated. We have to go out and win the second half and see where it leaves us’.
“He was calm, there was no hairdryer treatment. It was about doing the things you can control.”
That is exactly what they did, winning the game 3-2 thanks to a brace from a man called Kamara – Diomansy Kamara, that is.
Nevland points to the rock-solid defence, the togetherness in the squad and how players who were giving “bad vibes” were dropped by Hodgson as the basis for their Great Escape.
Ranieri seems to have done the latter this term by ditching yoga-fighter Aboubakar Kamara last month – but whether the current side has the same level of unity remains to be seen.
Nevland added: “When you’re in a situation like that, you fight for your life. If you put your personal success aside and really work for the team and the manager, you have a chance.
“That’s what we did. We fought for each other and played for each other.
There weren’t any big egos.”
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Nevland worries about the Italian’s defence. But if it can be shored up, then Aleksandar Mitrovic has the ability to scare any backline “when he is in the mood”,
The Serb will have to be on top of his game when in-form United come to town on Saturday.
Nevland played with “inspirational” Solskjaer, who has won nine of his ten games in interim charge, for United and for Norway.
They were not particularly close off the pitch but got on well, with Nevland hailing Solskjaer’s selfless work for the team and lethal finishing.
He was surprised when United turned to the baby-faced assassin in the wake of Jose Mourinho’s sacking – but now feels he is one of the frontrunners for the job full-time.
The ex-Viking and Groningen forward said: “I imagine he is now one of the top three candidates and I’m not sure he was when they first got him.
“If you have a manager for whom all the players run the extra mile, then I can’t see why you would get someone else.
“Mauricio Pochettino is the only other option, if it’s not Solskjaer.
“The most important thing he’s done is make Man United Man United again. After Sir Alex you had three managers who didn’t have Man Utd DNA but they’ve got that back now.
“The way they got back against Burnley with two late goals in ‘Fergie time’ – that’s Man United .
“If you change the manager now, you don’t know if that will continue.”
Fulham’s wins over United in 2009 were well deserved but helped by red cards to Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney in the first game and an injury crisis that saw Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick play as centre-backs in the second.
Ranieri’s strugglers will need similar luck to prevail today.
But they need only look back at the team Nevland played in for inspiration given two years after surviving, they were taking an Atletico Madrid side boasting David De Gea, Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero to extra time in a European final.
Nevland, who now runs Norwegian amateur side Randaberg but occasionally comes over for Fulham games, said: “When I signed for Fulham they were bottom of the league and basically relegated.
“If you had said to me I would play a Europa League final two years later I wouldn’t have believed you!
“It should give inspiration. Everything is possible. But you need to do it together as a team.”
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/erik-nevland-beat-man-utd-twice-ten-years-ago-here-the-ex-fulham-man-explains-how-they-can-do-the-impossible-again/
News Photo Erik Nevland beat Man Utd twice ten years ago… here the ex-Fulham man explains how they can do the impossible again
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