Scott Parker speaks: “I thought we were fantastic today,” says Fulham’s manager in an interview with Sky Sports. “Nothing really different in our performance. We came here today and played like a big team. We had to be courageous. It’s a difficult place to come Old Trafford, let alone today with 10,000 fans in. I’m very proud and overall pleased with the performance.

“Our performance levels have been there. We managed to put one in the net and defended pretty well. I understand we’re judged on a win and a loss but in terms of the performance it’s been there. I’m reluctant to say we’ve been unlucky this season but there have been moments when we

On Cavani’s goal: “I don’t understand how it’s not offside. The fourth official said if Fernandes hasn’t touched it he’s five yards offside. I’ve looked at it back. I can understand if we didn’t have VAR, I get that that goal can be given due to human error, but when you can slow it down and look at the angles you can see he’s not touched it.”

Keep your minute-by-minute commentator in wine: Go on, you know you want to.

The race for the Champions League: Chelsea host Leicester at Stamford Bridge in a game that kicks off in five minutes. A win for Leicester will guarantee them Champions League football next season. You can follow the action with Rob Smyth ...

Elsewhere in the Premier League: Leeds have beaten Southampton 2-0 at St Mary’s to go eighth in the table, while Manchester City are 1-0 up against Brighton at the Amex Stadium, despite being down to 10 men following the dismissal of Joao Cancelo. John Brewin has the latest ...

90+2 min: It’s like the players of both teams have had a sweep to see who can get the final yellow card of Lee Mason’s refereeeing career. Areola has his name taken for dawdling over a kick-out. In fact he didn’t so much dawdle as point-blank refuse to take it until the yellow card came out.

90 min: Free-kick for Fulham, wide on the left. Cavaleiro and Joe Bryan combine to play it short and waste it with a move that, if conceived on the training ground, should have stayed there until they’d done more work on it.

89 min: Luke Shaw gets what could be the final yellow card of Lee Mason’s reffing career.

87 min: Manchester United substitution: Donny van de Beek on for Edinson Cavani. Fulham substittution: Kenny Tete on for Ademola Lookman.

87 min: Ademola Lookman gets what could be the last yellow card of Lee Mason’s refereeing career. Perhaps the ref will sign it for him.

85 min: There’s a break in play as Fred goes down injured. The camera cuts to the stands where some fans are leaving early to beat the non-existent traffic.

83 min: Manchester United substitution: Amad Diallo on for Mason Greenwood, who hasn’t had one of his better games.

80 min: Bruno Fernandes brings a smartish save out of Areola with a shot from the edge of the Fulham penalty area but his shot was nowhere near venomous enough.

73 min: Areola stays on his feet to deny Mason Greenwood, who elects to shoot towards the near post from close range rather than roll the ball towards the far corner.

68 min: Fernandes sends a cross into the Fulham penalty area from the left. Tim Ream jumps in front of Greenwood but can’t get his head to it. Behind him, if Greenwood had stuck out a leg he’d have almost certainly have scored.

66 min: On the left side of the Fulham penalty area, Rashford draws a foul from Joachim Andersen. Free-kick for United, a couple of inches outside the penalty area. Fernandes whips the ball towards Areola, who parries.

65 min: A short period of Fulham pressure around the edge of the United penalty area ends with Mario Lemina shooting high over the bar from distance.

63 min: Manchester United substitution: Marcus Rashford on for Scott McTominay. Fulham substitution: Ruben Loftus-Cheek on for Fabio Carvalho.

60 min: David De Gea pulls off a double-save, blocking an Ademola Lookman shot from a tight angle at the near post, before smothering Caveleiro’s downward header from close range.

57 min: Greenwood wins a corner for United, his shot from the edge of the Fulham penalty area taking a deflection. From that corner, taken by Shaw, United win another one. Nothing comes of it.

55 min: Mason Greenwood brings a decent save out of Areola, connecting with a Fernandes free-kick from the right on his second attempt. He was a fraction offside, but neither player nor goalkeeper knew that.

52 min: Bruno Fernandes takes the free-kick and shaves the outside of the upright with a fine effort. Areola was beaten and I thought it was going into the top left-hand corner, but it was slightly off target.

51 min: Mario Lemina is booked for a trip on Scott McTominay as the United midfielder advanced towards the Fulham penalty area. Free-kick for United, directly in front of the Fulham penalty area, a couple of yards in front of the D.

50 min: Paul Pogba is penalised for a foul on Joachim Andersen in the Fulham right-back area after he’d lost control of the ball with a leaden touch.

49 min: A slip from Tuanzebe allows Cavaleiro to run at the United defence but he dithers on the ball, unsure whether to go himself or play a cross and a promising counter-attack comes to an end.

47 min: Mario Lamina shoots over from distance while Scottie Parker chews gum furiously and gesticulates furiously on the touchline.

Elsewhere in the Premier League: It’s scoreless at half-time in the game between Southampton and Leeds at St Mary’s. Brighton’s match against Manchester City has just kicked off, all going well, while Chelsea host Leicester in a game that kicks off at 8.15pm.

Cavani’s goal: On Sky Sports they have arrived at the conclusion that Cavani’s goal should not have stood because Bruno Fernandes did not actually get a touch on the ball as he attempted to help De Gea’s kick-out through the centre on towards the Uruguayan. Ergo: Cavani was offside.

They may well be right but I don’t care. This match is largely meaningless, it was a terrific goal and the 10,000 fans who are present did not pay to see VAR official Simon Hooper cancel out moments of courageous improvisational genius.

45+1 min: Luke Shaw charges through the centre and shoots high over the bar from distance, earning himself the stink-eye from Cavani, who wanted a pass.

44 min: Bobby Reid curls a cross into the United penalty area and it’s cleared by McTominay. The ball’s sent in again and McTominay clears for a second time in quick succession.

43 min: A United corner is cleared to the feet of Fernandes just outside the Fulham penalty area. His low drive towards the bottom left-hand corner is saved fairly comfortably by Areola.

40 min: There’s a break in play as Joe Bryan receives treatment for a bloody nose after a collision with Mason Greenwood.

38 min: Oof! Carvalho wastes a glorious opportunity to equalise for Fulham. He got across Lindelof to run on to a sensational Lookman pass from deep and was one-on-one with De Gea, but shot feebly and the goalkeeper saved easily.

36 min: Fulham try to play the ball out from the back but Joe Bryan gives it away to Scott McTominay. Mason Greenwood wins his side a corner, which is headed clear by Ademola Lookman.

34 min: Luke Shaw gives away possession cheaply inside his own half, with Fabio Carvalho robbing him of the ball. The 18-year-old is unable to get a cross into the box.

31 min: Fulham substitution: Harrison Reed limps off with a knee injury to be replaced by Joachim Andersen. Reed’s extremely gloomy countenance suggests his injury might be quite serious. Here’s hoping it is not.

30 min: Fulham corner, which should have been a goal kick. The ball’s sent into the Manchester United penalty area, where David De Gea gathers Andre-Frank Anguissa’s downwards header at the second attempt.

27 min: On Sky Sports, Gary Neville is positing the theory that this is the team that Ole Gunnar Solskjær will send out to face Villarreal in the Europa League final. Obviously Harry Maguire will play if fit, but the fact he’s at Old Trafford tonight on crutches doesn’t look great for him. The only player Neville is unsure about is Marcus Rashford, who is on the bench tonight.

26 min: A backheel from McTominay on the edge of the Fulham penalty area tees up Fernandes. He shoots goalwards, bringing a splendid save out of Areola.

22 min: Looking at replays of the Cavani goal, there seems to be a lot of uncertainty over whether Fernandes helped the ball on its way to the striker from De Gea’s kick-out. Cavani was offside when De Gea kicked the ball, but onside when Fernandes got a “flick” on it with his heel.

However, there’s no conclusive evidence to suggest Fernandes actually touched the ball and I’m boring myself into an early grave just typing this. It was a wonderful goal and I quite frankly don’t care if it was offside or not.

19 min: Bruno Fernandes is booked for a trip on Ivan Cavaleiro as the Fulham striker threatened to go through on goal. Should it have been a red? Maybe. Without the foul by Fernandes, Cavaleiro would have been through on goal but he was a long way out and Scott McTominay looked to be getting back to cover.

17 min: That was a wonderful bit of improvisation from Edinson Cavani, who survived the best attempts of VAR official Simon Hooper to find a reason to rule out his wonder-strike. He began his run on to De Gea’s kick-out from the halfway line and there was a suspicion of offside, but Hooper lets the goal stand.

14 min: Cavani appeals for a penalty after throwing himself dramatically to the ground, claiming he’d been fouled by Tosin. No penalty.

13 min: Bruno Fernandes sends another cross into the Fulham penalty area from the right. It’s headed clear.

11 min: Free-kick wide on the right for Manchester United, for a Bobby Reid foul on Mason Greenwood. Bruno Fernandes sends a cross into the Fulham penalty area, where Tosin heads clear.

8 min: Fred squanders possession, picking up a pass from Pogba on the left flank after he had carelessly drifted offside.

7 min: Paul Pogba tries to play Edinson Cavani in behind with a through ball but Tim Ream makes a crucial interception.

5 min: We have our first “oooh!”. Aaron Wan-Bissaka slings a looping cross into the box from the right and Paul Pogba leaps highest to head high over the bar and into the Stretford End.

4 min: United’s fans are in full voice and it’s odd to hear actual crowd noise that’s completely in sync with what’s going on on the pitch. No “oooooohs” yet.

3 min: Fulham’s players are kitted out in yellow shirts, shorts and socks, while their hosts wear their usual home kit of red shirts, white shorts and black socks. Nothing of note to report so far.

Not long now: The teams are out, with the players of Manchester United receiving a rapturous reception from the 10,000 fans present.

An email: “Protesting against the Glazers by paying them £50+ for each ticket but then holding up a coloured A4 sign,” writes cynicism’s Hugh Molloy. “That’ll tell ‘em, won’t it. Power to the people. It’s up there with ‘marching’ from the pub you were going to anyway to attend the match your were also going to.”

Alex Mistlin is loitering for the Guardian: “I’m outside old Trafford and while many fans are wearing green and gold or chanting “Glazers out!” there’s no sign of a critical mass of people who are here to protest outside the ground,” he writes from behind the barricades.

“Supporters have raised a few eyebrows about being told to wear masks on entering the stadium concourse. Stadium staff are also conducting bag searches and requiring fans to present tickets and ID prior to reaching the turnstiles themselves.”

Coming soon … Football Weekly Live.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær speaks: “It was David’s turn to play now,” he tells Sky Sports when asked about the motivation behind his decision to pick David De Gea ahead of Dean Henderson. “He’s played most in Europe, Dean has played most of the league games and for me it’s to have two players ready for the final. It’s important.”

Is the position still up for grabs in the final? “It’s up for grabs, of course it is. I’ll make up my mind after these last two league games.”

Henderson v De Gea for the Europa League final: Much will be read into the selection of David De Gea ahead of Dean Henderson for this eveni9ng’s game, what with the Europa League final being very much ahoy on Friday week.

Both goalkeepers have played four each of United’s eight knockout games in the competition, but Henderson seemed to have edged ahead in the pecking order until his fairly mediocre performances in defeat to Liverpool last week. Asked about his selection dilemma ahead of the Europa League final, Ole was keeping his cards close to his chest.

“It’s probably a different scenario with the keepers than it’s normally been because they’ve shared I don’t know how many games, close to 60 and both of them are in and around the 30 mark and both have done really well so it will be a difficult call of course,” he said. “But I will have to make two or three other difficult calls as well.”

Henderson has intimated that he will seek a move out of Old Trafford, either on loan or a transfer, if he is not given assurances that he will be Un ited’s No1 goalkeeper next season.

Those teams: David De Gea is a surprise inclusion in goal with Dean Henderson dropping to the bench. Henderson didn’t exactly cover himself in glory in United’s defeat at the hands of Liverpool last week and may have blown his chance of lining up for United in the Europa League final.

Henderson’s demotion to the bench is one of three changes made by Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Mason Greenwood is in for Marcus Rashford up front, while Axel Tuanzebe replaces Eric Bailly at centre-back.

Scott Parker makes four changes to the team that lost against Southampton last time out. Joe Bryan, Tim Ream, Ademola Lookman and Mario Lemina all come into his starting line-up.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær speaks ...

“For the last few years they have been taken by the same two teams and for us to go into them and divide them it’s good,” he said of United being in second place. “It’s a good performance but we can’t say it’s an achievement, it’s not an achievement.

“We’ve taken steps as a team but we’re not where we want to be. We know we have some deficiencies as a group and there’s parts of the game that we need to improve on. I’ve felt we’ve made strides in most places and I’ve been very pleased with the players. I’ve got to say I’ve been impressed by them but we want to take the next step as well.”

Scott Parker speaks ...

“I think, for me, the most important thing is finishing this season and focusing on that really,” said Fulham’s manager in the build-up to this game. “What’s to be next year is a few months away. What’s vitally important for me and for the players, I need the players to understand that you’re in the biggest league and the best league and the spotlight’s constantly on them. We need to finish this season the right way, really.

“So we’ve got a very tough game tomorrow against the second best team in this division. It’s already a difficult game for us, of course it is, so that’s the main focus from me certainly at this point. It has been a big disappointment of course this year, we wanted to stay in this league, but there’s still a job to do.”

Tonight’s match officials

• Referee: Lee Mason
• Assistants: Simon Bennett and Adrian Holmes.
• Fourth official: Anthony Taylor.
• VAR: Simon Hooper.
• Assistant VAR: Matthew Wilkes.

Lee Mason will retire from his on-field duties at the end of this game, the 288th top flight fixture he will referee. The Bolton-born official will become the league’s first dedicated Video Assistant Referee from 2021-22.

Early team news

Manchester United are without Harry Maguire, as well as long-term absentee Phil Jones. Anthony Martial and Daniel James may make the bench having recovered from injury.

“I’m hoping to get Anthony and Dan back involved in this game which is a very good boost for us,” said Ole Gunnar Solskjær. “Maybe they can even start against Wolves and then maybe if they’re sensational? It’s hard to leave players out if they really perform at their highest level.”

For Fulham, Antonee Robinson is out with an ankle injury but Mario Lemina is available for selection after being stood down for his side’s game against his parent club Southampton. Terence Congolo and Tom Cairney remain sidelined with knee injuries.