London, England – Nigeria international Alex Iwobi etched his name further into the history books of Nigerian football stars in the English Premier League (EPL) following his outstanding performance in Fulham’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
Iwobi, who played the entire match, provided the crucial assist for substitute Emile Smith Rowe’s equalizing goal in the 73rd minute, cementing his influence on the game and helping Fulham secure a valuable point against a formidable opponent. This contribution brought Iwobi’s total Premier League goal involvement to 67, comprising 31 goals and 36 assists.
This achievement places the versatile midfielder in an elite group of Nigerian EPL stars. He becomes the third Nigerian player to reach this milestone, joining the ranks of Shola Ameobi and Kelechi Iheanacho. Only Yakubu Aiyegbeni, with 121 goal contributions, and Nwankwo Kanu, who has 83, have better overall records than this trio.
Iwobi, an Arsenal Academy graduate, was a key figure throughout the match, frequently orchestrating play and exploiting gaps in Manchester United’s midfield. Post-match, Iwobi revealed how Fulham’s tactical plan under manager Marco Silva targeted Manchester United’s midfield duo of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro. He explained, "We worked on it in training. We knew we would be able to get behind United’s two midfielders, and the centre-backs would not want to jump, so we exploited that today."
His vision and execution not only earned him the official Man of the Match award but also won admiration from fans on both sides of the pitch.
Fulham’s resilience paid off as the team recovered from an early own goal by Rodrigo Muniz that had given Manchester United the lead. Smith Rowe’s timely finish from Iwobi’s precise cross ensured the match ended in a draw, leaving Fulham in 13th place in the league standings, while Manchester United remained in 16th after two games.
Iwobi’s remarkable form for Fulham and his vital role in the team leave Nigerian football fans optimistic about his contributions to the Super Eagles as Nigeria prepares for important upcoming international fixtures.