Who: Fulham vs Manchester United What: English Premier League Where: Craven Cottage, London in United Kingdom When: Sunday, September 20, at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up to our live text commentary stream from 12:30 GMT. One month into the new Premier League season, excuses about bedding-in processes and newly assembled squads needing time to gel are wearing thin and for Manchester United there is an acute sense of urgency as the international break looms. United are by no means the only ‘big club’ enduring a faltering start to the campaign but after so much pre-season optimism, the spotlight has fallen very much on manager Michael Carrick ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham. Al Jazeera takes a closer look at the game: United have lost three of their six matches in all competitions and suffered a damaging League Cup exit on Wednesday, surrendering a 2-0 lead to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Their only win in four league games came at home to promoted Ipswich Town. United started the better in the VAR-dominated Manchester derby last Sunday, but played second fiddle to the away team after City were reduced to ten men. The London club have made a slow start under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa and are yet to win in the league. A draw at Liverpool last week and a League Cup win at West Ham United in midweek offered glimpses of better things to come.
Carrick accepted responsibility for the team’s poor start but said the focus must remain on finding solutions rather than assigning blame. “It’s my responsibility and I’m fine with that. It’s not a blame game. Blame me, no problem, but it’s not about blaming people,” said the 45-year-old boss. “It’s about finding solutions. It’s a whole collective thing.
It’s about what you focus on. I know where we want to get to and we want to get there fast.” United won 3-2 in their last meeting which came in the Premier League at Old Trafford on February 1. Casemiro and Matheus Cunha put United two up before a chaotic finale that saw Raul Jiminez net an 85th minute penalty for the Londoners before Benjamin Sesko and Kevin traded injury time strikes. The teams shared a 1-1 draw in the Premier League match.
Emile Smith Rowe’s 73rd minute goal levelled matters after Rodrigo Muniz put through his own net in the 58th minute. Fulham won 2-1 at Old Trafford in the Premier League on February 24, 2024. Harry Maguire appeared to have sealed a point for United in the 90th minute when he cancelled out Calvin Bassey’s 65th minute goal, but Alex Iwobi got Fulham’s winner in injury time. United have won three of the five meetings since then.
Fulham have not recorded a home win against United since December 2009. Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff sealing a 3-0 home win. Of the 10 matches since then, United have won nine, scoring 21 and conceding six. Opta’s supercomputer has given Manchester United a 47.4 percent chance of winning, while offering Fulham only a 28.3 percent chance of victory.
This will be their 94th meeting, with Manchester United winning 59 of the encounters and Fulham 14. Kenny Tete misses out due to concussion at Anfield last week. Tom Cairney is also absent with a knee injury, but Ryan Sessegnon will have a late fitness test as he returns from a groin problem. Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Charles; Bobb, King, Iwobi; Garcia United will make a late decision on whether to include Luke Shaw and Carlos Baleba in the squad.
Both have had ankle problems, but could feature. Manuel Ugarte, Tom Heaton, Matthijs de Ligt and Amad Diallo all remain sidelined with injuries. Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Tielemans; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko
