Borrowing the words of a former Manchester United manager, Michael Carrick had always expected difficult times to arrive. The second half of last season had gone almost flawlessly, but that level of success was never likely to continue indefinitely. Carrick sensed growing pressure before the trip to Fulham, making his feelings after the match easy to imagine.
Relief was almost certainly his strongest emotion. Following defeat in the Manchester derby and a midweek Carabao Cup elimination by Brighton, both at Old Trafford, Carrick was in danger of suffering a third consecutive setback. Combined with the inconsistent form that followed the opening-day loss at Hull, the situation had become increasingly tense.
Fulham began dreaming of their first Premier League victory under Álvaro Arbeloa after a chaotic own goal from Lisandro Martínez. United goalkeeper Senne Lammens also performed poorly during the incident, which developed into a complete defensive breakdown. Given United’s excellent recent record in this part of south-west London, losing to a team that started the day at the bottom of the table would have been a major shock.
Carrick’s team avoided that outcome with a fortunate late equaliser. Matheus Cunha appeared to have few options near the left side of the penalty area, so he aimed a shot towards the near corner. Bernd Leno seemed positioned to make the save, but a significant deflection off David Affengruber sent the ball into the opposite side of the net and rescued United.
Fulham had encouraged pressure after taking the lead by retreating too deeply and losing their ability to move the ball upfield. Even so, United rarely looked capable of producing the decisive opening. Their football was slow and predictable, while they struggled to attack the space behind Fulham’s defence after half-time. Their second-half attempts all came from outside the box, but Cunha eventually made one of them count.
There were several encouraging signs for Fulham, who are still developing under Arbeloa. The manager appears to want additional protection in central midfield, which explained the selection of Sander Berge alongside Shea Charles and the decision to move Alex Iwobi to the left wing. Fulham’s players generally operated in familiar roles, unlike some members of the United side, although Luke Shaw was able to return on the left of the defence.
Benjamin Sesko was unavailable after his shin problem returned, leaving Carrick without a conventional centre-forward. He again deployed Cunha as a false nine, with Bruno Fernandes instructed to operate nearby. This created a box-shaped midfield in which Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo occupied the deeper positions.
Arbeloa successfully instructed Oscar Bobb and Iwobi to move inside from the wings. That approach intensified the contest for control in central areas, where Josh King played an influential role.
Fulham’s No 10 was a constant threat during a first half in which the home team played with greater urgency and imagination. In the 32nd minute, King created enough space away from Shaw to test Lammens, and it was one of several moments that caused concern for United.
Fulham had reason to be frustrated about reaching half-time without scoring. Gonzalo García wasted two promising opportunities, while Berge forced a difficult save from Lammens during the second phase of the latter attack. Bobb also turned into open space before pulling his effort wide. Shortly before the interval, King went down after moving into Harry Maguire near the edge of the box, but the referee correctly judged that he had sought the contact and booked him for simulation.
United struck the woodwork twice before half-time and produced several other promising moments, but poor composure prevented them from taking advantage. Cunha escaped Affengruber on the right and found Fernandes with a cutback, only for the midfielder’s flick to hit the far post. A deflected Cunha effort also looped against the outside of the upright. Earlier, Martínez had tested Leno with a strong attempt, while Marcus Rashford sent a good opportunity over the crossbar.
United’s performance deteriorated after the break as their energy faded and their attacking rhythm disappeared. The situation became worse when Cunha lost possession in a deep midfield area after being overpowered by Calvin Bassey. The Fulham captain drove towards the edge of the penalty area and unleashed the shot that triggered United’s defensive collapse.
Lammens failed to deal convincingly with the effort, while Martínez reacted too slowly and could not position himself properly. His attempted touch sent the ball towards his own net, and Lammens, possibly uncertain whether it counted as a back pass, made a badly executed attempt to clear it with his feet.
United were suddenly under severe pressure, but Carrick could at least take encouragement from his players’ refusal to give up. Bryan Mbeumo and Cunha tested Leno with curling shots from range, although their reliance on distant efforts highlighted the lack of penetration. Fulham appeared capable of preserving their lead and nearly added another goal when substitute Kevin forced Lammens to make a save. Cunha ultimately became United’s rescuer, but the team’s underlying weaknesses remain clearly visible.
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