Taha Hashim 

Fulham 1-1 Manchester United: Premier League – as it happened

Matheus Cunha’s late deflected leveller spared United’s blushes after Lisandro Martínez’s own goal
  
  

Matheus Cunha celebrates after scoring a late deflected leveller for Manchester United.
Matheus Cunha celebrates after scoring a late deflected leveller for Manchester United. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters

It’s been a really tough start for Álvaro Arbeloa … but his side have drawn against Liverpool and Manchester United, and their three games after the international break are against the promoted sides: Ipswich, Hull and Coventry.

Spurs fans … look away.

Pos Team P GD Pts
1 Man City 5 8 15
2 Arsenal 5 4 12
3 Brighton 5 11 10
4 Brentford 5 6 9
5 Leeds 5 4 9
6 Liverpool 5 3 9
7 Everton 5 3 9
8 Hull 5 2 8
9 Newcastle 5 0 8
10 Chelsea 5 -2 7
11 Ipswich 5 -4 6
12 Man Utd 5 0 5
13 Nottm Forest 5 -1 5
14 Sunderland 5 -4 4
15 Crystal Palace 5 -5 4
16 Aston Villa 5 -5 4
17 AFC Bournemouth 5 -2 3
18 Coventry 5 -9 3
19 Fulham 5 -3 2
20 Tottenham Hotspur 5 -6 2

United certainly missed Sesko today. Cunha looked far more dangerous over on the left, where his goal came from. “After we conceded the goal, we played much better … but this needs to be from the start,” Cunha tells Sky.

Quite a few angry emails coming in about United. That was a poor display, particularly those 15 minutes before the Fulham goal, and the table doesn’t read well at all … but I don’t understand anyone calling for Carrick to go. It’s been five games! He took them to third last season!

Updated

Fulham are still waiting for a league win under Álvaro Arbeloa. United have five points from five games. Yeah, no one’s happy here.

Updated

FULL-TIME: Fulham 1-1 Manchester United

Martínez finds room for a strike … but it’s blocked out for another corner. United fail to threaten with it, and the whistle follows.

90+3 min: Dorgu wins a corner … one last chance.

90+1 min: United keep pressing, Cunha drifts into the area but no one connects with his cutback.

90 min: Three more minutes.

Cunha cuts in from the left, lets fly and a wicked deflection off Affengruber leaves Leno with no chance. The Brazilian scores his fifth goal in seven games against Fulham.

GOAL! Fulham 1-1 Manchester United (Cunha 89)

Cunha scores another against Fulham!

Updated

88 min: United waste a burst forward as Dorgu fails to take down a diagonal ball by Maguire.

86 min: There’s a handball shout after a United corner, Bassey’s hands going up as Martínez pokes the ball at him. VAR lets it pass through to the wicketkeeper.

Updated

85 min: Mbeumo whips in a dangerous cross to the far post … but a Fulham head gets in the way.

84 min: United desperately need some Fernandes magic – but he’s been uncharacteristically quiet. Dorgu replaces Luke Shaw.

81 min: The corners keep on coming … can Fernandes find Maguire? Nope. The move breaks down with a Martínez volley flying over the bar.

80 min: Fulham make their final changes, with Muniz and Andersen on for García and King. Mainoo is off; Mount is on for United.

79 min: United play a few too many passes over on the right, failing to cross, but they’ve got a corner.

78 min: Mbeumo rushes down the right, cuts in for his strike … but there are enough white shirts back to block off his effort.

77 min: Fulham make another tweak as Larsson replaces Berge. Zirkzee is on for Rashford. Cunha will probably move over to the left.

Updated

76 min: Kevin is on for Fulham … and he finds space down the right to launch. Lammens moves to his right and gets a strong hand on it.

75 min: United haven’t turned to the bench yet.

74 min: Brilliant from Cunha, turning in midfield, showing strength before trying to find the bottom right corner … Leno makes another fine stop.

Updated

73 min: Fernandes is stationed out on the right as he whips in another cross … but United are missing Sesko today.

70 min: Fernandes sends in a free-kick from the right … and it turns into a goalkick.

68 min: United have been given a shake as they push forward.

67 min: United play it short, work it to Mbeumo on the edge of the area, he curls it … and Leno makes a staggering save, leaping to his right to tip it around the post. Brilliant from the Fulham keeper.

66 min: Neville rages at United before Shaw drives forward and wins a corner.

Bassey wins the ball off Cunha after Fulham push forward, rushes into the area and sends in a low drive. Sammens saves, it meets Martínez a few yards away … but the ball travels back to goal and into the net, Lammens failing to clear with his feet. Was the defender trying to play a pass back to the keeper? Whatever the case, it’s another miserable moment for United this season.

Updated

GOAL! Fulham 1-0 Manchester United (Martínez og 63)

Oh, that’s a shocker.

Updated

61 min: Finally, signs of life: Iwobi has room out on the left, sends in a shot that deflects off Dalot for a corner.

60 min: The stats flash up: we’re still waiting for a shot in this half.

59 min: United have a spell on the ball but can’t find any gaps to cut through.

57 min: Gary Neville is bemused by the lack of urgency from both teams.

56 min: Fulham wheel it around at the back with little pressure from United.

55 min: It’s all a bit flat at the moment.

54 min: Rashford finds space down the left on the counter, tries to play to Mbeumo … but Robinson nips in to save Fulham.

52 min: The camera finds Sir Alex Ferguson in the stands.

Updated

49 min: Bobb weaves through United shirts as Fulham venture forward … Robinson crosses from the left but United launch their own counter. Rashford is taken down by Castagne and that’s a yellow for the right-back.

48 min: The ball is stuck in Fulham’s half.

47 min: Rashford sends in a dangerous ball, but Cunha is penalised for doing something wrong in the mixer.

46 min: And we’re back. No changes just yet as Fulham kick things off. Dalot goes on an adventure down the right for United.

Updated

United had 17 shots in that half … with just two on target.

HALF-TIME: Fulham 0-0 Manchester United

United have had chances … but Fulham have been the better side.

45 min: King’s fine half is soured by a yellow for diving – he goes down after Maguire’s arm brushes him and the ref ain’t impressed.

Updated

44 min: United’s front four all combine as Mbeumo deflects a Cunha cross to Rashford in the middle … but he volleys over the bar.

42 min: Iwobi plays a one-two and looks through on goal … but Lammens, United’s player of the half, springs into action to deny the winger.

39 min: United’s best move of the game. Dalot breaks into midfield, plays to Fernandes, who works it to Rashford inside the area … but he can’t get the right placement on the strike when trying to curl it in from the left.

38 min: United work it patiently but Tielemans’ cross into the area can’t beat the first man.

36 min: Mbeumo knocks Robinson off the ball, Rashford finds it on the left and cuts in, navigating traffic before unleashing … but he can’t beat the crowd of defenders.

35 min: Rashford tries to play in Tielemans inside the area … but he was probably better off trying to whip an effort himself.

34 min: Iwobi and King are running this game.

32 min: Cunha’s deflected effort from range loops awkwardly for Leno … but Fulham are on the move again. King shifts on to his right inside the area, firing from a tight angle … and Lammens uses his right foot to make a cracking save! The United keeper has been working overtime in the last five minutes.

Updated

30 min: Fulham are causing some serious bother now. García fails to connect properly inside the area again, Berge forces Lammens to make a good save low to his right, and Bobb fires wide not long after a smart turn.

28 min: Iwobi picks up a long ball and crosses from the left, and King is at the far post for a poking half-volley … but he can’t get enough power on it and Lammens palms it away.

25 min: Fernandes hits the post! Cunha outmuscles Affengruber inside the area, cuts back for Fernandes, who can only find the left post. United have suddenly found some energy, some intensity after a lethargic start.

Updated

24 min: Mainoo finds the ball in that left pocket by the edge of the area where he likes to shoot from – but he can’t find enough room for an effort. Dalot eventually tries his luck, but Leno doesn’t need to stress about it.

22 min: Fulham’s fluid front four – Iwobi, King, Bobb and García – are combining well.

21 min: Mbeumo breaks into the area and crosses for Rashford … but he can’t keep his header down.

19 min: Bobb has room on the right for Fulham, and the ball soon finds the lively King, who drives into the area and fires over the bar. He’s been the best player on the park so far.

18 min: Fuham build nicely from the back, Iwobi breaks free on the left and plays in García … but he fluffs his first-time effort inside the area, the ball deflecting well wide of the goal.

Updated

16 min: Rashford gets United moving forward … until they recycle and wheel it around at the back.

15 min: King holds the ball up on the right wing and wins a corner for Fulham – Bobb’s delivery is poor.

13 min: All a bit quiet so far, apart from Martínez’s rocket.

10 min: Martínez lets fly from outside the area … it’s some effort and some save, too. Leno leaps to his left and the centre-back’s piledriver doesn’t find the top corner.

10 min: United look dangerous for the first time – Tielemans whips in a decent ball to the front post and Bruno Fernandes is there for the header … and it leads to a corner.

Updated

8 min: King is enjoying himself down the right for Fulham, finding space.

7 min: United are forced to retreat as Fulham hold a solid defensive shape … Lammens goes long before Fulham build a promising attack … but Iwobi’s cross finds the United keeper.

5 min: Time for United to knock it about … but Tielemans is wayward, sending the ball out for a Fulham throw.

4 min: Fulham continue to pass it around comfortably. Robinson finds García on the edge of the area … and he drags his effort wide. It’s been a neat start by Fulham.

3 min: King drops deep for Fulham as the hosts wheel it around at the back. The teenager goes on a long dribble through midfield … and keeps it.

1 min: Leno takes his time with a goalkick before going long, down the right-hand side.

Peeeep!

Manchester United are rocking their all-blue number. They kick things off.

Updated

Craven Cottage in the sun: where would you rather be?

Andy Flintoff (not that one) writes:

If Fulham avoid defeat today, then Spurs would be bottom. Would it then be time to sound the crisis klaxon?

There should probably be a klaxon for when Spurs aren’t in crisis.

We got a thriller the last time these two met:

Here’s how we’re looking after those 2pm BST games.

Pos Team P GD Pts
1 Man City 5 8 15
2 Arsenal 5 4 12
3 Brighton 5 11 10
4 Brentford 5 6 9
5 Leeds 5 4 9
6 Liverpool 5 3 9
7 Everton 5 3 9
8 Hull 5 2 8
9 Newcastle 5 0 8
10 Chelsea 5 -2 7
11 Ipswich 5 -4 6
12 Nottm Forest 5 -1 5
13 Man Utd 4 0 4
14 Sunderland 5 -4 4
15 Crystal Palace 5 -5 4
16 Aston Villa 5 -5 4
17 AFC Bournemouth 5 -2 3
18 Coventry 5 -9 3
19 Tottenham Hotspur 5 -6 2
20 Fulham 4 -3 1

Richard Hirst writes in:

Yes, please don’t let it be Cunha up front, he always scores against us.

Well, have a look at this: Cunha’s got four goals in six league games against Fulham.

Joshua Keeling writes in:

Please please please let it be Mbeumo up front, not Cunha. Playing Cunha up front just hasn’t worked so far this season.

Well it’s certainly not Benjamin Sesko. He’s still waiting for his first league start this season and missing today due to injury.

Updated

Fulham are unchanged from the side that drew at Anfield while United make one tweak from their derby loss against Manchester City: Luke Shaw replaces Patrick Dorgu.

The teams

Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson, Berge, Charles, King, Bobb, Gonzalo, Iwobi

Subs: Lecomte, Andersen, Sessegnon, Larsson, Manuel Ángel, Smith Rowe, Palacios, Kevin, Muniz

Manchester United: Lammens, Dalot, Maguire, Martínez, Shaw, Tielemans, Mainoo, Mbeumo, Fernandes, Rashford, Cunha

Subs: Darlow, Dorgu, Mazraoui, Yoro, Andrey Santos, Baleba, Mount, Lacey, Zirkzee

Preamble

We’re four league games in and I’m getting spammy emails about how Michael Carrick is 5/2 to get sacked before Christmas. It’s all a bit silly but a reminder of how intense his position is, the game changing now he doesn’t have that interim tag. So how does a visit to Craven Cottage sound? On the one hand, Fulham are bottom of the league, with Alvaro Arbeloa feeling some heat, too. On the other, slip up here and my inbox will probably get a whole lot louder. Let’s get stuck into it: kick-off’s at 4.30pm BST.

 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*