Manchester United needed a deflected strike in the 89th minute to rescue a point against Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Premier League today.

An unfortunate own goal from Lisandro Martinez handed the Cottagers the lead just after the hour mark.

Matheus Cunha unleashed a shot from outside the box that took a wicked deflection before beating goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Former Man United striker Louis Saha criticised the visitors after the contest.

He said (via Sky Sports): “At some points when they decide to accelerate, they look like a Manchester United side – there is no problem; the quality is there. 

“There are some moments, though, when they accept the speed of a charity game. That’s shocking. 

“Players need to play at full pace; if they can’t after 70 or 80 minutes, they should be substituted.”

Saha enjoyed a successful spell at Old Trafford, scoring 42 goals and providing 18 assists in 124 appearances across all competitions.

He is absolutely spot on with his assessment.

Fulham are currently 19th in the league and have struggled to get their season up and running under new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa.

The Cottagers picked up their first point of the campaign last weekend.

United possess considerably more quality throughout their squad and would have expected to leave Craven Cottage with a convincing victory.

Instead, the Red Devils made a sluggish start and looked worryingly static for large periods.

The centre-backs were too slow in possession, while there was a distinct lack of movement ahead of them.

The fitness levels of the players are not the same as they were last season, which has to be a big concern for United. 

Fulham covered more ground than United, recording 118km compared with the Red Devils’ 113km.

Carrick must now ensure his coaching staff make full use of the international break to address these issues on the training ground.

Stats from Fotmob.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United rescued a point against Fulham with a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage in the Premier League today.

United head coach Michael Carrick made eight changes to the side that suffered a 3-2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek.

Benjamin Sesko missed the matchday squad after picking up a knock against Brighton.

Carlos Baleba was named among the substitutes but did not get the chance to make his long-awaited United debut.

Fulham took the lead through an unfortunate own goal by Lisandro Martinez.

Goalkeeper Bernd Leno produced three superb saves to frustrate United and keep his side in front.

It looked as though the visitors would claim the three points before Matheus Cunha scored the equaliser in the 89th minute, courtesy of a wicked deflection that wrong-footed Leno.

The result sees the Red Devils climb to 12th in the Premier League table after picking up another point.

Player Ratings

Senne Lammens – 5/10

Lammens made a solid save to deny Sander Berge and Josh King from distance but made an error for the own goal.

Diogo Dalot – 5/10

Involved in the final third but with very low quality. No mistakes today.

Harry Maguire – 5/10

Too slow in moving the ball forward. Solid at the back.

Lisandro Martinez – 6/10

Forced Bernd Leno into a brilliant save with a powerful effort from outside the box, but was unfortunate to end up scoring an own goal.

Luke Shaw – 5/10

Caught out of position several times but Lammens came to rescue. Better than other emergency left-back alternatives.

Youri Tielemans – 5/10

Need to play incisive passes more frequently.

Kobbie Mainoo – 6/10

Looked like the best outfield player in the first half but was surprisingly the first United player to be taken off.

Bruno Fernandes – 5/10

Hit the post when he has the space to fire United ahead. A performance far below his standards.

Bryan Mbeumo – 5/10

Leno denied him what could have been a wonderful goal.

Matheus Cunha – 6/10

Showed smartness to set up a chance for Fernandes and Rashford but got physically beaten in the build up to Fulham goal. Scored the equaliser.

Marcus Rashford – 3/10

Abysmal in front of goal, blazing a close-range effort over the bar when he should have done better. Carrick has to drop him from starting XI.

Substitutions

Joshua Zirkzee – 5/10

Made no impact.

Mason Mount – NA

Too late to rate.

Patrick Dorgu – NA

Too late to rate.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has explained why Benjamin Sesko was left out of the matchday squad for the clash against Fulham.

Sesko started against Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek but picked up an injury that ruled him out of the trip to Craven Cottage.

Carrick spoke to MUTV and confirmed that the club are now assessing the extent of Sesko’s injury.

The 45-year-old said: “He just felt a little bit of pain after the game the other night [against Brighton]. We’re assessing that. Hopefully, it’s not too bad but we will have to see.”

Sesko has scored two goals in six appearances across all competitions this campaign.

That represents an encouraging start for the 23-year-old, with his disappointing outing against the Seagulls the obvious exception.

Brighton twice pounced after dispossessing Sesko, turning his errors into the opening two goals of the game.

Sesko missed the entire pre-season after suffering a shin injury against Liverpool in May.

It will be a major concern for Carrick and his coaching staff, particularly given Sesko’s recent fitness issues.

This latest update should also raise fresh questions about United’s decision not to bring in another striker during the summer transfer window.

INEOS knew that Sesko could not be expected to shoulder the attacking burden alone during a season in which United could potentially play more than 50 games.

Joshua Zirkzee remains his deputy, but the Dutchman has struggled to make a convincing impact in virtually any role over the past two years.

United failed to move Zirkzee on or bring in another forward capable of taking some of the goalscoring pressure off Sesko.

The Red Devils will next face Tottenham Hotspur after the international break on October 10.

Carrick will be hoping Sesko can make a full recovery before then and, at the very least, return as an option from the bench.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has confirmed his starting XI for today’s Premier League encounter against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Red Devils have started the season in a poor fashion and currently sit 13th in the league table.

Carrick has made eight changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup.

Senne Lammens returns between the sticks after Karl Darlow made his United debut in midweek.

Diogo Dalot retains his position at right-back despite disappointing performances against Manchester City and Brighton.

Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez are back in the XI and will replace Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven at the heart of defence.

There is positive news for the Red Devils with Luke Shaw deemed fit to start and set to replace Noussair Mazraoui at left-back.

Andre Santos makes way for Kobbie Mainoo in midfield. The Englishman will be partnered by Youri Tielemans.

Mason Mount drops to the bench, with Bruno Fernandes replacing him in the number 10 position.

Marcus Rashford, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha start in the attack.

Benjamin Sesko is not part of the squad, possibly due to an injury issue. Shea Lacey is named on the bench and could be introduced in the second half.

Carlos Baleba is also part of the matchday squad for the first time since recovering from his ankle injury. He could make his United debut today following his £65 million move to the club this summer.

Confirmed Man United line-up (4-2-3-1): Senne Lammens; Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw; Youri Tielemans, Kobbie Mainoo; Bruno Fernandes; Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Marcus Rashford

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United have travelled to London for their Premier League showdown with Fulham later today.

Manager Michael Carrick will be desperate to see his side return to winning ways after consecutive defeats to Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion.

United have picked up just four points from their opening four league games and currently sit 13th in the table.

A victory at Craven Cottage would be crucial as Carrick looks to halt United’s worrying slide and steady the ship.

We believe Carrick could spring a surprise by unleashing a new-look attacking trio against Fulham.

Shea Lacey made his full debut against Brighton in midweek and marked the occasion with a superb opening goal.

His trickery and ability to drive forward with the ball caught the eye, and he could be rewarded with another start on the right wing.

Matheus Cunha has regularly operated as a centre-forward this season to accommodate Marcus Rashford on the left.

While Rashford has looked electric on the wing, he is yet to register a goal contribution this season.

Carrick could drop the England international to the bench and move Cunha out wide to add greater cutting edge to the attack.

Rashford could then be unleashed as a super-sub in the second half, using his pace against a tiring Fulham defence.

With Cunha and Lacey providing width from either flank, Bryan Mbeumo could be handed the responsibility of leading the line.

Benjamin Sesko did not travel with the squad, raising concerns over his availability for this clash.

Mbeumo spent much of pre-season playing as a striker and is gradually becoming more accustomed to the role.

The Cameroon international is a clinical finisher, and keeping him closer to the penalty area could give United a sharper edge in the final third.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manager Michael Carrick has thrown his full support behind young defender Leny Yoro.

Leny Yoro put in a shaky performance during the 3-2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek.

The 20-year-old started at the heart of defence alongside Ayden Heaven, but the pair struggled to find their footing as United crashed out of the Carabao Cup in the third round.

Carrick was asked in his press conference whether Yoro had reached a point where he needed to step up and start delivering consistently.

He replied: “No, he’s 20, Leny, you know? And again, in context, he’s got a fantastic future ahead of him and a lot of potential, and he’s learning, he’s developing. To be at this club in place as a centre-back at such a young age, it’s a challenging position. 

“Sometimes it might be 20, sometimes you see players 22, 23, 24 where they start developing. So there’s definitely no cut-off point. He’s just got to keep progressing and moving in the right direction, wanting to learn, keep improving, getting more opportunities. 

“He’s doing a lot of good things, and I think we’ve got to be careful again, and I certainly won’t [be] making knee-jerk decisions on certain players just because of one game or one half or one moment in a game, and we’ve got a lot of belief in Leny for sure.”

Yoro has a bright future but needs the right guidance

Yoro has endured his share of ups and downs during his first two years at Old Trafford.

However, inconsistency is hardly unusual for a young defender learning his trade at one of the biggest clubs in world football.

Yoro is now entering his third season at United, which may lead some to believe that he should already have established himself as one of the club’s best centre-backs.

Those people are missing a key point that he is still only 20 years old and could have several years of development ahead of him before reaching his peak.

There is no denying that Yoro needed to be better against Brighton, but one poor performance should not suddenly define his career at Old Trafford.

The Frenchman possesses many of the qualities required to develop into one of the elite centre-backs of his generation.

His recovery pace is already a major asset, while he has also made significant physical strides over the past two years.

At times, Yoro can be overly aggressive with his challenges near the halfway line, but that is an area that can be refined through the right coaching and guidance.

With Carrick continuing to place his faith in him, Yoro has the opportunity to turn his raw potential into consistent performances at the highest level.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United take on Fulham on the road in today’s Premier League clash.

The Red Devils have picked up just four points from as many league games this term, and recently bowed out of the Carabao Cup to Brighton & Hove Albion in the third round.

They will be keen to make amends after back-to-back losses, and manager Michael Carrick could make at least eight changes from the 3-2 loss to the Seagulls in midweek.

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Predicted Line-up:

Senne Lammens is United’s undisputed goalkeeper for the league games. Karl Darlow made his Red Devils debut against Brighton and had a poor outing. Lammens should return between the sticks at Craven Cottage.

The backline should witness three changes. We anticipate Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven to drop to the bench. Centre-backs Yoro and Heaven had an evening to forget against Brighton with several positional errors, while right-back Dalot was completely overawed by Malick Yalcouye’s pace.

Noussair Mazraoui, who started as the makeshift left-back on Wednesday, should move to the opposite end against Fulham. Luke Shaw has finally recovered from a minor injury, which has kept him sidelined for the last two matches, and the £27 million signing should be an assured starter at left-back. He has travelled with the squad to west London.

Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez should be obvious starters in the heart of the defence.

Youri Tielemans was one of the better performers from midweek, but the same can’t be said about Andrey Santos. The youngster has yet to make a significant contribution since his summer move and looks set to be replaced by Kobbie Mainoo in central midfield.

Mason Mount scored on his return to the starting XI, but should still make way for captain Bruno Fernandes in the number 10 position. Bryan Mbeumo and Marcus Rashford are likely to start on the right and left wing respectively despite the latter missing a clear-cut chance to equalise against Brighton.

There is a temptation to hand a full league debut to Shea Lacey on the right flank after his debut goal against Brighton, but the need for more defensive awareness means the youngster could be restricted to a bench role.

Benjamin Sesko is a doubt for the game, having not travelled. Regardless, we would pick Matheus Cunha to lead the line. He has four goals and an assist in six meetings against Fulham. Four of those goal contributions have come at Craven Cottage.

How Man Utd could line up vs Fulham

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .

Manchester United have received a major boost ahead of their Premier League clash against Fulham tomorrow.

According to journalist Steven Railston, Carlos Baleba has travelled with the Man United squad to London to face the Cottagers at Craven Cottage.

Baleba joined United from Brighton & Hove Albion for an initial fee of £65 million this summer.

The Red Devils had made an approach for the midfielder last year, but Brighton quickly rejected their advances.

United subsequently backed away after learning that the Seagulls wanted more than £100m to part ways with their prized midfielder.

However, the club eventually returned to the negotiating table and completed a deal for their long-term target last month.

Baleba suffered an ankle injury during pre-season at Brighton, but United remained committed to signing the midfielder despite the setback.

The 22-year-old could now make his long-awaited United debut against Fulham tomorrow.

Manager Michael Carrick has already labelled Baleba a “quality player” and suggested that he could make a significant difference in midfield.

The youngster endured a difficult 2025-26 campaign but possesses the physicality and potential to develop into a dominant midfield enforcer.

Baleba is viewed as a long-term replacement for Casemiro, meaning his performances are likely to come under intense scrutiny from the media.

It was initially expected that the Cameroon international would not return until after the October international break, but his recovery appears to have progressed faster than anticipated.

We expect Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans to start in midfield tomorrow, but Baleba could be introduced in the second half to make an immediate impact.

Stats from Fotmob.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .

Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko is doubtful for the Premier League game against Fulham after not being spotted with the travelling squad, according to journalist Steven Railston.

The Red Devils have had a difficult start to the season. They are currently on just four points after as many league games, and have already bowed out of the Carabao Cup in the third round.

United need to desperately return to winning ways against Fulham at Craven Cottage tomorrow. Ahead of the clash, it appears Sesko won’t be involved, having not boarded the train to London.

While Sesko is not part of the group, there is a significant boost on the injury front with Matthijs de Ligt, Luke Shaw and summer signing Carlos Baleba having travelled with the team today.

Matheus Cunha poised to lead the line vs Fulham

Sesko was picked to lead the line against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup third round in midweek. He had a difficult outing and was guilty of losing possession on 13 occasions.

The Slovenian, who was signed from RB Leipzig for an initial £66.3 million last year, registered only eight passes and lost 50 percent of his aerial duels. One of his aerial challenges lost contributed to Pascal Gross’ equaliser before Brighton won the game (3-2) at Old Trafford.

Sesko was far from his usual best against the Seagulls, which suggests he may have picked up a knock. His absence from the travelling squad pretty much confirms that he may not feature tomorrow.

Regardless, Matheus Cunha looks poised to start as the number nine against Fulham. He has yet to find peak form, but he has fared brilliantly against the Cottagers with four goals and an assist in six meetings.

Four of those contributions have come at Craven Cottage, suggesting he should relish the challenge upfront. The Brazilian will be eyeing his first goal of the league campaign as United seek to return to winning ways and move higher up the table before the first international break of the season.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com

Article written by Sri Aswin .

Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel continues to attract huge attention as speculation over his future at Old Trafford gathers momentum.

Gabriel has reportedly informed Man United that he wants to leave the club and is seeking an immediate termination of his contract.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are reportedly leading the race for the teenage sensation.

Reports suggest that his father, who is also his representative, has been the driving force behind Gabriel’s desire to leave United midway through the season.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard believes Gabriel could have been given an opportunity in the first team under Michael Carrick.

Gerrard said in a chat with Joe Cole on TNT Sports: “Broadly, it scares me in the game that kids can now be rushed or careers can be forced.

“I don’t know the details and the background in this isolated situation with JJ Gabriel but if you look at it all he’s at one of the biggest clubs in the world. They’ve got a history and a tradition of producing fantastic players.

“There will be top people behind the scenes at Manchester United but the big thing for me is, you’ve got an English coach [Michael Carrick] and an English assistant manager [Steve Holland] who will want to, when the time is right, and when they think he’s ready, protect him… but when they feel he’s ready they will play him.”

Man United could not be blamed for JJ Gabriel situation

The Red Devils have seemingly done everything possible to convince Gabriel and his family that the youngster remains an important part of the club’s future.

United placed him in the Under-18s at just 14 and entrusted him with leading the line despite his age.

Gabriel repaid that faith in spectacular fashion, scoring 23 goals and earning the Premier League Under-18 Player of the Year award.

The teenage sensation has also regularly trained with the first team, working under both Ruben Amorim and Carrick during his rapid rise.

He was even given the opportunity to meet Sir Alex Ferguson.

Gabriel could have made his senior debut against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup, but he reportedly did not report for training after scoring a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut.

Losing such a highly rated prospect would undoubtedly represent a major blow for United, but the club cannot simply bend to the demands of a 15-year-old.

Carrick has deliberately avoided saying too much about the ongoing saga, seemingly keen to shield the teenager from even greater scrutiny.

However, Gabriel’s family must also recognise the extraordinary level of exposure he is already receiving at the highest level and consider whether it is ultimately beneficial to his long-term development.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .