Overview
Fulham is aiming for their first Premier League win this season when hosting Manchester United at Craven Cottage. This match could also put more pressure on Michael Carrick if Man United continues to drop points.
Alvaro Arbeloa's team has not known victory after the first four rounds and is currently ranked 18th in the standings. Fulham only got their first point in the previous round, when they drew 0-0 with Liverpool in their away match at Anfield.
After a dramatic defeat to Chelsea in the opening round, Fulham successively lost to Sunderland and Crystal Palace before playing defensively against Liverpool. This is Fulham's longest winless start since the 2020-2021 season, when they did not win any of the first 6 matches.
However, the results at Anfield bring encouraging signals for Arbeloa and his students. Fulham continued to defeat West Ham 3-2 in the third round of the English League Cup, thereby gaining more motivation before welcoming Man United.
On the opposite side, Man United is also going through a period of instability. Carrick's team only won 4 points after the first four rounds, including one win, one draw and two defeats.
They started with not-so-impressive results against Hull City, Ipswich Town and Everton, before losing 0-1 to Manchester City in the derby last weekend.
Although Man City only had 10 players after Phil Foden received a red card in the first half, Man United could not take advantage. They conceded a goal from Erling Haaland in a controversial situation and let the opponent win.
Difficulties continued to appear in the League Cup. Man United led Brighton 2-0 after only 10 minutes but eventually lost 2-3. This is the first time since May 1984, when facing Ipswich, Man United lost at home in a tournament despite leading by 2 goals after the first half.
Carrick understands that the "Red Devils" need to react quickly. 4 points after four rounds is their lowest achievement in this season, equal to the 1992-1993 and 2025-2026 seasons.
The point worth Man United expecting lies in the fact that they have recovered strongly in both of the above-mentioned seasons. In the 1992-1993 season, they won the championship, while the 2025-2026 season ended in third place.
Head-to-head record
Fulham has reason to worry before welcoming Man United. They have not won in their last 10 home matches against the "Red Devils" in the Premier League, with two draws and eight defeats. This streak began after Fulham's two consecutive wins against Man United at Craven Cottage in 2009.
Man United also has a superior head-to-head record when they have only lost one of their last 21 encounters with Fulham in the Premier League, alongside 16 wins and four draws. The only defeat during this period was a 1-2 defeat at Old Trafford in February 2024.
Man United became even more confident when they won 3-2 against Fulham in their most recent encounter. Benjamin Sesko scored the decisive goal in the 90+4 minute at Old Trafford in February.
Score prediction: Fulham 1-1 Man United
The match between Fulham and Man United takes place at 10:30 PM on September 20th (Vietnam time).
