Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, with a late equaliser from Matheus Cunha sparing manager Michael Carrick from another damaging defeat as pressure continues to build around his position.
United appeared destined for their third consecutive defeat after defender Lisandro Martinez inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the second half. However, Cunha struck in the 89th minute, with his effort taking a deflection before finding the back of the net to rescue a point for the visitors.
The result came after a difficult week for Carrick’s side. United had lost to Manchester City in the Premier League the previous weekend before suffering a 3-2 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup, despite taking a two-goal lead in that match.
Against Fulham, United showed some attacking promise early in the contest but struggled to turn their opportunities into goals. Bruno Fernandes came close when his effort struck the woodwork, while Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno produced several important saves to keep the hosts in the game.
Fulham also created opportunities, with Josh King, Sander Berge and Oscar Bobb among those testing the Manchester United defence. Nigerian internationals Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey also featured for Fulham, with Bassey involved in the move that eventually led to Martinez’s unfortunate own goal.
Fulham eventually took the lead in the 63rd minute after Bassey’s effort was saved by United goalkeeper Senne Lammens. The ball fell into a dangerous area and Martinez attempted to intervene, only to divert it into his own goal.
With United struggling to find an equaliser, Cunha produced a crucial moment late in the match. His long-range effort in the 89th minute took a deflection off Fulham defender David Affengruber, changing its trajectory and leaving Leno unable to prevent the equaliser.
The draw means United have won only one of their opening five Premier League matches. They remain in the bottom half of the table and are already 10 points behind Manchester City, who moved to the top of the standings after defeating Sunderland 5-3 earlier on Sunday.
The pressure on Carrick had already increased before the Fulham fixture. Former United defender Gary Neville had described the match as a major pressure game for the manager following the defeat to Manchester City. United’s poor start has raised questions about their performances and ability to manage matches, particularly after failing to capitalise on opportunities in recent games.
For Fulham, the draw extended their wait for a first Premier League victory under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa. Nevertheless, the London club demonstrated enough attacking threat and defensive organisation to trouble United for long periods.
United will now enter the international break with only one league victory from five matches, leaving Carrick with significant work to do when the Premier League resumes. The late point at Craven Cottage prevented another defeat, but it did little to remove the questions surrounding Manchester United’s early-season form and the manager’s position.
