Manchester United's struggles in the Premier League continued on Sunday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at Craven Cottage. The visitors were in dire need of a win but ultimately had to settle for a point. United's performance was lacklustre, and they were fortunate not to fall behind in the opening moments when Fulham forward Gonzalo Garcia dragged his shot wide from a dangerous position.
The match was a closely contested affair, with both teams creating chances. United's Bruno Fernandes picked out Lisandro Martinez for a stinging strike from the edge of the penalty area, forcing Bernd Leno to make a superb save. United went close again when Matheus Cunha pulled his pass back to Fernandes, whose fierce strike cannoned off the post. However, United's defence was shaky, and they were punished for their errors.
Fulham took the lead in the second half courtesy of a farcical own goal from Martinez, who diverted the ball into his own net after Senne Lammens had saved Calvin Bassey's shot. The goal was a harsh reward for Fulham's pressure, but it was a consequence of United's lack of drive and cutting edge, combined with some shambolic defending.
United pushed hard for an equaliser but were repeatedly thwarted by Fulham's defence. Leno kept out Bryan Mbeumo's curler and plunged to his left to save Cunha's low drive. However, United's persistence finally paid off in the 89th minute when Cunha's shot from distance took a wicked deflection off David Affengruber and found its way into the net.
The draw has done little to ease the pressure on Carrick, who has insisted that he does not care about his future at Old Trafford. However, the result has highlighted the significant challenges facing the manager, with United having just one win in five Premier League matches and trailing leaders Manchester City by 10 points.
The draw also highlighted the significant work that needs to be done to restore United to their former glory. The team has lost three of their first seven games in all competitions this season and heads into the international break with Carrick under intense scrutiny. United return to action with a home game against bottom of the table Tottenham on October 10.
The result was a disappointing one for both teams, but it was particularly concerning for United, who were expected to at least match last season's third-place finish. The team's performance has gone backwards since Carrick was appointed as manager on a permanent basis, and the international break has come at a welcome time for the manager to regroup and reassess his team's strategy.
Key points
- Manchester United's draw with Fulham has piled pressure on manager Michael Carrick.
- United's performance was lacklustre, and they were fortunate not to fall behind in the opening moments.
- The draw has highlighted the significant challenges facing Carrick, with United trailing leaders Manchester City by 10 points.
