Manchester United fought back to salvage a 1-1 draw against Fulham on Sunday at Craven Cottage, but honestly, it felt like a loss for Michael Carrick. Even with Matheus Cunha’s deflected 89th-minute effort grabbing a point, the pressure on Carrick is still building big time. After a truly horrible week, and with Fulham putting them ahead via a comical own goal in the second half, this hardly stops the rot, does it? Alvaro Arbeloa’s side absolutely deserved to win, taking the game to a lackluster United all day long. Carrick might have breathed a tiny sigh of relief, but man, this was another dour outing.
United’s Engine Room Is Stuck in Neutral
Everyone expected a serious response from United after an awful start to the season and coming off a truly woeful week. Did we get it? Nope. They looked sluggish and disinterested for most of the game. It took going down 1-0 for any urgency to pick up, and even then, that was just a reflex action. They only started to make things happen because they *had* to. You can’t play like that, not at this level. For most of this match, there was zero drive, zero desire to prove anyone wrong. Carrick is still under serious pressure, picking up just five points from United’s five games so far. Four of those matches were supposed to be relatively easy wins, too. United is struggling for rhythm and any kind of confidence right now. Maybe this three-week international break comes at a good time to reassess everything, because a lot has to change when they come back in October. They’ll face Spurs at home, a battle between struggling giants. Carrick has credit from his fine salvage job last season, but he needs his players to step up in a massive way for intensity and accountability in October. These kinds of displays won’t cut it against Atletico Madrid, Leeds, Como, Bournemouth, and Chelsea.
Fulham Is Going to Be a Problem for Everyone
Plenty of folks questioned Fulham’s transfer policy this summer, but wow, have Affengruber, Charles, and Garcia settled in well. Youngsters King and Bobb are a massive threat in attack, too. Even though this 1-1 draw probably feels like a defeat for them, back-to-back draws with Liverpool and Man United are absolutely nothing to sniff at. Alvaro Arbeloa’s new-look side was brave on the ball, taking the game right to United. They kept plugging away even when United’s goalkeeper Senne Lammens made a bunch of big stops in the first half. Fulham is younger, fitter, no team has covered more ground in the league than them, and sharper this season. They’re genuinely exciting to watch! The crucial thing for them is learning how to see out games, though. They’ve played much better than their points tally suggests, and Arbeloa’s side will be just fine if they can stay confident and trust they’re on the right path.
Lammens Needs Help, Like Yesterday
Senne Lammens, man, he was putting in heroics in the first half to keep United even in the game. So, when he pushed out Bassey’s shot tentatively and then messed up Lisandro Martinez’s deflection, it felt incredibly harsh. But let’s be real, he wasn’t the main reason United didn’t win this one. The whole team in front of him looked like they were sleepwalking for stretches. He’s getting zero protection out there, and that’s on the defense, not him.
So, what’s next for United? They’ve got this international break, then it’s Spurs at home in October, followed by a gauntlet of Atletico Madrid, Leeds, Como, Bournemouth, and Chelsea. Carrick needs to light a fire under this squad, or this season could get ugly fast. They need to find that drive and confidence, or October will be a long, brutal month for everyone associated with the club.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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