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The form is certainly in United's favour heading into the clash: the side have managed seven league wins since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took the reins in December, dropping just two points in a home game with Burnley at the end of last month. Here they will face a Fulham side who are deep in relegation trouble, sitting seven points from safety after registering just two league wins from their last 12 fixtures.
The last time these sides met at Craven Cottage in the league was in November 2013, when Robin van Persie was among the scorers as United registered a 3-1 win under David Moyes. The Cottagers went on to be relegated to the Championship that season after finishing in 19th place.
Here, Sports Mole provides the ultimate need-to-know guide for any Manchester-based United fans making the 208-mile journey down to the capital on Saturday.
About Craven Cottage
Fulham have called Craven Cottage home since 1896, having flirted with eight different grounds beforehand. The Cottage is located near Bishop's Park on the north side of the River Thames, making it one of the most picturesque stadia in the country. The ground has a capacity of 25,700, although redevelopment work will begin this summer to push that figure closer to 30,000.
Away fans are located in the Putney End, which is on the south side of the stadium and backs onto the park. Somewhat uniquely, the Cottage also offers a "neutral" area in the Putney End, although in practice this is often used by away supporters if the official allocation has been exhausted.
Tickets
All tickets for this fixture are now sold out for home, away and neutral supporters. Unverified third-party resellers are attempting to charge more than £250 per ticket.
How to get there
By coach: Official travel partner Thomas Cook still has availability for return tickets from Old Trafford to Fulham, priced at £41 per person. Coaches will depart at 5.30am and are estimated to arrive back in Manchester some time between 7pm and 8pm.
By train and tube: Trains from Manchester Piccadilly run every 20 minutes, arriving in at London Euston. The last service to guarantee arrival at Craven Cottage in time for the match departs at 8.35am. The last train of the day back to Manchester departs Euston at 9pm.
The nearest tube station to the Cottage is Putney Bridge on the district line, but other options include walking from the better-connected Hammersmith station or arriving by train at Putney station then walking via Putney Bridge.
By road: A typical journey from Manchester to central London on Saturday morning will take approximately four hours, so fans travelling by this method should aim to leave home no later than 7am. The journey takes in the M6 through Birmingham, where delays are most likely to occur, before following the M25 and M4 into central London.
Parking options are notoriously limited near the Cottage so supporters are advised to park further out of central London and then take the train or tube to the stadium. Options for United fans include taking the M4 as far as Brentford or Chiswick then taking a direct train service to Putney (13 minutes from Brentford, eight minutes from Chiswick).
Weather Forecast
Conditions in West London are predicted to be overcast during the match, with a 9% chance of rain and an average temperature of 11 degrees.
Catering options at Craven Cottage
There are several food and drink kiosks located along the length of the Putney End, as well as a bar serving only lager towards the entrance turnstiles. We suggest that away fans looking for a drink at half time instead visit the riverside terrace, where more kiosks are located and the queues are shorter, by turning right at the bottom of the Putney End.
Pies cost £4.50, while burgers and hot dogs are priced at £5. Alcoholic drinks are available from £5, although supporters are advised that the sale of alcohol in the ground normally finishes 10 minutes before kickoff.
Where to go for a drink nearby
With Craven Cottage located so centrally in London, there is a plethora of food and drink options available nearby or a short tube ride away.
Most pubs in the immediate vicinity are for home fans only but the 'Eight Bells' pub next to Putney Bridge tube station is a popular choice for away fans. Craven Cottage is a 10-15 minute walk away through Bishop's Park.
Our recommendation is to sample some of the pubs on the south side of the river across Putney Bridge, including rock and roll pub The Half Moon and popular Wetherspoons pub The Rocket. For fans walking from Putney rail station we recommend the Spotted Horse, which has an outdoor terrace and comprehensive food menu.
Neil Wilkes
