Preview: Fulham vs Manchester United - prediction, team news, lineups

Slowly sleepwalking into an all-too familiar autumnal crisis, Manchester United desperately seek to avoid a third straight defeat in all competitions in Sunday's Premier League bottom-half battle with Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Red Devils suffered a catastrophic collapse in their 3-2 EFL Cup loss to Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek, while the hosts coincidentally edged out West Ham United by the same scoreline.

Match preview

After becoming the victims of one of the most calamitous VAR decisions in Premier League history, Man United were simply the victims of their own self-inflicted downfall on Wednesday night, which left the under-pressure Carrick cutting a "beaten" figure.

For the first time in half a century - before the head coach was even born - Man United lost at Old Trafford after taking a two-goal lead, surrendering a healthy advantage to Brighton a year on from their embarrassing Grimsby Town elimination.

While Red Devils fans could rightly point fingers at the officiating team in their Manchester derby defeat - albeit as well as their 11 men who could not break down 10 men - Wednesday's woeful effort was all on Carrick and his crop, who have also won just one of their four Premier League games so far in 2026-27.

Furthermore, only one of the visitors' six showdowns in all tournaments this season has seen Carrick's men keep a clean sheet - their 4-0 Champions League crushing of Sabah - and Man United have conceded at least twice in four of their other five fixtures.

That sorry sequence includes both of their Premier League road trips so far to Hull City (2-0) and Everton (2-2), meaning Man United could fail to win their first three top-flight away games in a single season for the second year running.

As Carrick's future comes under more scrutiny, his opposite number Alvaro Arbeloa is the bookies' second-favourite to be the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season, only behind the Red Devils boss himself.

Thus far unable to carry on the stellar work of Marco Silva, Arbeloa has collected a paltry one point from his first four Premier League matches, although that did arrive in an incredibly hard-fought goalless draw with Liverpool in gameweek four.

There was a tinge of black and white disappointment at Fulham not heading home with their first win of the season, after Jeremy Jacquet cleared Gonzalo Garcia's effort off the line, but shutting out Liverpool at Anfield after shipping seven in their first three Premier League games of the season represents a marked improvement.

The Cottagers' defensive deficiencies reared their ugly heads again in midweek, but to minimal effect as Arbeloa's men reached the fourth round of the EFL Cup with a chaotic 3-2 triumph over West Ham United, courtesy of Oscar Bobb's 78th-minute winner.

However, Fulham took just one point from six on offer against Man Utd in the 2025-26 Premier League, and the Red Devils are unbeaten in 10 consecutive trips to Craven Cottage since a shock 3-0 reverse in December 2009.

Fulham Premier League form:

Fulham form (all competitions):

Manchester United Premier League form:

Manchester United form (all competitions):

Team News

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Man United quintet Manuel Ugarte (knee), Tom Heaton (thigh), Carlos Baleba (ankle), Matthijs de Ligt (back) and Amad Diallo (ankle) are all missing until after the international break, and the only possible fitness boost on the Red Devils front would come in the shape of Luke Shaw.

The left-back missed the defeats to Man City and Brighton with a minor thigh problem, albeit one which Carrick affirmed would only take a matter of days to resolve, so there is every chance he will return over Noussair Mazraoui.

Senne Lammens, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes will be among those to return after being dropped to the bench in midweek, as Shea Lacey and Mason Mount make way despite finding the net in that loss.

Fulham boss Arbeloa is also dealing with full-back concerns, as Kenny Tete is out due to concussion protocol after taking a ball to the face at Anfield last weekend.

Tete joins Tom Cairney (knee) as one of Fulham's two confirmed absentees for gameweek five, but Ryan Sessegnon is on the verge of returning from a groin problem and will undergo a late fitness test.

Despite managing a goal and assist at the London Stadium, Cesar Palacios should be one of a few EFL Cup starters axed from the XI, as Arbeloa reverts to the side that gave Liverpool an excellent run for their money.

Fulham possible starting lineup:

Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Charles; Bobb, King, Iwobi; Garcia

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Tielemans; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

We say: Fulham 1-2 Manchester United

Back-to-back losses for Man Utd is disappointing enough, but the manner of such losses - against 10 men and a two-goal collapse - have only heightened concerns about Carrick's Red Devils in the long-term.

However, the visitors still have the attacking weapons to trouble a porous Fulham backline, and we have faith in Man United to nip Fulham's brief revival in the bud.

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