MX23RW : Saturday, February 15 08:07:20| >> :120:3975:3975:
[monks data]
Fulham logo
Premier League | Gameweek 23
Jan 26, 2025 at 7pm UK
Craven Cottage
Manchester United logo

Fulham
0 - 1
Man Utd

FT(HT: 0-0)
Martinez (78')
Ugarte (73')

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

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Premier League clash between Fulham and Manchester United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

In a rematch from the inaugural fixture of the 2024-25 Premier League season, Fulham and Manchester United renew hostilities at Craven Cottage on Sunday evening.

The Red Devils opened the curtain on the campaign by sinking Marco Silva's men 1-0 at Old Trafford in August, but the Cottagers head into the weekend's battle seven points better off in the top-flight standings.


Match preview

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim on January 5, 2025© Imago

Joshua Zirkzee's debut Premier League goal to see off a dogged Fulham side feels like a long time ago now for Man United, whose delayed decision to give Erik ten Hag the boot and hire the much-coveted Ruben Amorim is yet to truly bear fruit.

Last weekend's battle of the juvenile head coaches saw 39-year-old Amorim conquered by 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler, as the latter's Brighton & Hove Albion side left Old Trafford with a merited 3-1 victory to their name, subjecting Man United to a torturous 10th loss of the top-flight season in the process.

Entering the gameweek in a lowly 13th place in the table, Man United could drop as low as 15th spot if they fail to take care of business and results elsewhere do not go their way, and they also remain closer to the relegation zone than the top seven points-wise.

An unwanted personal record would be set for Amorim should the Red Devils come up short on Sunday, as the Portuguese has already suffered six top-flight losses since taking the Old Trafford reins; never in his embryonic managerial career has he lost seven league matches in a single campaign.

However, Sunday's visitors received a Bruno Fernandes-sized shot in the arm on Thursday evening, as Amorim's captain produced a heroic late intervention to sink Rangers in the Europa League, thus propelling the Red Devils to their third victory from their last four games in all tournaments.

Fulham striker Raul Jimenez on January 5, 2025© Imago

Also harbouring realistic aspirations of competing in Europe's second-tier tournament next season, Fulham endeavour to slay Manchester United present after defeating Manchester United past last weekend, making light work of Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester City.

Emile Smith Rowe's brave diving header and Adama Traore's strike saw Fulham earn their first Premier League success of 2025 at the third time of asking, having previously come out on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline at West Ham United after a four-goal stalemate with Ipswich Town.

However, that reverse to the Hammers represents the Cottagers' only loss from their last 11 games in all tournaments, a steady sequence that has allowed them to cement a place in the top half of the Premier League standings, only four points shy of seventh-placed Bournemouth heading into the weekend.

Thanks to Smith Rowe and Traore's efforts at the King Power, Silva's men have now struck two goals in each of their last five Premier League matches, but converting one point into three is not always their forte; each of the hosts' last four top-flight home games has been drawn.

A stalemate would still be an improvement on Fulham's recent Craven Cottage results against Man United, who have triumphed on each of their last seven Premier League visits to the Cottagers' turf, last succumbing to defeat in 2009 when Damien Duff, Bobby Zamora and Danny Murphy were on the scoresheet.

Fulham Premier League form:


Fulham form (all competitions):


Manchester United Premier League form:


Manchester United form (all competitions):



Team News

Manchester United defender Leny Yoro on July 20, 2024© Imago

Man United's midweek success over Rangers came at a considerable cost defensively, as neither Matthijs de Ligt nor Leny Yoro made it to the hour mark, and Amorim could not guarantee that the pair would be fit for Sunday when questioned in his pre-game press conference.

Mason Mount (leg), Jonny Evans (muscle) and Luke Shaw (hamstring) are still unavailable, but Victor Lindelof is back in training, while Noussair Mazraoui is expected to make the cut after sitting out the Europa League win as a precaution.

The Moroccan might be required in Amorim's back three as opposed to his favoured wing-back role if neither Yoro nor De Ligt are given the green light to feature, while Andre Onana should displace Altay Bayindir in goal, despite making his third error leading to a goal of the season in the Brighton beating.

Meanwhile, it is as you were in the Fulham infirmary, as only Dutch defender Kenny Tete (knee) and Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson (hamstring) are absent for the hosts this week.

Midfield fulcrum Sasa Lukic is walking a tightrope, though, as one more booking would bring up 10 for the season and a subsequent two-game ban, ruling him out of contests with Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

Tom Cairney, Harrison Reed and 18-year-old protege Josh King are all alternative options in the centre, but the only change Silva might consider is out wide, where Traore is pushing to displace Alex Iwobi after doing so at half time against Leicester.


Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Traore; Jimenez

Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez; Diallo, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund


SM words green background

We say: Fulham 2-2 Manchester United

Clean sheet-less in 13 games across all competitions, Man United's defensive efforts are likely to prove futile against a Fulham side averaging 1.6 goals per game, their best in a Premier League season on record.

Silva's side can still get caught out inside their own defensive third, though, and we expect the stalemate specialists to play out another one-pointer of the thrilling variety, as Amorim avoids that unprecedented seventh league loss for now.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


ID:563816:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect16510:
Written by
Ben Knapton

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Fulham vs Man Utd

Fulham
42.4%
Draw
19.9%
Manchester United
37.7%
276
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim on December 19, 2024
Read Next:
Oh no! Amorim confirms double Man United injury blow after Rangers contest
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool24176158233557
2Arsenal24148249222750
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest24145540271347
4Chelsea25127647341343
5Manchester CityMan City24125748351341
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle24125742291341
7Bournemouth24117641281340
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2591063838037
9Aston Villa2410773437-337
10Fulham249963632436
11Brentford2494114242031
12Crystal Palace247982830-230
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd2485112834-629
14Tottenham HotspurSpurs24831348371127
15Everton246992530-527
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2476112946-1727
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2454153452-1819
18Leicester CityLeicester2445152553-2817
19Ipswich TownIpswich2437142249-2716
20Southampton2423191854-369


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!