Fulham v Man Utd prediction, expected line-ups, how to watch and stats
Fulham and Manchester United are both on the hunt for their first Premier League win after falling short on the opening weekend of the new campaign.
The Cottagers, who have so far endured a lacklustre summer transfer window, managed to kick off their season with a draw away at Brighton.
Rodrigo Muniz bagged a 97th-minute equaliser at the Amex to not only send the away section into raptures but also to prove Paul Merson wrong after his jibe live on Sky Sports.
Manager Marco Silva accused Fulham of being ‘passive’ when it comes to recruitment, which appears to have given the club’s hierarchy a much-needed kick up the backside.
Since his comments, the Cottagers have been linked with United flop Rasmus Hojlund, FC Basel attacker Philip Otele and Iranian winger Mohammadjavad Hosseinnejad.
Whether Fulham manage to get any signings over the line remains to be seen, but their immediate attention will be on United – a winnable game by today’s standards.
The Red Devils put on a decent showing against Arsenal last weekend but still came away empty-handed as the Gunners took all three points back to north London.
Manager Ruben Amorim has now lost 15 of his last 28 Premier League matches – more than the total number of losses he suffered during his 167 games in the Portuguese top flight.
Result aside, there were many encouraging signs for United. None more so than impressive debuts from newly-signed Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
The Red Devils will now be looking to become a lot more clinical as they search for their first away Premier League victory since mid-March.
Fulham v Man Utd: Where to watch and listen
Live coverage of the match will be available across Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and Sky Sports Ultra HDR. There will also be live radio coverage of the match on talkSPORT, with regular updates available on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Fulham team news
Fulham could be without Antonee Robinson and Ryan Sessegnon for the second week running, with the pair still recovering from injuries.
Robinson is working his way back from knee surgery and has recently returned to training. He is unlikely to be match-ready.
Sessegnon, meanwhile, picked up a knock during pre-season. The 25-year-old missed the draw with Brighton, but he might be fit enough to get a spot on the bench.
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Rodrigo Muniz has been linked with a summer transfer away from the club, though instead of doing an Isak, the Brazilian is ready to rock and roll. Expect the forward to start against United.
Fulham predicted line-up
Man United team news
Despite his costly mistake against Arsenal, Altay Bayindir is expected to start in goal for the second game this season. Andre Onana is fit, but he is likely to feature on the bench.
Lisandro Martinez remains on the sidelines with a knee injury and will be out for some time. Noussair Mazraoui is also a major doubt as he continues to nurse a hamstring problem.
Matheus Cunha will be looking to open his United account, with the player boasting a good record at Craven Cottage. The Brazilian has scored three goals and produced one assist on his last two visits to the ground.
Man United predicted line-up
Fulham v Man United stats
Man Utd have won five of their last six previous Premier League meetings with Fulham.
Fulham have only won four of their last 23 Premier League home games held on a Sunday.
United have kept just one clean sheet from their last eight Premier League away games.
United have won just three of their last 23 Premier League away games in London.
Marco Silva (Fulham) quotes
On Fulham’s transfer window:
“How we should feel as a club – At this stage of last season, we had 2-3 players in. This season, we had a plan, the plan has fallen through. It’s our fault, not active at all. We cannot be pleased at all.”
Ruben Amorim (Man Utd) quotes
On whether there will be more signings:
“No, it’s not an idea that these guys are going to leave, to play in a different club, and then we are going to receive another player. We don’t know what is going to happen, but we are not waiting to take out someone to bring another player. One thing is not responsible for the other.”
On Fulham
“It’s always hard to play against Fulham. They have a clear identity. Marco Silva is really experienced and really smart, he can change several things, cover several spaces and you can see game-by-game, he tries to do that. They are really comfortable because they have the experience, they understand the league is long so they will feel confident and relaxed for the game so it’s going to be a tough match. But if you look at the schedule, every game is really hard to play, so it’s going to be a tough match.”
Fulham v Man United referee stats
Seasoned Premier League referee Chris Kavanagh will be the man in the middle at Craven Cottage this Sunday.
The official will be assisted by Dan Cook and Neil Davies, with Rob Jones serving as the fourth wheel.
Kavanagh took charge of Monday’s game between Leeds and Everton, dishing out a controversial late penalty.
His last appearance at Craven Cottage saw Fulham earn a sensational 3-2 win over champions Liverpool.
His last two games featuring United both ended in defeats for the Red Devils – including May’s 1-0 loss at Chelsea.
Fulham v Man United prediction
United looked half-decent against Arsenal, giving fans hope that maybe the Amorim project will eventually pay off.
While the Red Devils would undoubtedly love another good performance, the one thing they want more is a win.
United have only tasted two Premier League away victories this calendar year, and one of them was at Craven Cottage back in January.
The hosts, on the other hand, capped off the previous season by losing three straight home matches.
Silva and his men will be determined to turn that around as they look to bag more league points.
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