Manchester United’s work‑rate once again found itself under the microscope following the 1‑1 draw with Fulham in the Premier League. The match sparked a chorus of criticism, amplified by a candid remark from Matheus Cunha, who told Sky Sports, “They cover more ground than us, and we can’t accept that.” Former defender and Sky pundit Gary Neville echoed the sentiment, observing, “I’ve never seen a United side retreat from possession as often as they did in that game.” In light of these comments, it is worth digging into the numbers that describe United’s movement on the pitch at Craven Cottage and assessing how much of a concern this poses for manager Michael Carrick. According to Opta’s data, United sit joint‑bottom of the Premier League for high‑speed runs, registering 1,691 such sprints – a figure that matches Manchester City’s total. However, the context differs: City played a large portion of their recent derby with ten men, which inevitably inflates their per‑minute sprint count.
When United’s high‑speed runs are examined in isolation, the parity with a side that endured a numerical disadvantage underscores a genuine shortfall. When United were out of possession, they spent 52.98 % of that time essentially “walking” – moving at a very low intensity rather than actively pressing or contesting the ball. Only seven clubs have posted a higher walking percentage this season, yet this is the highest proportion United have recorded since the campaign began. Their season‑average walking rate sits at 51.13 %, placing them 17th out of 20 teams.
Historically, such a figure is not unprecedented for United. Since the start of the 2022‑23 season, there have been 30 Premier League matches in which a side spent a larger share of its out‑of‑possession time walking than United did at Fulham. One notable example is United’s own 54.59 % walking rate in a 3‑0 victory over Brighton on the final day of the previous season – a match where they dominated despite a relatively static defensive posture.
In terms of total distance covered, United logged 110.2 km on Sunday, the second‑lowest total recorded across the league that weekend. Only Liverpool, with 108.4 km at Bournemouth, covered less ground.
United fell short of Fulham by 6.5 km, marking the second‑largest gap between opponents who both fielded a full eleven. By comparison, Arsenal out‑ran Coventry by 6.8 km on the opening match of the season.
Throughout the current campaign, United have also been outrun by Hull City, Ipswich Town and Everton. The only side that United have covered more distance than is Manchester City, who were forced to play most of the match with Phil Foden sent off after 23 minutes.
Defensively, United allowed Fulham to commence their passing sequences an average of 36.9 m from United’s goal line – the shortest distance any Premier League side permitted opponents to start from during the most recent round of fixtures. This statistic reflects United’s deep‑lying defensive shape when they did not have the ball. Conversely, Fulham gave United a more generous starting point, with an average of 43.4 m from the home goal, the third‑highest figure among all teams in that round.
Neville highlighted Fulham’s propensity for longer build‑up play in his post‑match analysis, noting that the London club recorded the most 10‑plus pass sequences that culminated in a shot or a touch inside the opposition’s penalty area. In other words, Fulham were able to string together sustained attacks more frequently than any other side that weekend.
Carrick, when pressed about the alleged lack of energy, dismissed the suggestion in the post‑match press conference. He said, “The way we finished the game it didn’t look like that for me,” implying that United’s intensity improved in the closing stages.
Supporting this claim, United’s “progress” metric – which measures metres gained per passing sequence – topped the league for that round, indicating that when they recovered possession they were able to advance the ball a considerable distance forward. Their 36 entries into the opponent’s penalty box represent the highest total of any Premier League team in a single match this season. Offensively, United were busy.
They registered 29 shots on target against Fulham, two of which struck the woodwork in the first half. This contributed to a season total of 113 shots, the most of any club in the competition. Their Expected Goals (xG) tally stands at 10.24, placing them third in the league, which suggests that United are creating quality chances even if they are not always converting them. Nevertheless, the positive attacking figures are being eclipsed by United’s overall results.
After five games, they have secured only five points – a return that falls far short of the optimism that surrounded the club following a third‑place finish last season. The combination of lackluster running statistics and underwhelming points accumulation has intensified scrutiny of Carrick’s methods.
A further blow would be a failure to beat bottom‑placed Tottenham after the international break, which could see United endure the worst start to a Premier League campaign in the club’s history. Such a scenario would inevitably raise tougher questions about the team’s fitness, tactical setup and the effectiveness of Carrick’s leadership.
In summary, while United’s attacking output remains impressive – as evidenced by high shot counts, strong xG numbers and an ability to progress the ball quickly when in possession – their defensive positioning, walking percentage and total distance covered reveal a team that often retreats rather than presses. Addressing these deficiencies will be crucial if they hope to convert their creative spark into consistent points and avoid a historically poor start to the season.