Manchester United’s level of intensity has once again become a talking point following their 1-1 stalemate with Fulham in the Premier League. After the match, forward Matheus Cunha offered a stark assessment from within the squad, telling Sky Sports, “They cover more ground than us, and that’s unacceptable.” Former defender and Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville added his own observation, noting, “I’ve never witnessed a United side retreat from possession as frequently as they did in that game.” These comments raise the question: what do the hard numbers reveal about United’s work‑rate at Craven Cottage, and how significant is this issue for manager Michael Carrick?
According to Opta data, United sit joint‑bottom of the Premier League for high‑speed runs, matching Manchester City with 1,691 such sprints. It is worth noting, however, that City’s figure was heavily influenced by playing most of their derby at Old Trafford with ten men, a factor that skews a direct comparison.
When United were out of possession against Fulham, they spent 52.98 % of that time walking rather than sprinting or jogging. Only seven clubs have posted a higher walking percentage this season, but it still marks the highest proportion United have recorded in the current campaign. Their season‑average walking rate stands at 51.13 %, placing them 17th out of 20 teams. Since the start of the 2022‑23 season, there have been 30 Premier League matches in which a side has walked a larger share of the time while out of possession than United did at Fulham.
One notable example is United’s own 54.59 % walking rate in their 3‑0 victory over Brighton on the final day of the previous season. In terms of total distance covered, United ran 110.2 km on Sunday, the second‑lowest total across the league that weekend, only ahead of Liverpool’s 108.4 km at Bournemouth. They covered 6.5 km less than Fulham, representing the second‑largest gap between two full‑strength sides this season (Arsenal’s 6.8 km advantage over Coventry on the opening day being the only larger disparity).
United have also been out‑run by Hull City, Ipswich Town and Everton at various points this term. The only club that United have out‑distanced in the Premier League so far is Manchester City, who, despite having Phil Foden sent off after 23 minutes, still managed a higher total distance. Another revealing statistic concerns where opponents begin their passing sequences.
Fulham started their build‑up, on average, only 36.9 m from United’s goal – the shortest distance any team allowed an opponent to start from in the Premier League that weekend. This underscores United’s deep defensive positioning when they did not have the ball. By contrast, United were permitted to launch attacks from an average of 43.4 m out, the third‑highest figure among all clubs in the same round of fixtures.
Neville highlighted Fulham’s propensity for longer passing chains. The London side recorded the most 10‑plus pass sequences that culminated in a shot or a touch inside the opposition’s box, out‑doing every other team over the weekend. Carrick, when confronted with Cunha’s remarks about a lack of energy, dismissed the notion in his post‑match press conference, stating, “From the way we finished the game, it didn’t look like we were lacking energy.” Despite the concerns over running metrics, United’s attacking efficiency painted a more positive picture.
Their “progress” statistic – metres gained per passing sequence – topped the league for that round, indicating that when they won the ball back, they were able to advance it quickly up the field from deep positions. Moreover, United logged 36 entries into the opposition penalty area, the highest total of any team in a Premier League match this season. The Red Devils also produced 29 shots on target against Fulham, including two that struck the woodwork in the first half.
This contributed to a season total of 113 shots, the most of any side in the league. Their Expected Goals (xG) tally sits at 10.24, placing them third overall in the Premier League.
Nevertheless, these attacking statistics are eclipsed by the broader context of United’s start to the campaign. After five matches, they have collected only five points, a disappointing return given the optimism that surrounded the club following a third‑place finish last season. The combination of underwhelming results and low‑ranking running figures has intensified scrutiny on Carrick’s management. A failure to secure a win against bottom‑placed Tottenham after the international break would likely mark United’s worst start to a Premier League season in history and would raise further, more pointed questions about the team’s overall output under Carrick.
In summary, while Manchester United’s high‑speed runs and walking percentages suggest a lack of intensity, other metrics such as distance covered per possession, progression per pass, and attacking output tell a more nuanced story. The challenge for Carrick will be to translate these isolated positives into consistent performances that yield points, thereby silencing critics who point to the club’s running statistics as evidence of deeper issues.