Matheus Cunha’s deflected strike in the 89th minute rescued a 1-1 draw for Manchester United at Craven Cottage, easing what had begun to look like a full‑blown crisis for Michael Carrick’s side as the international break approached. The match had already been a nightmare for United after a disastrous own‑goal from Lisandro Martínez with just 23 minutes left, adding to the pressure that followed a mid‑week Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton and a loss in the Manchester derby the previous weekend. United’s salvation came when a clever flick from David Affengruber set up the Brazilian forward, who managed to get a shot off despite heavy pressure from Fulham centre‑back Calvin Bassey. The ball struck Martínez, who inadvertently redirected it past Fulham goalkeeper Senne Lammens, delivering United a last‑minute lifeline.
Even so, the Red Devils remain entrenched in the lower half of the table after five league games, sitting ten points behind leaders Manchester City and looking far from the standard required to challenge for top honours this season. Their start is now tied for the poorest in club history, matching the five‑point haul they managed in the 2014‑15 campaign.
Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville labelled the own‑goal a "real mess". He explained that after Bassey’s powerful shot was saved by Lammens, Martínez’s boot inadvertently deflected the ball back into the net, highlighting United’s chaotic defensive display. The goalkeeper’s awkward attempt to clear the ball summed up the disarray that has plagued United’s back line this season.
Neville’s criticism extended beyond the defensive lapse. He condemned United’s possession in the opening 15 minutes, calling it "the worst 15 minutes I have ever seen Manchester United play". The team’s passive approach left them vulnerable, and the match could have swung dramatically in their favour had Bruno Fernandes converted a cut‑back from Cunha in the first half rather than seeing the ball hit the post.
Fulham’s keeper, Bernd Leno, also had to make a series of spectacular saves to keep his side in the game. In the final moments, Fulham’s goalkeeper was finally beaten when Cunha’s heavily deflected effort slipped past him, leaving no chance of a save.
The equaliser was a bitter pill for United’s interim manager Álvaro Arbeloa, who is still searching for his first Premier League victory. Nonetheless, Arbeloa can take some solace from the performance, especially after United’s draw at Anfield, which lifted them off the bottom of the table on goal difference.
For United, the accumulation of sub‑par displays will undoubtedly set off alarm bells in Manchester. While a point was salvaged at Fulham, the squad must undergo a significant tactical shift during the upcoming three‑week international break if they hope to realign with the club’s lofty ambitions. Cunha spoke to Sky Sports after the match, expressing his frustration: "It is so frustrating for us. In the beginning we put the plan in and created some chances.
We didn’t score and then they scored in one action. It is hard to explain. After the goal we played much better and showed a lot of character, but it needs to be from the start. It is only one point but we should never play for one point.
They put in more energy than us, we cannot accept this. We need to do our best and improve in every single position.
It is only the beginning. Last season was the same, with noise around, but we finished third." Manager Michael Carrick also addressed the media, saying: "I thought we should've won the game, we created enough to win. We had a lot of good play and the goal we did concede, it is one of those goals.
I really liked the reaction and how we finished the game. It would have been easy for it to go another way.
We nearly won it at the end. We came to get the win; of course we did, but the way we finished the game is the positive we take from it. Their goalkeeper, the saves he made, he was player of the match and we hit the post twice.
A lot of it was good. There are things to take from it, for sure." Fulham’s boss Álvaro Arbeloa, speaking to Sky Sports, lamented his side’s near‑misses: "We were so close.
So, so close. We were a little bit unlucky again. We knew it would be difficult against this big team.
Also we knew what happened last week. We have seen what the referees have been doing in all the matches so it was a difficult game.
And we were unlucky. All fouls for them.
You can see before they scored, the foul against Maguire, it’s a guy who is 100 kilos. Every decision was for them and I knew after the game against Man City that they would not let Manchester United lose here. We deserved a little bit more." Later in his press conference, Arbeloa softened his tone but admitted he was not entirely satisfied: "My English is not so good. Maybe I explain myself badly and I prefer not to say anything about the referees because you never know.
When you say something you don’t have to say, it’s better to stay calm, focus on the performance of my team and focus on the next game. I’m not really happy. Like I said, I need to be focused and put my energy into all the things I have to improve.
Maguire is a very big guy and maybe it wasn’t a foul. But it’s ok. Like I said, I prefer to analyse the game – players, systems – and that’s the best way to win.
You know when you draw a game like that, maybe you’re a little bit frustrated." Key moments of the match included: - 10' – Save: Martínez fires a shot from just outside the Fulham box, Leno stretches to push it away. - 25' – Post: Cunha dribbles past Affengruber, cuts the ball back, but Fernandes’ shot rattles the far post. - 28' – Save: Lammens denies Josh King’s close‑range volley after a cross from Alex Iwobi. - 31' – Chance: Gonzalo García mis‑hits a volley, Sander Berge’s follow‑up is saved by Lammens, Oscar Bobb’s attempt goes wide.
- 31' – Post: A heavy deflection sends Cunha’s effort over Leno, then the ball rebounds off the keeper and out for a corner. - 32' – Save: Lammens stretches a leg to block King’s strike. - 63' – Own Goal: After a sluggish start to the second half, Bassey overpowers Cunha, Lammens parries, and Martínez inadvertently redirects the ball past his own keeper. - 67' – Save: Leno makes a full‑stretch stop on Bryan Mbeumo’s curling effort.
- 74' – Save: Leno again denies a shot from Cunha. - 86' – Penalty Appeal: United request a penalty for a possible handball by Bassey after Martínez’s deflection, but the referee waves it away. - 89' – Goal: Cunha’s heavily deflected strike secures United’s last‑minute equaliser. The match ended with both sides sharing the spoils, but the broader narrative for Manchester United remains one of urgent need for improvement.
The team must address defensive frailties, sharpen their attacking intent, and find a way to convert the chances they create. The three‑week pause offers a crucial window for Carrick and his coaching staff to reset tactics, restore confidence, and hopefully turn the season around before the next set of fixtures arrives.