Matheus Cunha’s last‑minute, deflected strike in the 89th minute rescued Manchester United from a potential defeat, forcing a 1‑1 draw at Craven Cottage and easing the pressure on Erik ten Hag’s side as the international break looms. The match had already been a nightmare for United after a disastrous own‑goal by Lisandro Martínez with just 23 minutes left, a blunder that amplified the anxiety following a recent Carabao Cup loss to Brighton and a heavy defeat in the Manchester derby. The turning point arrived when a clever flick from David Affengruber set up Cunha, who had been tightly marked by Fulham centre‑back Calvin Bassey.
Bassey’s powerful attempt was saved by Fulham goalkeeper Senne Lammens, only for Martínez to instinctively stick out a boot and deflect the ball back across the line. The resulting chaos epitomised United’s defensive frailties throughout the game, with Lammens’ clumsy attempt to clear the ball highlighting the lack of composure in the back line. United remain entrenched in the lower half of the Premier League after five fixtures, sitting ten points behind league leaders Manchester City and far from the standard required to compete with the country’s elite clubs.
Their current tally of five points is tied for the poorest start in the club’s modern history, matching the 2014‑15 campaign when they also managed just five points after five games. Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville labelled Martínez’s own‑goal a "real mess" and was equally scathing about United’s overall performance.
He described the team’s opening 15 minutes as "the worst 15 minutes I have ever seen Manchester United play," citing passive possession and a lack of urgency. The first half could have taken a very different turn had Bruno Fernandes found the net from the cut‑back that Cunha provided, instead of smacking the post. Likewise, if Cunha’s heavily deflected effort had found the back of the net rather than rebounding off the woodwork, United would have taken the lead earlier. Fulham’s keeper, Bernd Leno, was called upon repeatedly, making a series of full‑stretch saves that kept his side in the contest.
Despite his heroics, the Brazilian forward’s eventual deflected strike proved unstoppable, leaving Leno with no chance to intervene. The late goal was a bitter disappointment for Fulham’s manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, who is still searching for his inaugural Premier League victory. Nonetheless, Arbeloa can take some solace from his side’s resilient display, especially after a hard‑fought draw at Anfield that lifted them out of the bottom position on goal difference.
For United, the accumulation of sub‑par performances has set off alarm bells in Manchester. While the point at Fulham offers a brief respite, the squad must use the upcoming three‑week international break to regroup, re‑energise and implement a decisive tactical shift if they hope to revive their season 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 had a lot of character. It needs to be from the start. It is only one point but we should never play for one point.
It is hard. They put in more energy than us, we cannot accept this. We need to do our best.
We need to 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 speaking to Sky Sports, reflected on the missed opportunities: "I thought we should've won the game, we created enough to win the game. 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 be easy for it to go in another direction. 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 has 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 boss Alvaro Arbeloa also shared his perspective, initially blaming refereeing decisions before softening his tone: "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. My English is not so good, maybe I explain myself so badly and I prefer not to say anything about the referees because you never know.
When you say something that 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 in all the things that 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 it's the best for win. You know when you draw a game like that, maybe you're a little bit frustrated." Key moments from the match included: - 10' SAVE! Martínez unleashed a shot from just outside the Fulham box, which Leno stretched to tip away.
- 25' POST! Cunha dribbled past Affengruber and cut the ball back, only for Fernandes to blast his effort against the far post. - 28' SAVE!
Lammens denied a close‑range volley from Josh King after a cross from Alex Iwobi. - 31' CHANCES!
Gonzalo García missed a volley, Sander Berge’s follow‑up was saved, and Oscar Bobb’s effort went wide. - 31' POST! A heavy deflection saw Cunha’s shot loop over Leno, strike the far post, and rebound for a corner.
- 63' OWN GOAL! After a sluggish start to the second half, Bassey overpowered Cunha, the ball was parried by Lammens and then bundled back past him by Martínez. - 67' SAVE!
Leno made a full‑stretch save from Bryan Mbeumo’s curling effort. - 74' SAVE! Leno again denied a shot from Cunha. - 86' PENALTY APPEALS!
United appealed for a handball by Bassey after Martínez’s deflection, but the referee ruled no foul. - 89' GOAL! Cunha’s deflected strike secured United’s late equaliser. The match underscored United’s defensive vulnerabilities, their reliance on moments of individual brilliance, and the urgent need for a strategic overhaul.
As the squad heads into the international hiatus, the coaching staff will be tasked with addressing the lack of cohesion, improving defensive organization, and finding a more proactive approach to possession. Only by making these adjustments can Manchester United hope to climb out of the lower half of the table and fulfill the lofty expectations that accompany the club’s storied history.