Matheus Cunha’s 89th‑minute, deflected strike rescued a point for Manchester United as the visitors held Fulham to a 1-1 draw, easing what had looked like a deepening crisis for Michael Carrick’s side ahead of the international break. The drama unfolded after a disastrous own‑goal from Lisandro Martínez in the 67th minute, which left United under intense pressure to salvage something from the encounter following a recent Carabao Cup loss to Brighton and a defeat in the Manchester derby. United’s lifeline came when a clever flick from David Affengruber set up the Brazilian forward, whose effort was initially blocked by Fulham keeper Senne Lammens.
The ball then ricocheted off Martínez’s boot and looped back into the net, delivering a last‑minute leveller that kept United’s hopes alive. Despite the relief, the result only marginally improves United’s standing; they remain in the lower half of the Premier League after five matches, ten points behind leaders Manchester City and far from the form required to compete with the league’s elite.
This start ties the club’s joint‑worst opening to a Premier League campaign, matching the five‑point haul recorded in the 2014‑15 season. Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville described Martínez’s own‑goal as "a real mess," highlighting the chaotic nature of United’s defending. The sequence began with Fulham centre‑back Calvin Bassey forcing a powerful shot that Lammens managed to parry.
Martínez then stuck out a boot, diverting the ball past the keeper and into the net. Lammens’ clumsy attempt to clear the ball encapsulated United’s defensive frailties throughout the match.
Neville also criticised United’s style of play before the opening goal, calling their 15‑minute spell of passive possession "the worst 15 minutes I have ever seen Manchester United play." The team’s lack of urgency and creativity was evident, and the match could have swung in United’s favour had Bruno Fernandes converted a promising cut‑back from Cunha in the first half, rather than seeing his effort crash against the post. Fulham’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno also made a series of impressive saves, keeping his side in the contest. In the final minutes, Fulham’s goalkeeper was finally beaten when Cunha’s heavily deflected shot found the back of the net, leaving United’s new manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, with a bittersweet result. Although the draw prevented a loss, Arbeloa’s quest for his first Premier League victory continues.
He can, however, take some encouragement from the performance, especially after United’s recent draw at Anfield, which helped them climb out of the bottom spot on goal difference. For United, the accumulation of sub‑par displays will undoubtedly set off alarm bells in Manchester. The point earned at Craven Cottage is a small consolation, and the squad must use the upcoming three‑week international break to reset, improve cohesion, and re‑establish the winning mentality required to achieve their season’s ambitions. Cunha reflected on the match in a post‑game interview with Sky Sports, expressing frustration at the team's inability to convert chances.
He said, "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 shared his thoughts, insisting United should have secured the win. "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 have been 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, speaking to Sky Sports, lamented missed opportunities and perceived refereeing decisions. He said, "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." In a later press conference, Arbeloa softened his tone but admitted he was not entirely satisfied, noting language barriers and the need to focus on his team’s performance rather than officiating.
Key moments from the match included: - 10': Save – Martínez unleashes a powerful shot from just outside the box, but Leno stretches to tip it away. - 25': Post – Cunha dribbles past Affengruber and cuts the ball back, only for Fernandes to smash it against 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, and Sander Berge’s follow‑up is saved by Lammens; Oscar Bobb later shoots wide.
- 31': Post – A heavy deflection sees Cunha’s shot loop over Leno, hit the far post and rebound for a corner. - 63': Own Goal – After a sluggish start to the second half, Bassey overpowers Cunha, Lammens parries, and Martínez redirects the ball into his own net. - 67': Save – Leno makes a full‑stretch save from Bryan Mbeumo’s curling effort.
- 74': Save – Leno again denies Cunha with a spectacular reach. - 86': Penalty Appeals – United request a penalty for a possible handball by Bassey after Martínez’s deflection, but officials rule no foul. - 89': Goal – Cunha’s deflected strike provides United with a dramatic equaliser. Overall, the match highlighted United’s defensive instability, a lack of cutting edge in attack, and the need for a tactical overhaul.
The club’s hierarchy will be watching closely during the break, hoping that the squad can regroup, address the glaring deficiencies, and return with a renewed sense of purpose to climb the table and fulfill the expectations of a club that historically competes for titles.