Manchester United’s level of intensity has once again become a talking point after their 1-1 stalemate with Fulham in the Premier League. The criticism was amplified when Matheus Cunha, speaking to Sky Sports, offered a blunt assessment from within the squad: "They put in more energy than us, we cannot accept this." Former United defender and Sky pundit Gary Neville echoed the sentiment, noting, "I've never seen a Man United side walk out of possession as much as they did in that game." These comments have prompted a closer look at the statistics surrounding United’s work‑rate at Craven Cottage and raised questions about how significant this issue is for Michael Carrick’s management.
According to Opta data, Manchester United sit joint‑bottom of the Premier League when it comes to high‑speed runs. They logged 1,691 such sprints, a figure they share with Manchester City. However, it is important to contextualise City’s numbers – the Citizens played most of their derby at Old Trafford with ten men, which naturally inflates their high‑speed run count.
United’s 1,691 sprints therefore stand out as a relatively low output for a team of their stature. When United were out of possession against Fulham, they spent 52.98% of that time simply walking. Only seven clubs have posted a higher proportion this season, yet this is the highest walking percentage United have recorded in the current campaign.
Their season‑average for walking while out of possession sits at 51.13%, placing them 17th in the league. Historically, since the start of the 2022‑23 season, there have been 30 Premier League matches where a side has spent a greater share of out‑of‑possession time walking than United did at Craven Cottage.
One notable example is United’s own 54.59% walking rate in their 3‑0 victory over Brighton on the final day of last season. In terms of total distance covered, United ran 110.2 kilometres on the Sunday match, which was the second‑lowest total for the weekend, only ahead of Liverpool’s 108.4 kilometres at Bournemouth. This means United covered 6.5 kilometres less than Fulham, marking the second‑largest gap between two full‑strength sides this season – Arsenal, for instance, out‑ran Coventry by 6.8 kilometres on the opening day. Other clubs that have out‑ran United this term include Hull City, Ipswich Town and Everton.
Manchester City remain the only side that United have out‑run, a circumstance that was influenced by Phil Foden’s early dismissal after 23 minutes. A further telling statistic is the location from which Fulham were allowed to begin their passing sequences.
On average, Fulham started their build‑up 36.9 metres from United’s goal, the shortest distance any opponent has been permitted to start from in the Premier League over the weekend. This underscores United’s deep defensive posture when they did not have the ball. By contrast, United were afforded a more generous starting point by Fulham, who began their attacks an average of 43.4 metres from their own net – the third‑highest figure among the latest round of fixtures.
Neville highlighted Fulham’s abundance of 10‑plus passing sequences, noting that they produced more "build‑up attacks" – sequences of ten or more passes ending in a shot or a touch inside the opposition box – than any other side that weekend. Carrick, however, rejected the notion that his team suffered from a lack of energy when confronted with Cunha’s remarks during the post‑match press conference. He argued, "The way we finished the game it didn't look like that for me," suggesting that United’s closing phase did not betray any fatigue. Supporting this view, United topped the "progress" metric for the round, which measures metres gained per passing sequence.
This indicates that despite starting deep, United were able to advance the ball significantly once they regained possession. Their 36 entries into the penalty area were the highest of any team in a Premier League match this season.
Offensively, United were also prolific. They managed 29 shots 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 league.
Their Expected Goals (xG) figure stands at 10.24, placing them third overall. While these attacking numbers are impressive, they are juxtaposed against a modest points return – United have collected only five points from their opening five fixtures.
This underwhelming start comes after a promising finish to the previous season, where United secured third place, raising expectations among supporters. The disparity between United’s encouraging attacking statistics and their lackluster results has been further amplified by their low rankings in running and walking metrics. A failure to secure a win against bottom‑placed Tottenham after the international break could see United endure their worst start to a Premier League campaign in history, intensifying scrutiny of Carrick’s tactics and the squad’s overall output.
In summary, while Manchester United have demonstrated the ability to generate quality chances and progress the ball efficiently when in possession, the data reveals a team that often adopts a deep, walking stance when out of possession, covering less distance and making fewer high‑speed runs than many of their rivals. Whether this reflects a strategic choice, a fitness issue, or a broader tactical imbalance remains a subject of debate among fans, pundits and the coaching staff alike.
The coming weeks will be crucial in determining if United can translate their offensive promise into tangible results and improve their physical metrics to match the expectations of a club of their stature.