Manchester United's work‑rate has once again become a talking point after their 1-1 stalemate with Fulham in the Premier League. The match sparked criticism from within the squad, most notably from Matheus Cunha, who told Sky Sports that the opposition seemed to exert more energy on the pitch and that United could not accept such a disparity. Former player and pundit Gary Neville echoed the sentiment, remarking that he had never observed a Manchester United side retreating from possession as frequently as they did in that game.
To understand whether the concerns are justified, we need to dive into the numbers that quantify United’s movement and intensity at Craven Cottage, and consider what these statistics imply for Michael Carrick’s tenure as manager. According to Opta data, Manchester United sit joint‑bottom of the Premier League for high‑speed runs, registering 1,691 such sprints.
This tally matches that of Manchester City, but the comparison is somewhat misleading because City played most of their recent derby with ten men, a factor that naturally inflates their sprint count. Nevertheless, United’s figure remains among the lowest in the league.
When United were out of possession against Fulham, they spent 52.98 % of that time walking rather than running. Only seven clubs have posted a higher proportion this season, but it is the highest percentage United have logged in any match this campaign. Their season‑average for walking while out of possession 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 greater share of the time while defending than United did at Craven Cottage.
One notable example is United’s own 54.59 % walking rate in the 3‑0 victory over Brighton on the final day of the previous season. In terms of total distance covered, United ran 110.2 kilometres on the Sunday of the Fulham game – the second‑lowest total across the league that weekend, ahead only of Liverpool’s 108.4 kilometres at Bournemouth. The Red Devils covered 6.5 kilometres less than Fulham, which represents the second‑largest gap between two full‑strength sides this season (Arsenal out‑ran Coventry by 6.8 kilometres on the opening day). United have also been out‑run by Hull City, Ipswich Town and Everton at various points this campaign.
Manchester City, who had Phil Foden sent off after 23 minutes, remain the only side that United have managed to outrun in the Premier League so far. Positional data further highlights United’s defensive posture. Fulham were able to begin their passing sequences, on average, just 36.9 metres from United’s goal – the closest any opponent has started from this weekend, indicating that United were sitting very deep when they lost the ball.
By contrast, United started their own attacks from an average of 43.4 metres out, the third‑highest figure among all teams in the latest round of fixtures. This disparity underscores United’s tendency to retreat into their own half when out of possession. Neville also pointed out that Fulham produced the highest number of "build‑up attacks" – defined as passing sequences of ten or more passes that culminate in a shot or a touch inside the opposition’s box – of any side over the weekend. This statistic suggests that while United were allowing Fulham to start close to goal, the visitors were still able to string together longer, more purposeful moves.
Carrick, when confronted with Cunha’s comments about a lack of energy, dismissed the notion in his post‑match press conference, insisting that the way United finished the game did not support the claim of fatigue. In fact, United’s "progress" metric – which measures metres gained per passing sequence – topped the league for that round, demonstrating that the team could advance the ball quickly once they regained possession. Their 36 entries into the opposition penalty area were the most of any team in a Premier League match this season, and they recorded 29 shots on target against Fulham, including two that struck the woodwork in the first half.
These attacking figures contribute to United’s impressive season totals: 113 shots taken – the highest in the league – and an Expected Goals (xG) tally of 10.24, placing them third overall. However, the positive offensive statistics are being eclipsed by a disappointing points haul.
United have collected only five points from their first five league games, a return that falls short of the optimism that surrounded the club after securing a third‑place finish last season. The combination of lackluster running numbers and underwhelming results has intensified scrutiny of Carrick’s side.
A failure to defeat bottom‑placed Tottenham after the international break could see United endure their worst start to a Premier League campaign in history, further fueling criticism of the manager’s tactics and the squad’s work‑rate. In summary, while Manchester United have shown flashes of attacking potency, the data reveals a team that often retreats, walks excessively when out of possession, and covers less ground than many of their rivals. Whether this pattern is a tactical choice or a symptom of deeper fitness and motivation issues remains to be seen, but the statistics provide a clear indication that the Red Devils need to increase their intensity if they hope to translate their offensive promise into consistent points on the board.