Matheus Cunha’s 89th‑minute, deflected strike rescued a point for Manchester United as the visitors drew 1‑1 with Fulham, easing the pressure on Erik ten Hag’s side ahead of the upcoming international break. The match had looked set to become a disaster for United after a disastrous own‑goal from Lisandro Martínez in the 67th minute, which came just 23 minutes before the final whistle and amplified the anxiety that had been building since United’s recent cup exit to Brighton and a heavy defeat in the Manchester derby. The decisive moment arrived when Fulham centre‑back Calvin Bassey attempted a powerful low drive that was initially blocked by goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
The ball ricocheted back into the path of Martínez, who, in a frantic scramble, managed to divert the ball past his own keeper, giving United a lifeline. The goal was a chaotic culmination of a night that has seen United’s defensive frailties on full display.
United remain entrenched in the lower half of the Premier League table after five games, sitting ten points behind leaders Manchester City and appearing far removed from the standard required to compete with the country’s elite clubs this season. The current points tally of five from a possible fifteen matches the club’s joint‑worst start in its history, a record only previously matched in the 2014‑15 campaign. Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville described the own‑goal as "a real mess," highlighting the bizarre sequence of events that led to Martínez’s involvement.
The Brazilian forward, Matheus Cunha, had been forced off the ball by Fulham defender Bassey, whose shot was parried by Lammens. Martínez then stuck out a boot, sending the ball back past the keeper and into the net. The goalkeeper’s clumsy attempt to clear the ball epitomised United’s disorganised defending throughout the match.
Neville also criticised United’s overall style of play before the opening goal, calling the fifteen minutes of passive possession "the worst fifteen minutes I have ever seen Manchester United play." The team’s lack of urgency and creativity in the opening stages set the tone for a game that could have easily slipped away. The match could have taken a completely different turn had Bruno Fernandes found the net after Cunha’s incisive cut‑back in the first half, rather than seeing his effort strike the post.
Likewise, the heavily deflected equaliser might have been a clean goal if the ball had not clipped the woodwork before finding the net. Fulham’s goalkeeper, Bernd Leno, also made a series of impressive saves, stretching fully to keep United at bay on several occasions. In the end, the Fulham goalkeeper was unable to prevent the late leveller, and United were left to rue a missed opportunity for a win under their interim manager Álvaro Arbeloa, who is still seeking his first Premier League victory. Despite the disappointment, Arbeloa can take some solace from the performance, especially after United’s recent draw at Anfield, which helped them climb out of the bottom position on goal difference.
For United, the pattern of underwhelming displays will undoubtedly set off alarm bells in Manchester. While a point at Craven Cottage is better than a loss, the squad must use the upcoming three‑week international break to reset, find a new level of intensity, and align their performances with the ambitions set out at the start of the season. Cunha’s post‑match comments to Sky Sports reflected the frustration felt by the entire camp: "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. 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 voiced his disappointment, telling Sky Sports: "I thought we should’ve won the game; we created enough chances to win. We had a lot of good play and the goal we did concede is one of those unlucky moments.
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 was the player of the match, we hit the post twice, and a lot of our play was good. There are things to take from it, for sure." Fulham boss Álvaro Arbeloa, speaking to Sky Sports, expressed his frustration with the result: "We were so close, 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 went against us. You can see before they scored, the foul against Maguire – he’s a 100‑kilogram man. Every decision was for them and after the game against Man City I knew they would not let United lose here.
We deserved a little bit more." Later, in his press conference, Arbeloa appeared to soften his criticism of the officials, admitting his limited English might have led to misunderstandings and emphasizing the need to focus on his team’s performance rather than external factors. Key moments of the match included: - 10' – Save: Martínez fires a shot from just outside the Fulham box, Leno stretches to tip it away. - 25' – Post: Cunha dribbles past Affengruber and cuts the ball back, but Fernandes’ effort smacks the far post.
- 28' – Save: Lammens denies Josh King’s close‑range volley after a cross from Alex Iwobi. - 31' – Chance: Gonzalo García mishits a volley, Sander Berge’s follow‑up is saved, and Oscar Bobb’s attempt goes wide. - 31' – Post: A heavy deflection sends Cunha’s shot over Leno, hitting the far post before rebounding for a corner. - 63' – Own Goal: After a sluggish start to the second half, Bassey overpowers Cunha, Lammens parries, and Martínez 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 Cunha at full stretch. - 86' – Penalty Appeals: United request a penalty for a perceived handball by Bassey after Martínez’ deflection, but the referee waves play on.
- 89' – Goal: Cunha’s heavily deflected strike finds the net, securing a last‑minute equaliser for United. The draw leaves United with five points from five games, a tally that mirrors their joint‑worst start in club history. The team must now regroup during the international hiatus, address defensive lapses, and find a way to convert the chances they create into victories if they hope to fulfill the lofty expectations of their supporters and the broader Manchester United faithful.