New Season, Same Old Issues: Manchester United Drop Points Against Fulham

Manchester United may have spent over £150 million this summer to bolster their attacking options, but once again, it wasn’t enough to solve their persistent problems in the final third.

Facing Fulham FC in what should have been a statement game, the Red Devils managed just a single goal — and even that came courtesy of an own goal by the London side. Earlier in the match, Bruno Fernandes had a golden chance to give United the lead from the spot, but the captain fired his penalty well over the crossbar.

That missed opportunity came back to haunt them. In the 73rd minute, Emile Smith Rowe punished a lapse in United’s defence, latching onto a low cross and finishing from close range to level the match at 1–1. The visiting side never recovered.

2025-26, England - Premier League

Fulham - Manchester United 1:1 (0:0)
Goals: Rodrigo Muniz, 58 (own goal) (0:1); Smith Rowe, 73 (1:1)

Fulham: Leno; Tete; Bassey; Andersen J.; Castagne (Wilson H., 62); Berge; Lukic; King J. (Smith Rowe, 71); Sessegnon R. (Robinson A., 62); Rodrigo Muniz (Raul Jimenez, 71); Iwobi
Bench: Lecomte; Cuenca J.; Reed H.; Cairney; Traoré Ad.
Yellow Cards: Lukic 86

Manchester United: Bayındır; de Ligt; Dorgu; Yoro (Heaven, 87); Shaw L. (Maguire, 87); Mount (Ugarte, 69); Fernandes B.; Casimiro (Sesko, 53); Mbeumo; Cunha; Diallo (Dalot, 52)
Bench: Onana A.; Fredricson T.; Mainoo; Zirkzee
Yellow Cards: Casimiro 39