Carrick defends United after Fulham escape

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Manchester United drew 1-1 with Fulham after a late deflected goal from Matheus Cunha prevented a third straight defeat in a difficult start to their Premier League season. The result highlights ongoing struggles with consistency while offering some optimism through the team's resilience as they head into the international break.

Manchester United secured a 1-1 draw against Fulham on Sunday, with Matheus Cunha’s late deflected goal salvaging a point and preventing the team from suffering a third consecutive defeat. The match, played at Craven Cottage, saw United struggle once again in a challenging start to their Premier League campaign.

The visitors fell behind in the 63rd minute due to an own goal by Lisandro Martinez, whose attempted clearance turned into a costly error. The result left Manchester United with just one victory in their opening five league games, intensifying concerns about the team’s form heading into the international break.

United’s lack of urgency was particularly noticeable when compared to Fulham, who occupy the lower end of the table but showed higher intensity and determination throughout the match. Manchester United only began applying significant pressure after conceding the own goal, a factor highlighted by manager Michael Carrick in his post-match comments.

Addressing questions about whether his team appeared passive, Carrick rejected the notion, emphasizing the competitive nature of the Premier League. “I didn’t think we were,” he said, noting that control often fluctuates during games. “We controlled a lot of the first half. It’s the Premier League and you will have spells where you don’t have it all your own way.”

Coming off back-to-back defeats—a league loss to Manchester City the previous weekend followed by a League Cup exit against Brighton—Manchester United could ill afford another setback. The draw underscored ongoing struggles but also revealed some promising signs, according to Carrick.

He expressed belief that his team created sufficient opportunities to claim victory and praised their response after falling behind. “The goal we did concede is one of them goals. The boys could have thought ‘it is one of those days’ but I really like the reaction,” he said. “We nearly won it in the end.”

Carrick concluded by focusing on the positives from the encounter. “We came to get the win of course, the way it panned out and the way we finished is the positive we take from it. I think we can take a lot from today. I think we can learn a lot as well.”

The draw leaves Manchester United with unresolved questions about consistency and performance as they prepare for the next phase of the season.

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