A block, a ricochet, a point
Fulham needed one minute plus stoppage time. That was the margin between Alvaro Arbeloa’s first Premier League win and what actually happened.
Matheus Cunha took aim from 25 yards, slightly left of goal. David Affengruber threw himself in front of it. The ricochet wrongfooted Bernd Leno and carried into the far corner. Craven Cottage went quiet this evening, and Manchester United headed into the international break with a point rather than a third straight defeat in all competitions.
Martinez at both ends
The opening goal had gone the other way, and Lisandro Martinez put it there. Calvin Bassey drove at goal in the 63rd minute, Senne Lammens parried, and the ball struck the Argentine and trickled in. Martinez scored the only goal the last time United won at Craven Cottage, in January 2025. He now has three Premier League own goals, level with Wes Brown, John O’Shea, Henning Berg and Jonny Evans at the top of the club’s list.
Before that, the first half produced 26 shots and no goal, which no Premier League first half had managed since Opta began collecting shot data in 2003-04. Martinez forced Leno into a save at the top corner. Bruno Fernandes side-footed against the post from a Cunha cutback. Lammens denied Sander Berge, Josh King and Alex Iwobi during a long Fulham spell. Marcus Rashford wasted two openings, one straight at Leno, one lifted over.
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Five points from five games
United fired off 29 shots. Only once have they had more in a Premier League away match on record, 30 at Burnley in January. They have hit the woodwork six times this season, more than any other side and more than they have ever managed after five matches. None of it has turned into results. Five points from five games is their joint-worst start to a Premier League campaign at this stage.
Michael Carrick is averaging a point a game in the league. Across his 17 matches in charge last season, the figure was 2.3.
The expected goals finished 1.59 to 1.57. There was almost nothing in it.
Fulham keep waiting
Arbeloa is still looking for a first league win. This is the fourth time Fulham have failed to win any of their opening five top-flight games, and they went down in two of the previous three seasons it happened, in 1951-52 and 2020-21. Ipswich Town, Hull City and Coventry City follow the break.
Cunha has scored nine Premier League goals from outside the box since his debut in 2023, more than anyone else in that time. Affengruber will know it now.
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