Fulham 1-1 Manchester United: missed chances, a late twist, and an anxious start to Amorim’s era
By Daxton
The opening weeks of a season are supposed to set a tone. At Craven Cottage, the tone for Manchester United was familiar: plenty of promise, not enough punch. A 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday leaves Ruben Amorim’s team still without a Premier League win, despite long stretches of control and a stack of chances that could have settled it.
United started fast and looked sharper than a week ago. Within two minutes, Matheus Cunha drove low against the left post, beating Bernd Leno but not the woodwork. The Brazilian was everywhere early—dropping in to link play, spinning off markers, and pulling Fulham’s back line around. Bruno Fernandes forced Leno into a smart save on 10 minutes as United pressed the hosts deep and moved the ball cleanly through midfield.
The chance to take command came from the spot. After sustained pressure, United won a first-half penalty that felt like a gift to kill the tension. Fernandes, typically clinical, went low and firm but Leno guessed right and parried clear. It was the moment where the mood shifted. United kept the ball, kept coming, but the energy in the old ground changed. Fulham sensed an opening: if they could ride the storm, something might fall their way after the break.
The opener did arrive for United in the second half, but in scruffy fashion. From a corner, teenage defender Leny Yoro rose above everyone, his header grazing Rodrigo Muniz and spinning into the net. The stadium announcer first gave it to Yoro, the records later gave it to Muniz. Either way, the away end finally had a first league goal of the season to celebrate, and United had the platform they had earned.
Fulham did not wilt. Marco Silva’s side were tidy throughout, and their response was neat and simple: get Alex Iwobi on the ball and commit bodies into the box. The equaliser arrived late, and it was all about timing. Emile Smith Rowe—on as a substitute—drifted into space at the edge of the six-yard box and guided Iwobi’s whipped cross past Bayindir. One sharp movement, one cool finish, and United’s eight-game winning run at this ground was history.
Amorim threw on firepower with 40 minutes left, unveiling his much-discussed front three—Benjamin Sesko, Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo—earlier than planned. The idea was clear: pace, movement, and variety to pull Fulham apart. The execution never quite clicked. There were snatches of chemistry, a one-two here, a darting run there, but the final ball was either late, short, or straight at a defender. Harry Maguire thought he had stolen it with a late header that flew inches wide, and a couple of scrambles in added time had the away fans on their toes, but Leno and his defence held on.
United’s starting shape told its own story. With Bayindir behind a back three of Luke Shaw, Matthijs de Ligt, and Yoro, Amorim went for control and width through wing-backs Amad and Patrick Dorgu. Casemiro sat deep with Fernandes stepping up to connect midfield and attack, while Mason Mount operated centrally with Mbeumo and Cunha rotating around him. Rasmus Hojlund was a conspicuous absentee, left out amid transfer noise that will not quiet after this result.
Even so, there were signs this system can work. United built cleanly from the back, switched play quickly to isolate Fulham’s full-backs, and got runners into the box. The problem was the familiar one: efficiency. One saved penalty, one shot off the post, a handful of half-chances that demanded more decisive touches—by the time Smith Rowe scored, United had left too much on the table.
For Fulham, resilience was the headline. Leno’s penalty save shapes the story, but his positioning throughout was excellent. He stood tall in one-on-ones, held firm at his near post when Fernandes tried to sneak one in, and spread effectively when United cut the ball back from the byline. In front of him, Rodrigo Muniz had a mixed afternoon—unlucky with the own goal, more useful in his hold-up work—and Iwobi kept finding pockets where he could lift the tempo. Silva’s changes mattered too: Smith Rowe’s introduction added a late runner, and United looked unsure how to track him in a crowded box.
Game state mattered. At 1-0, United were caught between protecting a lead and chasing a second. They slowed the tempo, which let Fulham climb a few yards and breathe. The equaliser reflected that shift. Once Fulham started attacking the spaces around Casemiro and behind Amad and Dorgu, the visitors struggled to compress the pitch as well as they had earlier on. You could see the uncertainty in United’s pressing cues; one trigger missed, another delayed, and suddenly Iwobi had time to deliver.
Amorim will focus on details. Set-piece delivery was positive—Yoro’s menace in the air is a real weapon—but the final pass in transition kept breaking down. Fernandes was sometimes forced too wide to get on the ball, which left Mount isolated when he drifted away from the centre-backs. Mbeumo showed flashes on the right but never quite got a clean look at goal. Sesko’s introduction gave United a reference point, yet the timing of supporting runs lagged behind him.
Still, Cunha was a bright spot. He looked comfortable receiving under pressure, rolled defenders, and carried the ball with purpose. On another day, he leaves with a goal and an assist. Yoro will take confidence too. Even with the own goal credited against Muniz, the young defender attacked the ball, read danger well, and recovered calmly when Fulham tried to spin behind the back three. De Ligt’s positioning was steady; Shaw’s distribution from the left was useful in breaking the line into Fernandes.
What should worry United is the pattern. They lost narrowly to Arsenal on opening weekend and now dropped points after leading. The attacking pieces are expensive and exciting, but cohesion takes time, and the Premier League does not wait. You can see the outline of what Amorim wants—quick switches, aggressive width, midfielders stepping past the first press—but the finishing touches are missing. When pressure builds, the risk is over-correction. United need to bottle the energy of their fast start and carry it beyond the first 25 minutes.
Fulham will be pleased with more than just the point. Their shape held under long spells of pressure, Leno looked in mid-season form, and the substitutes made an impact. Smith Rowe’s finish was a snapshot of why he’s valued: smart movement, clean contact, and a feel for space inside a packed area. If Silva can keep that balance—solid at the back, incisive with the final pass—Fulham will cause problems for teams who think they can grind them down.
For United, the absence of Hojlund will keep the rumour mill spinning, but the sharper question is tactical: who is the reference in tight games? If Sesko becomes the focal point, Fernandes and Mount need to attack the second phase quicker. If the front three rotate fluidly, Casemiro and the wing-backs must compress counters immediately after turnovers. Amorim’s vision is clear enough; now the team has to meet it with cleaner execution inside the box.
The margins were small here: a post, a glove, a deflection. United’s eight-game winning streak at Craven Cottage is gone, but the larger task remains unchanged. Turn dominance into points. Make the first goal count for two. Protect the box in the final 15 minutes. Do those things and the mood shifts fast.
Key moments, numbers behind the narrative, and the state of play
- 2nd minute: Cunha slams a low drive against the post as United start on the front foot.
- 10th minute: Fernandes forces Leno into a strong save, low to his left.
- First half: Penalty to United; Fernandes’ strike is saved by Leno, who anticipates and gets two strong hands to it.
- 53rd minute (approx.): United lead from a corner, Yoro’s header deflecting off Muniz and in; recorded as a Muniz own goal.
- Final quarter-hour: Fulham push on; Iwobi delivers a wicked cross; Smith Rowe meets it with a guided finish for 1-1.
- Stoppage time: Maguire heads inches wide; United pile bodies forward but can’t find a clean look.
The basic numbers agree with the eye test. United had more of the ball, more shots, and the better chances early. Fulham kept the game compact, waited for mistakes, and struck late when United’s shape loosened. You don’t need a spreadsheet to see why it finished level: United did not take their big moments, and Fulham took theirs.
Player focus:
- Bernd Leno: The standout. The penalty save set the tone, the handling under pressure kept it level.
- Matheus Cunha: Lively, direct, and unlucky. Hit the post, linked well, and carried the attack.
- Leny Yoro: Dangerous on set pieces and composed in duels. Involved in the opener even if the goal went down as an own goal.
- Emile Smith Rowe: Game-changer from the bench with sharp movement and a clean finish.
Tactical threads to watch:
- Wing-backs as creators: Amad and Dorgu got into advanced areas, but the delivery lacked consistency under pressure.
- Midfield balance: Casemiro’s screening was solid, yet United were stretched when Fulham transitioned down the sides late on.
- Frontline chemistry: The Sesko–Cunha–Mbeumo trio has the tools; timing and spacing need reps.
Where this leaves both teams is simple. Fulham bank an early-season draw that will feel like a win given how the game unfolded. United are still hunting that first league victory, still managing the expectation that comes with a big-spend summer, and still figuring out their best version in the final third. The ideas are visible. The execution is the missing piece.
