Manchester United avoided a third successive defeat in a week after scoring against Fulham at Craven Cottage earlier this afternoon.
The Red Devils looked set to be heading for another defeat when Lisandro Martinez scored an own goal after Sené Lamence had put the ball into the Argentinian’s path.
Matheus Cunha’s 89th-minute strike secured a vital point for Michael Carrick’s side, whose performances have once again come into question in recent weeks.
Such a goal will undoubtedly paper over the many cracks at the top and their performance in the capital this afternoon certainly deserves criticism.
Why many Manchester United players failed to perform against Fulham
Midfielder Youri Tielemans has started every game for Manchester United since joining from Aston Villa in the summer, but his performance against Cottagers today was arguably his worst for the club.
The Belgium international was impressive throughout the game but failed to complete a single dribble while losing possession on nine different occasions.
He was equally ineffective without the ball, then lost 100% of his aerial possessions and was dribbled past twice in transition.
However, he was not the only one to fail to get a result at Craven Cottage, as winger Marcus Rashford struggled to produce his best performance this afternoon.
The Englishman was once again given a start on the left side of the attack but failed to make an impact – as shown by the numbers he put up in the draw.
The 28-year-old was only able to complete 50 per cent of his dribbles against Alvaro Arbeloa’s side, while completing just 33 per cent of his teammates’ crosses.
It was a performance that raised eyebrows among fans after the attacker once again failed to score or assist for a fifth straight league game.
Why a Manchester United star needs to be let go after Fulham
After yet another failure to win this week, many United supporters will be worried about the direction the hierarchy go in the remainder of the campaign.
Manager Michael Carrick has seen his future questioned by some fans and his continued selection of Rashford in the starting XI is just one area of concern.
He seems to have become very determined in his ways and is constantly giving starts to players who are ultimately no longer at the level required to succeed in the Premier League.
Luke Shaw is another player who has failed to live up to the expectations placed on him in recent weeks, with his performance against Fulham proving his inadequacies.
The 31-year-old played 84 minutes in the draw but did not win any tackles and failed 100% of the ground duels he participated in this afternoon.
These statistics point to his lack of ability in the defensive zone, which also led to him being dribbled past by opponents twice.
Even when he tried to push forward and create chances in the attacking areas, Shaw was unable to deliver – subsequently failing to complete any dribbles or crosses.
He was only able to pass the ball twice in the final third, which ultimately led to his substitution by Patrick Dolgu – who provided Cunha with a late equalizer.
After such a performance, the full-back received a game rating of just 4/10, one of the lowest ratings of any starter.
Carrick desperately needs to drop the Englishman after the international break and the defender is clearly not up to the level required for the club to succeed.
Manchester United vs Fulham player ratings | |
|---|---|
player | grade |
Sene Ramens | 5 |
Diogo Dalot | 5 |
Lisandro Martinez | 5 |
Harry Maguire | 6 |
Luke Shaw | 4 |
Youri Tielemans | 6 |
Kobe Minu | 6 |
Brian Mbemo | 6 |
Bruno Fernandez | 5 |
Marcus Rashford | 5 |
Matthews Cunha | 6 |
The manager has shown continued faith in the experienced star but it’s clear the defender has proven once again that he’s not yet up to speed in the Premier League in 2026.
Dolgu has undoubtedly won the starting position again, and the coach needs to give the Dane the opportunity to continue to show his talent.