Match Report
Fulham (0) 1-1 (0) Manchester United
Premiership Match Day 05 26/27 at Craven Cottage
Sunday 20th September 2026 KO: 16:30
Referee:
Peter Bankes (Lancashire)
Live on Sky Sports
|
Fulham were cruelly denied their first Premier League win of the season, with a late Manchester United goal forcing them to settle for a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
It was wave after wave of home pressure in the first half, but the contest remained goalless until Lisandro Martinez’s 63rd-minute own goal.
That was how it stood until the final minute, when Matheus Cunha’s shot was deflected in for the equaliser.
Fulham created the first chance inside four minutes when Antonee Robinson played a ball to Gonzalo García, with our number seven flashing a low effort just wide. The hosts continued on the front foot, with goalkeeper Senne Lammens having to be alert to claim Alex Iwobi’s teasing cross.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Man Utd |
| Goals |
(0) 1 |
1 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Martínez (OG) 63 |
Cunha 89 |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
12 |
29 |
| On target |
6 |
6 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
50% |
21% |
| Possession |
43% |
57% |
| Passes |
451 |
590 |
| Passes Success |
88% |
90% |
| Crosses |
10 |
31 |
| Crosses Success |
30% |
23% |
-->
| Corners |
3 |
13 |
| Tackles |
8 |
8 |
| Tackles Success |
62% |
100% |
| Saves |
5 |
6 |
| Fouls |
9 |
5 |
| Offsides |
1 |
2 |
| Yellows |
3 |
0 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
Lemmens’ opposite number Bernd Leno was also called into action, producing a fine to push Martinez’s fiercely-struck half volley away from goal.
Iwobi produced another dangerous delivery following an excellent passing move that saw Fulham play their way up the pitch. Our 17 tried to find Gonzalo with the outside of his right foot, but the striker couldn’t quite arrive in time to provide the telling touch.
Josh King was next to have a crack at goal, after David Affengruber found him with a delightful pass. The midfielder’s effort wasn’t too far over the bar, but didn’t trouble Lemmens.
When the visitors tried to mount an attack of their own, they couldn’t find their way through the Fulham defence. Diogo Dalot tried to curl one in the bottom corner, but it dropped harmlessly wide.
When Michael Carrick’s side did manage to break through, the woodwork came to our rescue. Cunha managed to pull the ball back to Bruno Fernandes, but the United captain dragged his effort and it came back off the post.
With half an hour on the clock, King again came close, arriving at the back post when Iwobi swung a ball in from the left, but Lammens batted away the strike. Moments later, Gonzalo’s miscued volley fell to Sander Berge, and it took another good save to keep things level.
There were more chances before the break as the Whites continued to turn the screw. Oscar Bobb pulled his shot just wide from the edge of the box, while King brought the best out of Lemmens, who saved with his feet this time.
Álvaro Arbeloa’s men continued searching after the break, with Sander Berge travelling forward and feeding Iwobi, whose driven shot was deflected behind.
The deadlock was finally broken in unusual fashion, but it was fantastic work from Calvin Bassey to force the issue. He muscled Cunha off the ball and fired at goal, with the ball bobbling in off Martinez following Lammens’ save.
After working so hard to go ahead, it took two superb stops from Leno to preserve the lead. First, Mbeumo tried to curl one from the edge of the box, and then Cunha sent an effort that looked to be sneaking inside the post, but our number one kept both strikes out at full stretch.
Kevin almost doubled Fulham’s advantage after being introduced from the bench, making a direct run into the box and forcing the United goalkeeper to push away his powerful shot.
But there was a twist in the tale in the 89th minute, as Cunha’s speculative effort took a knick off Affengruber and found its way past Leno.
It would have been hard to argue that Fulham didn't deserved their victory if they'd held on, but Arbeloa's team signed off with just a point for their efforts in the final game before the international break.
Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa to Sky Sports::
"We were so close. So, so close. We were a little bit unlucky again. We knew it would be difficult against this big team.
"Also we knew what happened last week. We have seen what the referees have been doing in all the matches so it was a difficult game. And we were unlucky.
"All fouls for them. You can see before they scored, the foul against Maguire, it's a guy who is 100 kilos. Every decision was for them and I knew after the game against Man City that they [would not] let Manchester United lose here. We deserved a little bit more."
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson, Berge (Larsson 77), Charles, Bobb (Kevin 71), King (Andersen 80), Iwobi (Palacios 71), García (Muniz 80)
Unused substitutes: Manuel Ángel, Lecomte, Sessegnon, Smith Rowe
Goals:
Martínez og 63 (GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL!!!! FULHAM HAVE THE LEAD! 1-0 AT CRAVEN COTTAGE! After a quarter of an hour of the second half in which very little happened, the hosts finally turn the screw. United fail to clear their lines, allowing Bassey to take aim from distance. His effort should be a far more comfortable save for Lammens, but the Belgian goalkeeper makes a mess of it, parrying the ball straight into his own defender, Martinez. From there, it ricochets into the back of the net, and Craven Cottage erupts!)
Yellow Card: King (sim,45), Castagne (f,50), Muniz (tw,85),
Manchester United: Lammens, Diogo Dalot, Maguire, Martínez, Shaw (Dorgu 84), Mainoo (Mount 80), Tielemans, Mbeumo, Fernandes, Rashford (Zirkzee 77), Cunha
Unused substitutes: Mazraoui, Darlow, Yoro, Andrey Santos, Baleba, Lacey
Goals:
Cunha 89 (UNITED LEVEL IN FERGIE TIME! IT'S 1-1! Fulham looked to have done enough. Since taking the lead, the hosts have dropped deeper and deeper, inviting pressure in a bid to get over the line. But Manchester United have finally found a way through, and it's no surprise that Cunha is at the heart of it. The Brazilian has been United's most dangerous attacking outlet all afternoon, and with time running out, he takes matters into his own hands. His strike from outside the area takes a wicked deflection off Affengruber, completely wrong-footing Leno as the ball drifts into the back of the net.)
Referee:
Peter Bankes (Lancashire)
Attendance: N/A
Fulham are next in action in the Premier League when they face Ipswich Town at Portman Roadon Saturday 10th October at 15.00.
Source Ollie Marsh at Fulham FC
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