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MATCH PREVIEW ~ Fulham visit Manchester United ~ Prem MD 38 ~ 22/23

last updated Saturday 27th May 2023, 8:37 AM



Match Preview

Manchester United v Fulham

Premiership Match Day 38 22/23 at Old Trafford

Sunday 28th May 2023    KO: 16:30

Referee: Robert Jones (Wirral)



Fulham manager Marco Silva
Fulham manager
Marco Silva
Other
Marco Silva
Stories
His Wiki page
Manchester United manager 
Erik ten Hag
Manchester United
manager
Erik Ten Hag
His Wiki page
Fulham have secured a top half finish on their return to the Premiership and go to Old Trafford on the final matchday of the 2022-23 campaign to face a Manchester United team looking to securing third position in the Premier League..

Fulham, who occupy 10th position in the division, will enter the match off the back of a 2-2 draw with London rivals Crystal Palace last weekend while The Red Devils booked their spot in next season's Champions League with an impressive 4-1 success over Chelsea on Thursday evening.

Fulham were promoted back to the Premier League courtesy of their Championship title win last season, so consolidating back at this level was always going to be their number one priority in 2022-23.

The Cottagers have managed to secure back-to-back seasons in the top flight for the first time since 2014, and they have done so in comfortable fashion, with a brilliant campaign seeing them pick up 52 points from 37 matches to sit in 10th position in the table.

Marco Silva's side will finish 10th regardless of what happens on the final weekend of the season, and it is the team's first top-half position in England's leading division since claiming ninth in 2011-12.

Fulham will enter Sunday's match in excellent form, meanwhile, having picked up seven points from their last three matches, including a 2-2 draw at home to Palace last time out.

Silva's team recorded a 2-0 win over Southampton in their last away game on May 13, and they have been strong on their travels this term, picking up 23 points from 18 matches, which is just four fewer than Man United have managed away from Old Trafford in 2022-23.

Fulham will now be looking to build on their success next season, and they will be desperate to keep hold of their head coach, who is currently being linked with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

Erik ten Hag's main goal for the 2022-23 season was to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League table and that is now secure ahead of the final matchday, with the Red Devils recording a 4-1 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

A point would have been enough for Man United to finish in a Champions League position, but they secured all three with an impressive performance, and the result moved them into third position, two points ahead of fourth-placed Newcastle United, who will finish their campaign away to Chelsea.

The 20-time English champions ended a six-year trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup at the end of February, while they will take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final next weekend, with the team looking to complete a domestic double and end the Citizens' treble hopes.

Man United have responded impressively to their successive defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United by winning their last three against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bournemouth and Chelsea, and their home form has been a vital part of their success this term.

The Red Devils have picked up 45 points from their 18 league games at Old Trafford this season, conceding just nine times in the process, which is comfortably the best home defensive record in the Premier League.

There is no serious pressure on Man United in this match, but Ten Hag detailed the importance of claiming third after the clash with Chelsea, and the Red Devils, who have to win to guarantee finishing above Newcastle, will be looking to extend their unbeaten run against Fulham to 16 matches on Sunday afternoon.


Head to Head

  • Fulham have lost 18 of their past 21 away league games against the Red Devils, with their last win being by 3-1 in October 2003.


  • Manchester United lost back-to-back matches against Fulham in 2009 but are unbeaten in the subsequent 14 Premier League fixtures, winning 11 of those.
Fulham
  • The Londoners are guaranteed their first top-half finish in the Premier League since coming ninth in 2011-12.


  • Fulham's total of 15 league wins in 2022-23 is their second highest in a top-flight season, bettered only by their haul of 17 in 1959-60.


  • Their tally of 54 goals is the most they have scored in a Premier League campaign.


  • The Whites have lost their final league game in four of the previous five seasons.


  • Fulham have only won three of their 53 Premier League away matches against sides in the top four of the table, drawing 12 and losing 38 of those fixtures.
Manchester United
  • Erik ten Hag's side are unbeaten in 17 home league matches since defeat by Brighton on the opening weekend (W14, D3), and have won each of their past five top-flight fixtures at Old Trafford.


  • Manchester United have won their five Premier League games versus newly promoted opposition this season - they last won all six such fixtures in a single campaign in 2011-12.


  • The Reds have lost their final league match in two of the past four seasons, as many times as they had in their previous 33 top-flight campaigns.


  • Marcus Rashford is the first Manchester United player to score 30 league and cup goals in a season since Robin van Persie in 2012-13, and the first to net 20 at Old Trafford since Wayne Rooney in 2009-10.









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Source Matt Law at SportsMole
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