Manchester United welcome Fulham to Old Trafford on Sunday, buoyed by recent victories under interim coach Michael Carrick. The Red Devils aim to build momentum toward a Champions League spot, while Fulham seek to extend their solid form. Kickoff is set for 2pm UK time on Sky Sports.
Manchester United's resurgence under interim head coach Michael Carrick has injected new life into their season. Following back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Arsenal, United sit fourth in the Premier League table after their victory at the Emirates. This positions them well for upcoming home fixtures against Fulham and Tottenham, potentially strengthening their push for Champions League qualification—a far cry from the mid-table drift under previous manager Ruben Amorim.
However, Old Trafford has been a mixed bag this season, with United winning just over half of their league games there. Carrick emphasized the importance of consistency, stating, “I think ultimately consistency is the key to success and in my eyes it is one of the most difficult things to achieve, to be good consistently. It takes so much, to be able to cope emotionally with the ups and downs of this game.” He also praised Fulham's manager Marco Silva, adding, “Marco has got them into a really good team. Taking anything for granted is bang out of order really.”
Fulham, three places and four points behind United, are in good shape themselves, having lost only once in their last eight league matches—at Leeds two weeks ago. Injuries plague both sides: United's Patrick Dorgu is sidelined for a few weeks with a hamstring issue from the Arsenal game, and Matthijs de Ligt remains out, though Joshua Zirkzee has returned to training. For Fulham, Sasa Lukic and Rodrigo Muniz are absent, but Kenny Tete may feature.
Predicted lineups suggest a competitive encounter: United with Lammens in goal, backed by Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, and Shaw; Fulham led by Leno, with Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, and Robinson in defense. Historically, United have dominated, losing just one of their last 20 Premier League games against Fulham. The Cottagers aim to avoid defeat in both fixtures against United for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
The match, part of Sky Sports' Super Sunday, will test United's newfound momentum against a resilient Fulham outfit.
