Man United's Worst Premier League Start in Over a Decade — SkimNews
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- Matheus Cunha's 89th-minute equalizer, deflected heavily off David Affengruber, salvaged a 1-1 draw for Manchester United at Fulham and prevented a first United defeat at Craven Cottage in 17 years.
- Manchester United sit on 5 points from 5 Premier League games — their worst start to a season in more than a decade — after back-to-back home defeats to Manchester City and Brighton preceded the Fulham draw.
- Gary Neville called a 15-minute stretch "the worst 15 minutes I've ever seen them play" from United, branding parts of the performance "pathetic" after Fulham took the lead through a calamitous sequence.
- The Fulham goal originated with Kobbie Mainoo's telegraphed pass into midfield; Calvin Bassey advanced unchallenged, his shot deflected off Lisandro Martínez, and goalkeeper Senne Lammens booted the rebound into his own net.
- Fulham's players covered 6 kilometers more than United's over the 90 minutes, a stat Cunha backed up by saying Fulham "put in more energy" — though Carrick dismissed fitness concerns.
- United's post-break schedule features Tottenham, Atletico Madrid, Leeds, Como, Bournemouth, Chelsea, AS Roma, Aston Villa and Liverpool, with Atletico, Leeds and Como all away within nine days in October.
- Carrick said the players "showed character" to recover from their mess but admitted the team "can do better," insisting he is "not despondent" despite the worst opening run of his tenure.
Why it matters: Carrick's job security likely hinges on the post-break schedule, which stacks Tottenham, Atletico Madrid, Leeds, Como, Chelsea and Liverpool into consecutive fixtures. Five points from five games already marks United's worst start in over a decade, and a continued slide could force another managerial change after the club recently handed Carrick the permanent role.
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