Manchester United sit 13th after just one win in four Premier League games, their poorest opening in over a decade. Head coach Michael Carrick admits positives are scarce ahead of a crucial Fulham clash and a looming international break.
Manchester United have endured their worst Premier League start in 12 years, securing only a single victory from their opening four fixtures. Head coach Michael Carrick acknowledged the scarcity of positives in a recent interview, stressing that the squad must quickly reverse the trend (ESPN).
So far this season the Red Devils sit 13th in the table, eight points adrift of early leaders Arsenal and Manchester City, and have recorded just one win, one draw and two defeats (BBC). Despite generating the highest number of shots among top‑flight clubs in the first four matchdays, United rank outside the top four for goals scored, with an expected‑goals (xG) tally of 8.3 compared with Brighton’s 10.2 (BBC).
Carrick also dismissed criticism that his side are out of shape, insisting fitness is not the issue but rather the need for sharper execution on the pitch (ESPN). He highlighted that the team must improve its finishing and defensive solidity to compete with the league’s front‑runners.
Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko, United’s only natural centre‑forward, has yet to start a league match this campaign, coming off the bench in all four games and scoring once against Everton (BBC). Fully recovered from a shin injury sustained in early May, Sesko could be given a start at Craven Cottage, where United have lost only once in their last 21 league meetings with Fulham (BBC).
Fulham, under new head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, sit 18th after four winless games and were recently booed off at Craven Cottage following a third consecutive defeat (BBC). The visitors will need a win to climb out of the relegation zone, while United aim to secure three points before the lengthy international break.
With the break looming, Carrick faces pressure to extract a performance that can spark a turnaround, and the upcoming Fulham fixture may prove pivotal for both clubs’ early‑season fortunes.