At Craven Cottage, beside the Thames, Manchester United escaped with a point that did little to brighten a difficult opening to the season. Matheus Cunha struck in the 89th minute to secure a 1-1 draw against Fulham in the fifth round of the Premier League, denying the home side what would have been its first league win of the campaign.
Michael Carrick’s visitors had looked set for another damaging afternoon after Lisandro Martínez turned the ball into his own net midway through the second half. Fulham, coached by Álvaro Arbeloa, could not convert their subsequent openings into a second goal, and that failure left the door open for United’s late response.
A late rescue in west London
The decisive sequence began in the 63rd minute, when Senne Lammens repelled an attempt but the loose ball remained in the United area. Martínez tried to deal with the danger, only to send it past his own goalkeeper. Fulham had been searching for a breakthrough after four winless league matches, and the own goal gave them a valuable advantage.
The Cottagers had opportunities to put the contest beyond reach as United struggled to regain control. Yet the margin remained one, despite a series of chances for the hosts, and United gradually pushed higher in the closing stages.
Bernd Leno was a major reason Fulham retained their lead for so long. The German goalkeeper produced several important saves while United increased the pressure, seeking to avoid another setback after recent disappointing results.
Then Cunha altered the afternoon. The Brazilian let fly from outside the penalty area in the 89th minute; his shot took a deflection from a Fulham defender and wrong-footed Leno on its way into the net. It was the final meaningful twist, leaving the match level at 1-1.
Neither side finds the result it needed
United now have five points from five matches, an average of one point per game and a start that has kept Carrick’s side well short of the leading positions. The late equaliser prevented defeat, but it also extended the wait for the victory that might have changed the mood around their early campaign.
For Fulham, the draw was harder to accept. They came within minutes of ending their wait for a first league success, only to see Cunha’s intervention remove it. The London club have two points after five rounds and remain second from bottom, still without a win.
