Manchester United Aim to Halt Slide at Fulham
Manchester United head to Craven Cottage on Sunday not just for three points, but to halt a slide that has already darkened the early weeks of their season.
Back-to-back blows – a humbling Manchester derby defeat and an EFL Cup exit to Brighton & Hove Albion inside four bruising days – have left Michael Carrick’s side stuck in 13th after just one win from their opening four Premier League games. For a club of United’s scale, that reads like an alarm.
Carrick is expected to respond with a reset rather than a tweak.
Carrick rings the changes
The midweek cup collapse is likely to cost several fringe players their places, with a spine of first-choice names set to return at Fulham. The message is clear: the experiment is over, the senior core is back.
At the back, there is at least one welcome sight. Luke Shaw, who missed the defeats to Brighton and Manchester City with a minor muscular problem, is in line to reclaim his spot at left-back, pushing Noussair Mazraoui out of the XI. Diogo Dalot should stay at right-back, while Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez are expected to reform a more familiar centre-back partnership.
Behind them, Senne Lammens is set to start in goal, another change as Carrick looks for stability after a chaotic week.
The injury list still bites. Carlos Baleba remains out with an ankle issue. Manuel Ugarte is sidelined with a knee problem. Tom Heaton is unavailable, and Amad Diallo has yet to play this season after his pre-season ankle injury. Matthijs de Ligt has stepped up his recovery from back surgery and is back in individual training, but he has not yet rejoined full sessions and will not feature.
Midfield reshuffle and a statement up front
In midfield, Kobbie Mainoo is expected to step back into the side and push Andrey Santos out of the starting lineup, bringing more control and composure to the centre of the pitch. Youri Tielemans should partner him in the double pivot in a 4-2-3-1 that Carrick hopes will finally click.
Further forward, the selection calls are sharper. Marcus Rashford is at genuine risk of missing out from the starting XI, with Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo all in line to start in the three supporting roles.
Ahead of them, Benjamin Sesko is “eyeing” his first Premier League start of the season – and the timing feels deliberate. United need a focal point, an outlet, something different. Sesko offers that, and Carrick looks ready to lean into it.
Predicted Manchester United XI
Carrick is expected to line up his side in a 4-2-3-1:
Senne Lammens; Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw; Kobbie Mainoo, Youri Tielemans; Bryan Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha; Benjamin Sesko.
It’s a team that carries experience, technical quality and a hint of risk. It also carries responsibility. United cannot afford another flat outing.
Kick-off and TV details
Fulham vs Manchester United kicks off at 16:30 on Sunday, 20 September 2026, in the Premier League.
The game will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event.
A bruised United arrive in west London under pressure, with changes made and patience thinning. Craven Cottage will show whether this is a course correction or the start of something far more troubling in Carrick’s reign.
