Manchester United vs. Fulham Match Preview

As the Premier League season kicks off at ‘Theatre of Dreams,’ Manchester United and Fulham face off in their top-flight opener on Friday evening. Old Trafford hosts the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign, with United looking to bounce back after a challenging year both on and off the field.

For the 10th time in 11 seasons, Manchester United start their league campaign at home, and Fulham’s visit on Friday marks a Premier League record of eight consecutive years starting at Old Trafford. The pressure is already on Erik ten Hag’s team.

Following a tough previous season in both the Premier League and Europe, a brief lift came when Manchester United won the FA Cup against Manchester City, but they were soon brought back down when they lost to the same rivals in the FA Community Shield. They fell short of additional silverware after a 1-1 draw led to a penalty shootout loss at Wembley.

Photo bySamuel Regan-AsanteonUnsplash

What Makes Manchester United vs. Fulham’s Clash Interesting

Despite speculation and behind-the-scenes moves by Manchester United’s ambitious new owners, Ten Hag remains in charge and has been joined by some new and familiar faces for the season. Ruud van Nistelrooy returns to the coaching staff alongside Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, who have been brought in to strengthen a beleaguered defense.

Pre-season has been a mixed bag with three defeats in five games, including a 3-0 loss to Liverpool in the USA, raising some concerns. Nevertheless, the 20-time English champions are now focused on their first league match. Last season, United faced six home defeats in 19 league games, including a loss to Fulham, a team they had previously beaten 30 times out of 33 Premier League encounters. Both teams will be keen to secure a win at this stage. This will give them a strong start to the season and will set their standards high for the rest of whole season.

Team News & Possible Starting Line-ups

Leny Yoro will be out for several months due to a foot injury sustained during pre-season, while Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Victor Lindelof remain unavailable. Harry Maguire, who played against Manchester City, is still not fully fit. Additionally, Rasmus Hojlund, who was last season’s joint-top scorer for Manchester United, won’t be able to partner with Joshua Zirkzee. Although Zirkzee didn’t feature at Wembley, he might start up front. Alternatively, winger Jadon Sancho or captain Bruno Fernandes could be used as a false nine.

With Aleksandar Mitrovic’s sudden departure, Fulham’s primary forward last season, Rodrigo Muniz, who scored nine league goals, will be crucial. Muniz will have support from former United midfielder Andreas Pereira and recent signing Emile Smith Rowe, who scored on his only previous Premier League start at Old Trafford. New addition Jorge Cuenca may need time to adjust, so Issa Diop and Calvin Bassey could form the central defense for Marco Silva’s team.

Possible Manchester United Line-up: Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee

Possible Fulham Line-up: Leno; Castagne, Diop, Bassey, Robinson; Lukic, Reed; Iwobi, Pereira, Smith Rowe; Muniz

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Article originally written by Jaineel Kariya