Manchester United seek response as pressure mounts on Carrick before Fulham trip

Manchester United travel to Fulham on Sunday, September 20, needing a result to arrest a poor start to the Premier League season and ease pressure on manager Michael Carrick.

United have won only one of their four league matches and have lost three of six games in all competitions. Their latest setback came in the League Cup, where they surrendered a 2-0 lead against Brighton and Hove Albion before being eliminated.

Fulham are also yet to win in the league under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa. A draw at Liverpool and a League Cup victory over West Ham United have provided some encouragement, but the side will be seeking its first league win of the campaign at Craven Cottage.

Carrick has accepted responsibility for United’s start and said the priority was finding solutions rather than assigning blame. The match comes before the international break, adding urgency to a fixture involving two teams yet to establish consistent league form.

Fulham are expected to be without Kenny Tete and Tom Cairney, while Ryan Sessegnon faces a late fitness test. United are due to make late decisions on Luke Shaw and Carlos Baleba; Manuel Ugarte, Tom Heaton, Matthijs de Ligt and Amad Diallo remain sidelined.

Projected line-ups published by Al Jazeera are not confirmed teams. Opta gives United a 47.4 per cent chance of victory and Fulham a 28.3 per cent chance, estimates that underline the visitors’ status as favourites despite their uncertain form.