Fulham vs Manchester United Prediction, Tips and Odds | Premier League

Fulham's search for a first Premier League win of the season runs into a Manchester United side who have won just once in the league themselves, and both managers arrive at Craven Cottage under real pressure with the international break looming.

Alvaro Arbeloa needs a response after four league games without a win, while Michael Carrick is trying to stop his side's mixed underlying form turning into a third straight defeat in all competitions.

Fulham have shown flashes of the football that could keep them up, most recently a battling goalless draw at Anfield, but their home form has been the opposite, with two 3-2 Premier League defeats in a row at Craven Cottage.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have created more chances than any side in the division this season without the points to match it, and Wednesday's Carabao Cup collapse against Brighton will have done little for confidence heading south.

Fulham vs Manchester United: preview and form guide

Fulham head into Sunday still without a Premier League win, a run that has left them 18th with one point from four league matches.

It is their longest winless start to a league campaign since 2020-21, when they lost their opening four fixtures, drew 1-1 at Sheffield United in the fifth, and lost 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace in the sixth.

Arbeloa has had barely two months to arrest the slide since replacing Marco Silva over the summer.

Both of Fulham's home Premier League defeats this season have finished 3-2, against Chelsea first and then Crystal Palace, and the Palace game arguably stung the most.

Fulham led twice through Josh King and Cesar Palacios, generated 3.88 expected goals from 25 shots, and still lost to defensive errors Arbeloa was quick to admit afterwards.

A 1-0 defeat at Sunderland was the low point, with Fulham failing to register a shot on target away from home.

The response since has been more encouraging, including in the two cup ties either side of it.

A goalless draw at Liverpool saw Bernd Leno make several important saves, and a goal-line clearance from a covering defender denied Gonzalo Garcia a certain equaliser at the other end.

That improved form carried into midweek, where Fulham won 3-2 away at West Ham in the Carabao Cup to reach the fourth round, having already beaten AFC Wimbledon in round two.

Arbeloa called it a good week for his squad and said Fulham still believe they can win on Sunday if they reach the level they showed at Anfield from the first minute.

Josh King has been central to that improved mood.

Arbeloa has already spoken publicly about the forward's readiness for senior England recognition, saying the 19-year-old already plays with the maturity of a 26 or 28-year-old.

Manchester United sit 13th with four points from their opening four league games, a return that matches their joint-fewest at this stage of a season alongside 1992-93 and 2025-26.

Both of those campaigns turned around into a title and a third-place finish respectively, and Carrick will be hoping his own side follows a similar path.

Man United opened with a 2-0 defeat at newly promoted Hull, hit back with a 5-2 win over Ipswich, then drew 2-2 at Everton.

A 4-0 home win over Sabah in the Champions League followed, before Sunday's 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City, who spent over an hour with 10 men after Phil Foden's 23rd-minute red card.

Erling Haaland's contested goal proved decisive, and Man United have now gone two games without a win.

The underlying numbers tell a different story to the league results.

Man United have attempted 84 shots across their four league games, their highest total at this stage of a season since 2003-04, and their expected-goals figure of 8.3 sits second only to Brighton in the division.

City's extra man for over an hour is the clearest single reason the league results have not followed.

Wednesday brought a fresh setback in the Carabao Cup.

Man United led Brighton 2-0 inside 10 minutes through Shea Lacey and Mason Mount, then collapsed to a 3-2 defeat.

It was their first home loss from a two-goal lead in 50 years, and their first home defeat after leading at half-time since a 1984 game against Ipswich.

Karl Darlow made his club debut in goal, and Bruno Fernandes was introduced with only 18 minutes left to play.

Carrick used that tie to rotate his squad, and Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are all expected back in the starting XI at Craven Cottage.

The manager is under real pressure heading into Man United's last fixture before the international break, and a third defeat in five league games would add further scrutiny before the squad breaks for international duty.

Team news and predicted lineups: Fulham vs Manchester United

Fulham

Kenny Tete is the most significant absence for Fulham, ruled out after taking a knock to the head at Anfield last weekend.

Arbeloa confirmed on Friday that the international break, rather than this weekend, remains the realistic target for the right-back's return.

Tom Cairney continues his own recovery from a knee injury, with no firm date attached beyond an internal club estimate of the middle of next month.

Ryan Sessegnon is the closer call: the left-back trained on Friday after his own groin issue, and Arbeloa said a decision on his involvement would not be made until nearer kickoff.

Antonee Robinson looks the likelier option at left-back if Sessegnon is left out, continuing the back four that started at Anfield, while Harrison Reed and Hugo Larsson remain central-midfield options from the bench.

Fulham predicted lineup vs Manchester United

4-2-3-1: Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Charles; Bobb, King, Iwobi; Garcia.

Manchester United

Manchester United have a longer absentee list than Fulham, though most of it is long-term rather than in doubt.

Matthijs de Ligt and Amad Diallo are both out through injury, and Manuel Ugarte's season is effectively over after a cruciate ligament injury that is not expected to heal before next spring.

Carlos Baleba and Luke Shaw are the two genuine fitness calls, both given a late test rather than a firm timeline.

Carrick said on Friday there is a chance for both players but that neither is a certainty, adding that Shaw's issue in particular is short term and being managed day by day before kickoff.

If Shaw does feature it will be his 300th Premier League appearance, though Patrick Dorgu remains the likelier starter at left-back regardless.

Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo look set to hold their places in front of the back four, with Fernandes restored to the number 10 role after his brief cameo against Brighton.

Manchester United predicted lineup vs Fulham

4-2-3-1: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Dorgu; Tielemans, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Rashford; Cunha.

Head-to-head: Fulham vs Manchester United

History overwhelmingly favours Manchester United in the recent record, even though Fulham's all-time tally of 16 wins in this fixture tells a longer story.

Fulham have not beaten Man United at Craven Cottage in the Premier League since 2009, a run stretching across their last 10 home meetings, and Man United have lost only once in their last 21 league games against Fulham anywhere.

The last five meetings have followed a similar pattern.

Fulham's only success came via a penalty shootout in last season's FA Cup tie, while Man United have won three of the other four, including that 3-2 victory at Old Trafford in February when Benjamin Sesko scored a 94th-minute winner.

Both teams have scored in each of the past three encounters between the sides, and Sunday's meeting arrives with both defences short of confidence.

Man United have conceded in every league game so far this season, while Fulham have kept only the one clean sheet, at Anfield last weekend.

Our Fulham vs Manchester United prediction and betting tips

Fulham's home form and Manchester United's defensive fragility both point toward goals on Sunday, and the four picks below spread across different markets rather than leaning on the same outcome twice.

Anyone weighing up value across a wider range of markets might also want to compare our list of new bookmakers before deciding where to place a bet.

Odds correct as of Friday, 18 September 2026, 17:00 BST.

Manchester United's price reflects their underlying performances rather than their recent results, and bet365 currently line up as one of the more competitive books on this fixture.

See our bet365 review for the fuller market range, or the bet365 bonus code for anyone signing up fresh.

For a broader comparison across the market, our best football UK betting sites guide and our top 10 online betting sites ranking are both worth a look before kickoff.