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Bruno Fernandes by no means desires Manchester United supporters to get used to dropping because the Purple Devils put together to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
Ruben Amorim described his aspect as probably the worst in United’s illustrious historical past after a demoralising 3-1 defeat to Brighton at Outdated Trafford final weekend.
It required a late intervention from captain Fernandes to get again to profitable methods within the Europa League on Thursday, with the Portuguese playmaker volleying dwelling a fantastic effort to safe a 2-1 win over Rangers after Cyriel Dessers had cancelled out Jack Butland’s comical personal purpose.
Talking to TNT Sports activities after that sport, Fernandes stated he felt like United had made a optimistic begin to 2025 earlier than the Brighton setback and desires United supporters – who’ve seen their crew lose 10 Premier League matches this season – to not expertise the dropping really feel an excessive amount of longer.
“Clearly we all know how a lot it means to the followers to win these video games and it means the identical to us, you actually wish to win video games,” he stated.
“We began properly this yr with two nice video games in opposition to Liverpool and Arsenal, then Southampton we had good resiliency however didn’t play good soccer.
“Then we had the sport with Brighton when every little thing went flawed for us. It’s not about proving the character, we now have to show that within the 90 minutes we are able to’t solely present that once we concede a purpose.
“We now have to discover a technique to win the sport, sadly for us we conceded a late purpose and needed to rating a late winner. On this membership it’s important to win each sport, if you happen to don’t there shall be robust moments. I hope our followers can by no means get used to dropping video games, even on this robust expertise.”
Some group. pic.twitter.com/TKT8RIaeTg
— Fulham Soccer Membership (@FulhamFC) January 23, 2025
Fulham have been overwhelmed 1-0 by United within the reverse fixture on the opening sport of the season however are residing tenth within the desk and nonetheless harbour European ambitions.
Midfielder Sander Berge, although, says the Cottagers pays full respect to their opponents regardless of their home struggles.
Talking to Fulham’s official web site, he stated: “They’ve world-class gamers there’s little question about that.
“They beat (Manchester) Metropolis away, they beat Arsenal away within the FA Cup, drew in opposition to Liverpool – in order that simply reveals the potential in that crew.
“They’re all the time a really robust process, we now have to respect them for what they’re and what they will do on the day, they are going to all the time have a bit of further confidence it doesn’t matter what, they’re that good they know they will flip a sport round at any minute.
“So, we now have to be at our easiest. We’re excited, it’s a sport beneath the lights, at dwelling, these are the video games you wish to play.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham – Harry Wilson
Wilson has created 14 possibilities within the Premier League for Fulham for the reason that flip of the yr – essentially the most of any participant.
He has created at the least three possibilities in all three of his Premier League matches in 2025, having solely achieved that feat thrice in his first 110 appearances between 2019 and 2014.
Manchester United – Andre Onana
Loads of United gamers have to step up on Sunday, and Onana is definitely considered one of them after his error for Brighton’s third purpose final weekend.
Onana has made three errors resulting in an opposition purpose already this season, essentially the most by a United participant in a single marketing campaign since David de Gea made three in 2019-20.
His save proportion of 63.6% in Premier League motion this time period is the bottom recorded by a United goalkeeper since Anders Lindegaard in 2012-13 (55.3%).
Holding a clear sheet in his th Fulham sport. pic.twitter.com/K52MVtxIBU
— Fulham Soccer Membership (@FulhamFC) January 21, 2025
MATCH PREDICTION – FULHAM WIN
Fulham have received simply considered one of their final 18 Premier League video games in opposition to Man Utd (three attracts, 14 defeats), incomes a 2-1 win at Outdated Trafford final season.
United are likely to get pleasure from visiting Craven Cottage, too. Since dropping twice away to Fulham in 2009 (0-2 in March, 0-3 in December), the Purple Devils are unbeaten in eight Premier League visits to the bottom, profitable their final seven in a row (one draw).
Nevertheless, United have misplaced six of their final 9 Premier League matches, profitable two and drawing one.
Ought to they fall to a different defeat right here, it is going to be the primary time they’ve endured a run of seven losses in a span of 10 league video games inside the identical season since 1988-89.
Since dropping the reverse fixture in opposition to United 1-0 on the opening day of the season, Fulham have solely failed to attain in considered one of their 21 Premier League matches, a goalless draw in opposition to backside aspect Southampton in December.
The Cottagers are averaging 1.6 targets per sport in 2024-25, their greatest ratio in a Premier League marketing campaign, whereas their 14.1 pictures per sport are their most since 2011-12 (14.2).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fulham – 47.3%
Manchester United – 26.4%
Draw – 26.3%