Fulham haven’t beaten Manchester United at Craven Cottage since Roy Hodgson was guiding the Whites all the way to the Europa League final. The Whites have been on the wrong end of some heartbreaking late losses to the Red Devils after they returned to the top flight and nobody should be fooled into thinking Reuben Almiron’s men will be a soft touch – however iffy some of their recent performances have looked from away. The relatively new United boss was wrong to suggest his team are the worst in his new employer’s illustrious history – but the mind games will certainly have made some of the club’s underperforming stars sit up and take notice.
Fulham played well at Old Trafford without taking anything home to London bar the briefest of plaudits following Joshua Zirkzee’s late strike. Yet the template of Silva’s approach against the England’s most famous football club is worth studying. Before the four red cards in thirty seconds that ultimately ended Fulham’s interest in the FA Cup two seasons ago, his side’s control of that tie was one of the most complete away displays since he had taken over from Scott Parker. The Whites were agonisingly close to getting a point against United in 2022 before Alejandro Garnacho produced an injury-time winner and another point was snatched out of Fulham’s grasp by Bruno Fernandes’ late strike last year amid the yellow card protest on ticket pricing.
You might say Fulham are due a result. But nothing comes easy in the Premier League and those who have enjoyed laughing at United’s misfortune this season might be underrating the quality that Almorin has at his disposal. Fernandes is a crucial part of their midfield and the tigerish instincts of Manuel Ugarte should make his side tougher to play through. The new manager’s switch to a 3-4-3 has not beyond without its hiccups, but the change has brought the very best out of Amad Diallo, who enjoyed an encouraging loan spell at Sunderland before breaking into the first-team picture at Old Trafford.
If United’s defence has been leaky in recent times, Adama Traore can vouch for the fierce will to win that burns through Lisandro Martinez, whilst the likes of Harry Maguire and Diego Dalot have spoken publicly about the need to provide the leadership that was sorely lacking towards the end of the ten Haag era. United have been able to up their performance levels for the big games – see the way they posed leaders Liverpool such sustained problems during their recent meeting – and there are a number of young starlets who still have to fit into the new manager’s template. It seems preposterous that the Ratcliffe regime is considering selling Kobbie Mainoo after his stellar twelve months, whilst Toby Collyer looks like the latest midfield asset to role off the Carrington production line.
Fulham should head into these contest in good heart following last weekend’s comfortable win at Leicester City. Silva could easily stick with the same starting eleven that felled the Foxes, especially after Emile Smith Rowe returning to scoring form and Adama Traore found the shooting boots he had so infuriating misplaced at West Ham. Sander Berge and Sasa Lukic’s burgeoning partnership will be critical to Fulham’s hopes of winning the vital midfield battle, whilst another goalscoring display from Harry Wilson – who was excellent at the King Power Stadium – would prove very timely indeed.
We should also finish with a word on the crazy scheduling. Staging a football match at 7pm on Sunday to suit the television directors and an ever more crowded European calendar shows that match-going supporters have slipped even further off the radar of the game’s decision makers. That is both daft and unacceptable.
MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Bassey, Andersen; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Iwobi, Smith Rowe; Jimenez. Subs: Benda, Cuenca, Diop, King, Reed, Cairney, Pereira, Traore, Muniz.
