Marco Silva might be seething about Fulham’s failure to see through the plan for summer signings he thought had been agreed in January – a point he emphasised in his pre-match press conference for a second week in succession – but the Whites head into their first home fixture of the new campaign in good heart following Rodrigo Muniz’s last-gasp leveller at Brighton and Hove Albion. The Cottagers have seen off interest from Atalanta in the Brazilian striker, who they now hope to tie down to a new long-term contract, but Silva knows the size of the task to keep his side competitive in the Premier League after one of the quietest transfer windows in living memory.

The Portguese head coach’s stock has soared since he returned to English football to succeed Scott Parker by the banks of the Thames. Silva scotched suggestions that he couldn’t crack the top tier after guiding his new club to the Championship title in some style, by comfortably avoiding a relegation battle without compromising on his footballing philosophy. Listening to him bemoan the slowness of Fulham’s recruitment again on Thursday, you wondered whether he might regret having passed up lucrative opportunities to manage in the Premier League, Italy and Saudi Arabia over the past two years and just how long he might remain in the Craven Cottage dugout.

That the Fulham board are confident their slender senior squad can punch above its weight once again is a testament to Silva’s steady stewardship. Money has been spent since the Whites waltzed back into the top flight, especially last summer when Calvin Bassey, Emile Smith Rowe and Sander Berge arrived for approximately £66m, but Silva has also had to deal with losing key players every summer since promotion was secured. Aleskandar Mitrovic departed at the start of the 2023/2024 campaign whilst Joao Palhina, a scorer as Spurs took the stunning scalp of Manchester City last lunchtime, left for Bayern Munich last summer. Neither has been replaced – leading to suggestions that Shahid Khan might be preparing the club for a sale.

Club officials insist nothing could be further from the truth, pointing to the ownership’s considerable investment in both the club and the Riverside Stand as well as the restrictions of both the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules and the impending adoption of squad cost ratios that will closer align with the UEFA restrictions. The club briefed journalists that they had successfully retained their key talent, including Tom Cairney and Kenny Tete this summer, as well as securing the likes of Luc de Fougerolles, josh King and Seth Ridgeon on long-term contracts. Whatever the reality, it is clear that Silva feels as if he is managing with at least one hand behind his back at a time when Premier League spending is breaking records.

Silva reportedly intervened to ensure that Cairney and Tete remained in SW6 and made clear the importance of retaining Muniz, something which was underlined by the former Flamengo forward’s fabulous finish from Harry Wilson’s stoppage-time corner. The lack of signings has allowed a number of youth prospects to prosper in pre-season and the emergence of Josh King as an enterprising number ten was the biggest takeaway from the trip to the south coast. Listening to the eighteen year-old’s excitement at the opportunity to play Manchester United turned this cynical correspondent into a football romantic all over again.

Silva’s selection dilemmas tomorrow surround how much he might change a side that certainly wasn’t firing on all cylinders against the Seagulls. Calvin Bassey did well as a makeshift left back in the absence of the injured Ryan Sessegnon and Antonee Robinson, but it remains to be seen whether the Nigerian could return to his natural centre half role against Ruben Amorin’s side. That would be harsh on Jorge Cuenca, who was excellent against Albion, whilst Fulham’s midfield floundered at times at the AMEX. They miss the physicality of a Palhinha to break up play and, with Wilson largely anonymous on the right, relied heavily on King’s fearless running. Silva could swap Raul Jimenez for Muniz up front – but you can see why he’s crying out for new additions.

The calvary won’t arrive in time for Sunday’s showdown even if director of football Tony Khan will take in this contest whilst also overseeing the British leg of AEW’s summer shows. It won’t be lost on Silva that United were unfortunate to be beaten by a defensive-disciplined Arsenal last Sunday, when they made most of the running. Matheus Cunha made mugs of the Fulham defence last November as Wolves ran riot at the Cottage, whilst no Fulham fan needs reminding of the danger posed by former Hounslow hero Bryan Mbuemo. Add in the poaching instincts of Benjamin Sesko and the Red Devils’ revamped forward line feels fearsome.

Amorim’s pre-match press conference suggested that fit-again Andre Onana could replace Altay Bayindir between the sticks after the Turkish keeper’s blunder proved so costly against the Gunners. United will definitely be without Lisandro Martinez, whose long-range strike condemned Fulham to a harsh defeat at the Cottage last term, and Noussair Mazraoui. United might still be without the enforcer that Amorim’s preferred 3-4-3 system should be built around – as the Old Trafford boss continues to overlook the consider talents of Stockport-born Kobbie Mainoo, but there’s been enough spending to suggest they should be looking far higher than last season’s shocking sixteenth-place finish.

The Reds enjoy their trips to SW6, having won on their last eight visits to the Cottage – even if both King and Silva are right to suggest Fulham have deserved more on their home turf over the past three years. A first home win in sixteen years since Roy Hodgson’s side returned from that brilliant night in Basel to rip Sir Alex Ferguson’s makeshift defence apart would remove some of the angst around London’s oldest professional club, but it will require one hell of a shift.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, R. Sessegnon, Andersen, Bassey; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Smith Rowe, King; Jimenez. Subs: Lecomte, Castagne, Cuenca, Reed, Cairney, Iwobi, Traore, Godo, Muniz.