Manchester United vs Fulham: Preview, team news & line-ups

Manchester United vs Fulham: Preview, team news & line-ups

Eric Munene 16:33 - 15.08.2024

The new English Premier League season gets underway on Friday with Manchester United hosting Fulham at Old Trafford.

The Premier League's 2024/25 season will kick of at The Theatre of Dreams where Manchester United are set to host Fulham for the first Premier League match.

After a challenging past season, Manchester United are keen to start the new season on a high note, while Fulham will look to build on their impressive performance in the latter half of last season.

Manchester United:

After a turbulent 2023-24 season that saw Manchester United struggle domestically and in Europe, there is renewed hope for a more successful campaign under Erik ten Hag.

Despite lifting the FA Cup last season, the Red Devils fell short in the FA Community Shield, losing to Manchester City in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw.

United’s pre-season results have been mixed, with notable defeats including a 3-0 loss to Liverpool.

Nonetheless, the arrival of defensive reinforcements Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, alongside the return of Ruud van Nistelrooy to the coaching team, offers a glimmer of optimism.

However, the team faces a defensive crisis, with several key players side-lined, including Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Victor Lindelof.

Additionally, new signing Leny Yoro is out for several months, and Rasmus Hojlund remains unavailable.

Fulham:

Fulham come into the new season with a fresh look after key departures, including Tosin Adarabioyo and Joao Palhinha.

Marco Silva’s side ended the 2023-24 season strongly, finishing in 13th place. Silva opted to stay with Fulham despite lucrative offers from the Saudi Pro League, indicating his commitment to the club’s progress.

The Cottagers have had a solid pre-season with a win, loss, and draw, and they will aim to replicate their strong end-of-season form.

The departure of Aleksandar Mitrovic leaves a gap in attack, which will be filled by Rodrigo Muniz, supported by ex-United midfielder Andreas Pereira and new signing Emile Smith Rowe.

Team News:

Manchester United:

Injuries: Leny Yoro (foot injury), Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Victor Lindelof.

Possible XI: Onana; Dalot, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Rashford; Zirkzee.

Fulham:

Possible XI: Leno; Castagne, Diop, Bassey, Robinson; Lukic, Reed; Iwobi, Pereira, Smith Rowe; Muniz.

Head-to-head:

Manchester United have historically dominated their fixtures against Fulham, winning 30 of their 34 Premier League encounters.

However, Fulham managed to secure a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford in February, marking their first win at the venue in eight years.

The Cottagers have won three of their last four league meetings with United, often through late goals.

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