LIVESCORES MATCH REPORT
Fulham 1-1 Manchester United: Cunha rescues late point at Craven Cottage
Manchester United avoided a third straight defeat when Matheus Cunha's 89th-minute deflected equaliser cancelled out Lisandro Martinez's own goal in a 1-1 Premier League draw at Fulham.
Manchester United needed an 89th-minute equaliser from Matheus Cunha to escape Craven Cottage with a 1-1 Premier League draw against Fulham on Sunday, 20 September. The late goal denied Fulham a first league victory under Alvaro Arbeloa and stopped United from suffering a third consecutive defeat in all competitions.
Fulham took the lead during the second half in unusual fashion. Calvin Bassey's effort was pushed away by United goalkeeper Senne Lammens, but the loose ball went in off Lisandro Martinez for an own goal. It left United chasing the match after a period in which Fulham had raised their intensity following the interval.
United responded by applying sustained pressure and eventually found a way through. Cunha's late shot took a deflection off Patrick Dorgu, wrong-footing Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno and bringing the visitors level with only a few minutes remaining.
The draw was not short of attacking activity. Reuters reported that United finished with 29 goal attempts compared with Fulham's 12, while Cunha and Bruno Fernandes both struck the woodwork. The volume of chances makes the single United goal especially notable: they created enough opportunities to threaten more often, but had to rely on a late deflection to secure a point.
A difficult start continues for United
The result leaves Manchester United with five points from their opening five Premier League matches. Their trip to Fulham followed a league defeat to Manchester City and a midweek League Cup exit against Brighton after United had led that tie 2-0.
That sequence means the draw provides some relief without solving the broader problem. United avoided another loss, but they head into the international break having won only once in their first five league fixtures. For a side that returned to the Champions League after finishing third last season, the early domestic return is well below the standard set during Michael Carrick's strong run after taking charge.
Fulham come close again
Fulham were within minutes of taking all three points. Arbeloa is still waiting for his first Premier League win as Fulham head coach, but recent draws against Liverpool and Manchester United have at least given the side something to build on after a difficult opening to the campaign.
The 1-1 scoreline also means neither side got the result it most needed. Fulham lost a late lead, while United failed to turn a high shot count into a victory. From a match perspective, the decisive moments were Martinez's own goal and Cunha's deflected response near the end.
Why South African interest is high
The supplied LiveScores South Africa trend signal recorded reported interest of 2000+ for the query 'manchester united' at 03:47 UTC on 21 September. That should be treated as a signal of reader interest rather than an exact or independently audited search-volume figure, and it does not show that every search was specifically about this fixture.
What happens next
The Premier League now pauses for the international break. Reuters reported that Manchester United's next league match is at home to Tottenham Hotspur, giving Carrick time to work on the issues exposed by a start that has produced only five points from five games.
For readers catching up on the Fulham result, the key takeaway is straightforward: Fulham led through a Martinez own goal, United created plenty but struggled to convert their chances, and Cunha's 89th-minute deflected strike prevented another damaging defeat.