Manchester United’s wait for a first win of the new Premier League season continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham at Craven Cottage. Despite taking the lead in the second half, United faltered late on as Emile Smith Rowe struck an equaliser to deny the visitors all three points.
The opener came when Rodrigo Muniz inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, handing United a narrow advantage. But instead of building on the momentum, United appeared to retreat into a defensive mindset, something manager Ruben Amorim admitted was a costly mistake.
“We scored and then we forgot how we play,” he said, frustrated with his side’s mentality. “Everyone started thinking about holding the lead instead of pushing for a second goal. We need to grow up a lot as a team. The effort was there, but in these situations, maturity is key.”
Bruno Fernandes had the chance to give United a first-half lead from the penalty spot, but his attempt sailed over the bar. The midfielder later explained that his routine was disrupted by an unexpected bump from the referee before he took the kick. “As a penalty taker, your focus is everything. I was upset he didn’t apologise. But still, I missed because I struck the ball poorly,” Fernandes admitted.
After a promising start where Matheus Cunha twice came close to scoring, United’s energy faded, allowing Fulham to grow into the game. Fulham manager Marco Silva praised his side’s resilience, noting that his players showed composure and belief even after conceding against the run of play.
Smith Rowe’s equaliser was a moment of quality that rewarded Fulham’s persistence, and the hosts continued to press until the final whistle. However, Silva admitted his squad is still short of depth, calling for reinforcements before the transfer window closes. With only a backup goalkeeper signed so far, he stressed the need for at least three new additions to cope with the demands of the season.
For United, two games without a win raises early questions about their ability to compete at the top end of the table. Amorim’s challenge now is to instill the maturity and ruthlessness his team lacked in west London.
