Premier League Gameweek 23 Fulham vs Manchester United

  • FIy999 2025/01/25 08:10
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In a rematch from the inaugural fixture of the 2024-25 Premier League season, Fulham and Manchester United renew hostilities at Craven Cottage on Sunday evening.


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Joshua Zirkzee's debut Premier League goal to see off a dogged Fulham side feels like a long time ago now for Man United, whose delayed decision to give Erik ten Hag the boot and hire the much-coveted Ruben Amorim is yet to truly bear fruit.


Last weekend's battle of the juvenile head coaches saw 39-year-old Amorim conquered by 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler, as the latter's Brighton & Hove Albion side left Old Trafford with a merited 3-1 victory to their name, subjecting Man United to a torturous 10th loss of the top-flight season in the process.


Entering the gameweek in a lowly 13th place in the table, Man United could drop as low as 15th spot if they fail to take care of business and results elsewhere do not go their way, and they also remain closer to the relegation zone than the top seven points-wise.


An unwanted personal record would be set for Amorim should the Red Devils come up short on Sunday, as the Portuguese has already suffered six top-flight losses since taking the Old Trafford reins; never in his embryonic managerial career has he lost seven league matches in a single campaign.


However, Sunday's visitors received a Bruno Fernandes-sized shot in the arm on Thursday evening, as Amorim's captain produced a heroic late intervention to sink Rangers in the Europa League, thus propelling the Red Devils to their third victory from their last four games in all tournaments.


Also harbouring realistic aspirations of competing in Europe's second-tier tournament next season, Fulham endeavour to slay Manchester United present after defeating Manchester United past last weekend, making light work of Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester City.


Emile Smith Rowe's brave diving header and Adama Traore's strike saw Fulham earn their first Premier League success of 2025 at the third time of asking, having previously come out on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline at West Ham United after a four-goal stalemate with Ipswich Town.


However, that reverse to the Hammers represents the Cottagers' only loss from their last 11 games in all tournaments, a steady sequence that has allowed them to cement a place in the top half of the Premier League standings, only four points shy of seventh-placed Bournemouth heading into the weekend.


Thanks to Smith Rowe and Traore's efforts at the King Power, Silva's men have now struck two goals in each of their last five Premier League matches, but converting one point into three is not always their forte; each of the hosts' last four top-flight home games has been drawn.


A stalemate would still be an improvement on Fulham's recent Craven Cottage results against Man United, who have triumphed on each of their last seven Premier League visits to the Cottagers' turf, last succumbing to defeat in 2009 when Damien Duff, Bobby Zamora and Danny Murphy were on the scoresheet.


Fulham possible starting lineup:

Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Traore; Jimenez


Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez; Diallo, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund

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