Premier League
Fulham (0) 1 Martinez og 63
Manchester United (0) 1 Cunha 89
They were so close to ending a 17-year wait for a home win against pesky United. But as in three of the previous four seasons Fulham were left beside themselves with frustration after conceding a late, late goal.
At least this time it did not mean defeat, as it usually does, but the Whites really could have done with a first win of the campaign heading into the lengthy international break. As it is, they must try to look at the positives as new boss Alvaro Arbeloa tries to get to grips with his new challenge.
At least the point is good enough to get them off the bottom of the Premier League table, at Tottenham’s expense.
Games against the Manchester clubs really have been fixtures from hell for the Whites – and they have come to dread the sight of both City and United at Craven Cottage.
Last year’s 1-1 draw with United at least stopped the rot after eight successive home defeats to them – games which featured the added agony of a succession of late winners for the visitors in 2022 (Alejandro Garnacho), 2023 (Bruno Fernandes) and 2025 (Lisandro Martinez).
The record is two draws and eight defeats in the last 10 meetings at the Cottage – the last win coming back in December 2009, when the Europa League finalists in waiting won 3-0 with goals from Danny, Murphy Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff.
That win is only one of two at home to United since 1966. A total of 26 games, including a couple of cup ties that also went the way of the men from Old Trafford. The record has not been vastly improved after this one.
Throw in the eight home defeats in a row to Man City – 14 in succession by the Thames without winning – and Whites fans could be forgiven for wanting to find something else to do on those days that either of the Manchester clubs are at the Cottage.
Fulham may not enjoy games against United here much but they did their best to alter the script during a first half in which they created plenty of discomfort for United, despite needing some good fortune to stay on level terms.
Both Bruno Fernandes and Mateus Cunha hit the woodwork after United’s most dangerous moves – the former after Cunha had wriggled to the byline past David Affengruber to leave the goal gaping. The latter hit the other post with a deflected shot that had Bernd Leno beaten. Leno also did well to tip away a Lisandro Martinez effort.
But there was encouragement aplenty for Arbeloa’s men in the way they made chances for themselves.
Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi combined beautifully to set up Josh King for a half-volley attempt at the far post. Sander Berge forced Senne Lammens into a low save and Oscar Bobb fired wide – he should have done better – after more good work from the busy Iwobi King was also only denied by the outstretched right boot of United’s keeper.
The hope of pulling off an all-too-rare win against United got a shot in the arm just past the hour when the Whites stole into the lead, and it owed everything to Bassey’s determination to win the ball off Cunha.
The Fulham skipper strode on and fired low at Lammens, who palmed it out into the the path of Martinez and the Argentinian defender could only stab it clumsily into this own net,
United had been pedestrian but now finally realised they needed an injection of pace and urgency.
Bryan Mbeumo forced Leno into a fine save, as did Cunha, who wriggled around Berge to send in a curling low shot which was heading inside the post until Leno got a touch.
Were the Whites guilty of sitting back too much to try and see it out? Arbeloa brought on Joachim Andersen for King and there was now now forward outlet. Pressure was invited and they got punished.
With a minute or so of normal time remaining, Cunha let fly from outside the box full of retreating white shirts and the ball deflected off Affengruber, totally wrong-footing Leno and finding the net.
Whites: (4-2-3-1) Leno – Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson – Berge (Larsson 77), Charles – Bobb (Kevin 70), King (Andersen 80), Iwobi (Palacios 70)- Garcia (Muniz 80)
United: (4-2-3-1) Lammens – Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw (Dorgu 84) – Tielemans, Mainoo (Mount 80) – Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford (Zirkzee 77) – Cunha
Attendance: 27,563
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