Fulham vs Man Utd preview, H2H, team news, line-ups and prediction

Fulham will look to record their first home victory against Manchester United since 2009 when they host the 13-time Premier League champions at Craven Cottage on Sunday, 24th August, 2025.

Regular mid-table battlers Fulham approach the 2025/26 Premier League campaign with ambitions of climbing further up the standings.

The previous season appeared capable of becoming Fulham’s most successful since their 2022 return to the Premier League, yet their momentum faded as the second half unfolded.

They ultimately finished 11th, missing the top eight once again despite spending much of the season in contention for European qualification.

Even so, boss Marco Silva deserves praise for shedding Fulham’s infamous ‘yo-yo’ status by cementing their place as a consistent Premier League side.

Positive performances emerged throughout last term, though the Cottagers eventually lost their rhythm. They closed the league in 11th position, just two points shy of the upper half. It was neither a disastrous campaign nor a particularly outstanding one. Fulham claimed 15 victories, suffered 14 defeats, and both scored and conceded 54 goals.

Talk of relegation has been absent at Craven Cottage for some time, and that should remain the case this year despite limited movement in the transfer market.

Since arriving in 2021, Marco Silva has overseen considerable progress. Beyond steering Fulham back into the country’s top division, he has also ensured they compete well at this level.

Fulham recorded their highest-ever top-flight points tally under Marco Silva, surpassing their 2023-24 total by seven points.

The Cottagers struck 54 Premier League goals and conceded the same number, a slight dip in attack compared to the 55 they scored the previous season. Still, defensively they were less resilient—shipping seven more goals than in 2023-24.

Although resources lag behind those of the league’s heavyweights, the Portuguese coach has embedded a defined style and competitive edge into his players.

Fulham have turned into frustrating opponents for the division’s top sides, frequently drawing acclaim for defying expectations through structured defending and sharp counter-attacks.

He will aim to emulate last season’s FA Cup run by again overcoming a strong Manchester United outfit.

The quest for Fulham’s first top-nine Premier League finish since 2011/12 starts with a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.

Their opening home fixture of the season brings United to Craven Cottage — a team they have failed to beat in the last eight home encounters.

Good record

The Red Devils also possess a fondness for travelling to Craven Cottage. Since their double away loss to Fulham in 2009—0-2 in March and 0-3 in December—they have remained unbeaten in nine Premier League fixtures at the ground, emerging victorious in the last eight while drawing once.

In the 2023-24 season, the Red Devils claimed a 1-0 success at Craven Cottage, with Bruno Fernandes delivering the decisive strike in second-half added time.

Following a turbulent 2024-25 campaign, United will be determined to regain stability. However, their opening fixtures provide little margin for mistakes—Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea all appear within their first five league games, though the encounter with Fulham in matchweek two should serve as encouragement given their outstanding record against the West London outfit.

United hold a dominant advantage in the all-time head-to-head with Fulham, registering 58 wins from 93 meetings, tasting defeat only 15 times, with 20 draws in the mix.

In the Premier League era, United’s superiority is even more apparent, having secured 26 victories from 36 encounters with Fulham in that competition, losing only four times.

If there is a glimmer of optimism for fans with Manchester United tickets it lies in the absence of European fixtures. Fewer midweek commitments could provide more extended preparation periods and fresher players, particularly with several vital additions already in place.

The Red Devils have completed three summer acquisitions so far—Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko—while also bringing in Paraguayan youngster Diego Leon from Cerro Porteno. Despite concluding part of their business before the Premier League’s opening weekend, the window still allows for further arrivals.

Amorim will expect his reshaped frontline to erase memories of their disappointing FA Cup exit to Fulham in March by delivering a strong performance and claiming victory, as they must collect maximum points by any practical means with five challenging early fixtures awaiting them.

Fulham vs Man Utd match details

• Date: Sunday, 24th August, 2025
• Location: London, England
• Venue: Craven Cottage
• Kick-off time: 4:30pm BST
• Tickets: The game will be a sell-out but fans can still check out available tickets through resale websites such as Seatsnet.com.

Match stats and head-to-head

• United hold a dominant head-to-head record over Fulham, winning 58 of their 93 past encounters, losing only 15, with the remaining 20 ending in draws.

• Fulham have managed just one victory in their last 18 Premier League meetings with United (D3 L14) — a 2-1 triumph at Old Trafford in the 2023–24 campaign.

• United have also fared well at Craven Cottage; following two away defeats to Fulham in 2009 (0-2 in March and 0-3 in December), they remain unbeaten in nine subsequent league trips there, winning the last eight consecutively (D1).

• Three of United’s last four 1-0 Premier League wins have come against Fulham, each featuring goals scored in the 78th minute or later.

• Last season’s 1-0 league success over Fulham was only United’s third win in their last 20 top-flight matches in London (D5 L12) — all three achieved at Craven Cottage, alongside a 2-1 win in November 2022 and a 1-0 victory in November 2023.

Team news

Marco Silva has ruled out Antonee Robinson for the opening fixtures of Fulham’s Premier League campaign, with the defender still recovering from knee surgery in May. The 27-year-old has missed the entirety of pre-season and will sit out the clash with Brighton and possibly the meeting with Manchester United.

Fulham’s concerns at left-back deepened when Ryan Sessegnon was forced off against Frankfurt, though Silva expressed hope that he will recover in time for the Brighton match. “He felt something… we’ll see in the next few hours or days how he reacts,” the manager explained, confirming the winger will undergo tests.

In goal, Bernd Leno is expected to retain his No. 1 spot despite the addition of Benjamin Lecomte, with Joachim Andersen and Issa Diop likely shielding him at centre-half. Kenny Tete is tipped to start on the right due to Timothy Castagne’s ankle problem.

For United, Benjamin Sesko may be eased in gradually by Ruben Amorim after only joining the squad a week before the season begins. Injury management remains a significant factor for the visitors: Andre Onana, who missed the entirety of pre-season with a hamstring issue, has returned to training and could reclaim his place in goal, pushing Altay Bayindir back to the bench.

Meanwhile, Joshua Zirkzee missed the Fiorentina friendly due to fitness concerns, Noussair Mazraoui has not played since coming off at half-time against Leeds United, and Lisandro Martínez is still sidelined with a cruciate ligament problem.

One positive for United is Bryan Mbeumo, who, despite featuring only twice in pre-season, showed sharpness against Everton and Fiorentina, linking up effectively with Amad Diallo—a combination that could earn him a competitive debut from the start.

Predicted starting lineup

Fulham predicted starting lineup:

Leno, Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon, Berge, Lukić, Wilson, Pereira, Iwobi, Jimenez.

Man Utd predicted starting lineup:

Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko.

Prediction

With no European commitments, Ruben Amorim has ample time on the training pitch to implement his ideas fully. When the Portuguese coach replaced Erik ten Hag last November, his job was more about damage control than long-term problem-solving.

He swiftly assessed the squad and decided who was ready for the fight the club faced and who was not.

Now, with new signings in place and a demanding start to the season, United will be eager to take maximum points against a Fulham side they have not lost to at Craven Cottage since 2009.

Meanwhile, Marco Silva will take encouragement from Fulham’s FA Cup win over the Red Devils last season, aiming for a strong performance as they push for a potential top-eight finish this campaign.

We’re predicting a 3-1 win for Man Utd.