0 Goals, 0 Assists: Man Utd Star’s 11 Possession Losses Raise Fresh Questions After Fulham Draw

Manchester United were forced to settle for another frustrating Premier League result on Sunday as Michael Carrick’s side drew 1-1 with Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Red Devils arrived in London looking to recover from last weekend’s defeat against Manchester City, but they once again failed to collect all three points.

United eventually found an equaliser through Matheus Cunha in the 89th minute, with his effort taking a big deflection before finding the back of the net. It was enough to save United from another defeat, but the performance still left plenty of questions around Carrick’s side.

The result means United have now won just one of their opening five Premier League matches, leaving them on five points. Their start has not gone according to plan, and the international break will give Carrick plenty to think about.

One player who will be under particular attention is Marcus Rashford.

The Manchester United forward was given another chance to make his mark from the start, but his afternoon ended without a goal or assist. Once again, there were some promising moments, but not enough end product to make a real difference.

Rashford fails to make his chance count

Rashford started alongside Bryan Mbeumo and Cunha in United’s front three, with Benjamin Sesko unavailable because of a knock.

There was some hope that the England international could finally get his season moving after returning from his loan spell at Barcelona, but the same problem remained.

He could not find the net.

Rashford has now gone without a goal or an assist in the Premier League this season, and his performance against Fulham did little to silence the questions surrounding his form.

The 28-year-old had 56 touches during his 77 minutes on the pitch. He completed 31 of his 35 passes, giving him an impressive 89 per cent passing accuracy, while he also produced four key passes.

However, those numbers did not lead to a goal.

Rashford also attempted four crosses, with only one finding its target. He had two shots on target and completed one of his two attempted dribbles, but he was unable to turn those moments into something decisive.

Perhaps the biggest concern was the amount of possession he gave away.

Rashford lost possession 11 times during the match. For a player expected to be one of United’s main attacking threats, that is an area Carrick will want to see improve.

He was eventually replaced by Joshua Zirkzee in the 77th minute.

Interestingly, wider match data shows that Rashford was still involved in plenty of attacking situations, with six shots and four key passes. However, Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was able to deal with his efforts, while United’s overall attacking pressure did not bring the reward they wanted.

Getty Images

Marcus Rashford’s full stats vs Fulham

*The supplied report’s detailed player figures are sourced to Sofascore; broader match statistics also record Rashford among United’s main attacking contributors. *

Cunha saves United after Martinez own goal

While Rashford struggled to find the decisive moment, Matheus Cunha eventually became the man who rescued United.

The Brazilian had already shown some good moments during the match and continued to push forward as United searched for an equaliser.

Fulham had taken the lead in the 63rd minute after a strange sequence inside the United box ended with Lisandro Martinez turning the ball into his own net.

It looked like Fulham were going to hold on for a huge win, especially after United had struggled to make their pressure count.

But Cunha produced the moment United needed.

His shot in the 89th minute took a significant deflection before beating Bernd Leno, sending the away supporters into celebration.

The goal was fortunate, but United needed something like that after failing to convert their earlier chances. Cunha’s strike also avoided what would have been another defeat for Carrick in a difficult period.

United actually produced a huge amount of attacking pressure. They finished with 29 shots compared with Fulham’s 12, while both sides recorded six efforts on target. United also hit the woodwork twice during the game.

That makes the final score even more frustrating for Carrick.

The problem was not simply a lack of attempts. United were getting into attacking areas, but they were not finishing enough of their opportunities.

Lammens gives United another positive

There was at least one major positive for United at Craven Cottage.

Senne Lammens produced another impressive performance between the posts.

The goalkeeper was forced into several important saves as Fulham threatened, especially during the first half. Sofascore gave Lammens an outstanding 8.6 rating, with six saves, including five from inside the penalty area.

That was important because Fulham had periods where they looked capable of scoring more than once.

United’s defence also had to survive a difficult afternoon, with Martinez’s own goal eventually putting them behind.

The Red Devils then had to chase the game and throw more players forward.

The fact they managed to score late will at least give Carrick something positive to take into the break.

However, the manager will know there are still major problems to solve.

United need more from their attacking stars

The biggest issue for Carrick is that United are not getting enough from their main attacking players.

Rashford’s lack of goals and assists is particularly noticeable because he is expected to be one of the players who can change games.

Having four key passes shows that he was not completely out of the game, and his six shots also show that he was finding opportunities.

But football is ultimately decided by goals.

If Rashford is getting chances without converting them, United will need him to become more clinical when the Premier League returns.

There is also the wider concern around United’s results.

The Red Devils have now collected just five points from their opening five league matches, while the draw at Fulham followed a defeat against Manchester City and a midweek EFL Cup defeat to Brighton.

The pressure will therefore remain on Carrick and his players during the international break.

United have shown enough attacking threat to suggest they can create chances, but they need to become far more ruthless.

For Rashford, the break could be particularly important.

The quality is still there, and his numbers show he can contribute to United’s attacking play, but the lack of goals and assists is becoming difficult to ignore.

If he can return from the break with more confidence and start turning those opportunities into goals, it could give Carrick’s side a much-needed lift.