Fulham

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Fulham and Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

Fulham fans

Jeremy: A young team learning their trade. So close to a memorable win. Calvin Bassey/David Affengruber are building a great pairing. Joachim Andersen is causing us issues, after a great few years. Let the youngsters loose with Bernd Leno and Alex Iwobi.

Gordon: We played really well. Once we made the last substitutions, we set up to defend and that was our mistake. If we had taken Josh King off but replaced him with Emile Smith Rowe, we might have kept them more at bay and held on for the win. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. The team and manager should be proud of the performance but keep chins up and make sure our next game is as good. Keep the faith.

Keith: Have been a Fulham fan since 1974 with all the ups and downs. Can any Fulham fan please tell me why it seems we cannot defend a lead and concede so many late goals? Surely it must frustrate many Fulham fans and not just me.

Hillary: Just bad luck for the London boys. They were resilient and put pressure on the Red Devils - a draw wasn't bad, though.

Man Utd fans

Nigel: That was difficult to watch. Slow, laboured build-up with too many square and back passes. Once United reached the final third, the forward momentum halted and the ball inevitably went back or square. None of the forwards are producing the goods. It is clear to me that the starting eleven are a collection of individuals not yet gelling as a team. Michael Carrick must find a solution to that over the international break.

Peter: We learned that this team is not tactically good enough to do what we expect. Is it the players? Or the management team? Is it the owners? Is it all three? Whatever it is, this must be resolved sooner rather than later. With the Champions League looming, this could be embarrassing!

Mohammad: This team is disjointed with no leadership on the field. A bits-and-pieces team with lack of effort and lack of teamwork. You cannot score goals with nobody in the penalty area. Trying to do too much meaningless passing with every position, not performing to Premier League standards, whether it's the goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, or nothing going forward.

Mike: How have Manchester United gone from beating Manchester City, Arsenal and getting into top four after a rough start last season... to this mess again? They don't look like they have the desire. Same man in charge but a completely different looking team?

Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Tottenham are among several Premier League clubs monitoring 24-year-old Venezuela and Real Sociedad defender Jon Aramburu. (Teamtalk), external

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Fulham starting XI:

Bernd Leno: On his toes to make an early save from Lisandro Martinez and scrambling when Matheus Cunha's effort looped onto a post. Denied Bryan Mbeumo with a full-length save. 7

Timothy Castagne: Booked for bringing Marcus Rashford down as Manchester United broke in the second half. 6

David Affengruber: Excellent defence-splitting pass to release Josh King, but he couldn't finish. Exceptionally fortunate to escape after being outwitted by Matheus Cunha close to the goalline but stepped in to take the ball off Bryan Mbeumo as he looked to counter. 7

Calvin Bassey: Not the easiest game positionally as Manchester United played without an orthodox centre-forward. Got forward to create Fulham's goal. 7

Antonee Robinson: Pushed into advanced areas in the inside forward position, which caused the visitors a defensive issue. 7

Sander Berge (Off, Larsson 76): Shot from the edge of the area turned away by Senne Lammens. 7

Shea Charles: Midfield partnership with Berge key in protecting Fulham defence when the visitors had extended spells of possession around the home area. Passing let him down on occasion. 6

Oscar Bobb (off Kevin, 70): Rolled an effort just wide of the post and probably should have done better. 6

Josh King (off Andersen, 79): Always looking to get on the ball and threaten. Took a good save from Lammens to deny him at the far post and his shot across goal was going in without the visitors' keeper kicking it away. Blotted his copybook by getting booked for diving. 8

Alex Iwobi (off Palacios, 70): Also tried to exploit the inside left channel when Fulham went forward. Low cross almost created a chance for Gonzalo Garcia and another deep one did for King. 7

Gonzalo Garcia (off Muniz, 79): Half a stride away from having a tap-in from an Iwobi cross from the left. 6

Fulham substitutes:

Palacios (on 70, Iwobi): Kept Fulham ticking over. 6

Kevin (on 70, Bobb): Settled in well. 6

Larsson (on 76, Berge): 6

Muniz (on 79, Garcia): 6

Andersen (on 79, King): 6

Subs not used:

Lecomte, Manuel Angel, Sessegnon, Smith Rowe.

Read the full article and see how you rated the players

Sam Drury
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Following three consecutive losses to start the season, Fulham might not have been thrilled to see a trip to Anfield and the visit of Manchester United as their next fixtures.

But they could yet prove two of the most important games of Alvaro Arbeloa's reign.

Two points gained, a feeling that with a little more luck they could have won either, and more than enough in the performances to see what the Spaniard wants from his side.

As at Liverpool last weekend, there was some eye-catching football on show from Fulham, playing out from the back and going smoothly from one end to the other in a flash.

The exciting Josh King, still just 19, will rightly be praised for his showing but perhaps the key for the west Londoners will be the vastly underrated Alex Iwobi.

The former Arsenal and Everton midfielder is 30, and has matured into an incredibly smart, if unglamourous player.

Playing from the left, he is responsible for conducting so many of Fulham's attacks and more often than not his decision is the right one as shown by his game-high five chances created, all without misplacing a pass.

With Bernd Leno in fine form, perhaps the one thing Arbeloa's team most need now is new striker Gonzalo Garcia to find his feet - and, more importantly, the net.

Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "I'm upset because we were so close, very unlucky with the goal we conceded. It is what it is, we need to keep working and improving. We knew this month would be difficult against top teams. I think we are in a good way.

"Both goalkeepers did good saves, many chances for both teams, two strange goals. Obviously we are upset to concede at the end.

"Calvin [Bassey] is one of the best at the back in the Premier League, he plays at a high level with and without the ball. He is doing so good.

"We have young players but also players with experience, like Sander [Berge] and Alex [Iwobi]. We have a good mix.

"We want points, that's the most important thing, but I think my players are working hard and open to learn. They are playing in the way we want to play. If we continue playing this way the victories will come.

"We now have three weeks without many players, some stay here and we will work with them. When they come back we will start again."

Did you know?

• This is just the fourth time that Fulham have failed to win any of their opening five games in a top-flight campaign (with 1951-52, 2011-12 and 2020-21), while they have been relegated in two of the previous three (51-52 and 20-21).

• There were 26 shots in the first half of this match between Fulham (nine) and Manchester United (17), the most in the opening half of a Premier League game with no goals scored on record (since 2003-04).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Fulham's performance

What did you make of Man Utd's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.

There are four games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Bournemouth v Liverpool - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Leeds United v Crystal Palace - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Manchester City v Sunderland - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Fulham v Manchester United (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated.

Follow all of the action and reaction here

How to follow the Premier League weekend across the BBC

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Bournemouth v Liverpool" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Sunderland match", for example.

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Watching Fulham draw at Anfield last weekend changed my view on them.

I had not seen Alvaro Arbeloa's side over 90 minutes before and, while their other results were poor, this time they were excellent.

They cut through Liverpool and had some nice patterns of play, but also defended well too. Arbeloa said afterwards that they played with more balance and I think that is a good way to describe their display.

Then I went to Manchester United's defeat by Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and their performance was very poor.

Michael Carrick really needs a response with a win here to take into the international break, but how can I give United a chance after the way the Seagulls absolutely dismantled them?

Three times in the past four seasons, United have gone to Craven Cottage and nicked the win late on, but I can't make a case for that happening.

As well as having problems up front, United are struggling defensively and I can see Fulham creating plenty of opportunities against them too.

Sutton's prediction: 2-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Chris Adams
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United travel to Fulham on Sunday with both sides in desperate need of a win going into the lengthy international break.

The Red Devils, who were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton on Wednesday, have won just one of their opening four Premier League games this season to leave them 13th, already eight points adrift of the early pace-setters Arsenal and Manchester City.

The Brighton defeat rounded off a difficult few days for United head coach Michael Carrick, whose side were insipid in the Manchester derby loss to 10-man City last Sunday. Throw in the uncertainty over academy star JJ Gabriel's future and Carrick is in dire need of three points on the road in west London.

The good news for him is that United's recent record against Fulham is outstanding; they have lost just once in the past 21 league meetings between the two sides, winning 16 and drawing four.

Should Sesko start?

The only out-and-out centre-forward at Carrick's disposal, Benjamin Sesko, has been used as a substitute in the four league games so far, scoring once off the bench against Everton.

With his team drawing blanks in two of those four games, there are calls for the Slovenia striker to start at Craven Cottage, having netted a stoppage-time winner against the same opposition at Old Trafford last season.

The Red Devils have had more shots than any other top-flight side across the first four matchdays of this season, but aren't among the division's top four scorers. So far, only Brighton (10.2) have accumulated a higher xG than United's 8.3.

Although Sesko struggled to make an impact midweek against Brighton, he is fully recovered from the shin injury he sustained in early May, so Carrick may turn to the club's joint-top scorer from last season in the hope he can convert some of the many shots United are creating.

Fears for Fulham

Winless Fulham find themselves in the relegation zone after four games, with new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa cursing his luck just two months into the job.

The Spaniard's side, currently 18th, were booed off at Craven Cottage after a third successive league defeat against Crystal Palace on 5 September. All three have come via a one-goal margin.

A draw against Liverpool at Anfield last Saturday and a 3-2 midweek win over West Ham United in the EFL Cup have given the Fulham faithful some cause for optimism, though - as has Josh King's continued good form.

King, still only 19, is the Cottagers' top league scorer with two goals and the Londoner has his sights set on a senior England call-up this season. He was one of four youngsters to feature in Thomas Tuchel's pre-World Cup training camp in Florida, along with Alex Scott, Rio Ngumoha and Ethan Nwaneri.

Since the start of last season, when he cemented his place in the Fulham side, the only teenager to make more appearances than King in Europe's top five leagues is Yan Diomande, who joined Real Madrid from RB Leipzig for an initial fee of £107m last month.

On 1 February, the last time the two teams met, late goals from Raul Jimenez and Kevin threatened to earn Fulham a point, before Benjamin Sesko's late winner.

That result triggered a worrying collapse in form – since then, the only ever-present side in the division to win fewer points than Fulham are Tottenham. It is a rut Arbeloa must urgently get out of.

Holly Bacon
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Manchester United at Craven Cottage (kick-off 16:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Kenny Tete is not available for selection "after the ball hit him in the Anfield game". They will have to "make a decision" on Ryan Sessegnon, who is set to train on Friday, while Tom Cairney is "still recovering".

• Arbeloa said Fulham have been working on their defensive game "from the first day" and admitted they conceded some "easy goals" against West Ham in the Carabao Cup in midweek. He added: "It's always more or less the same when we score a goal - maybe we are a little bit relaxing. I don't know why but we need to improve and we need to work in this type of situation."

• On the extended international break: "We will have time to work with the players that stay here with us and we will play a friendly game, but it's not the best moment when you are working so hard. It is what it is and also we are thinking about the game against Manchester United. If we can do a very good game, it will be a better international break."

• Arbeloa was asked how close he thinks Josh King is to a senior England call-up: "I'm not the coach of the England national team but I think Josh is ready. I don't see too many players like him in this league. He's just 19 years old, with the talent he has and obviously he's a really hard-working player. He's making a difference and I think he has the level to be in the national squad."

• Arbeloa said they have to play at their "best level, the same level we saw at Anfield" when they face Michael Carrick's side this weekend. He added: "We are facing one of the best teams in the world and we know that and we need to be ready."

• On Carrick being under pressure, he said: "Every Premier League manager is under pressure. It's not because [of] what comes from outside, it's because you have to be really demanding of yourself. All the managers want to win every weekend. For sure, when you are a coach of a big team you are always under pressure, but same for me because I need to win games. Both teams will want to win the game on Sunday, so it's going to be a good battle."

• On referees and the technology in the game, Arbeloa said "they can do better for sure" but also stressed that "we are behind them" and "trying to support referees".

Listen to full commentary of Fulham v Man Utd on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds on Sunday

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Fulham? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

Image source, Getty Images

The draw for the Carabao Cup fourth round has been made. Here is a list of all the ties in the order they were drawn.

• Fleetwood Town v Arsenal

• Manchester City/Norwich v Brighton

• Everton v Newcastle

• Sunderland v Brentford

• Liverpool v Chelsea

• Bradford v Peterborough

• Fulham v Crystal Palace

• Bournemouth v Aston Villa

The matches will be played in the week commencing 26 October.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Fulham sealed their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round by beating West Ham in a five-goal thriller at London Stadium.

Here are two of your replies:

Mike: We looked good going forward every time but, yet again, there was terrible defending. Joachim Andersen caught my eye especially - why do we keep playing him? I'm really pleased for Oscar Bobb, he took his goal well. It was a fantastic performance from Cesar Palacios, plus a good goal to top off his player-of-the-match performance.

Bill: Basically a squad team was selected, but despite that we played really well and we deserved the win. Palacios is improving with every game, I think he will be a match-winner for us many times this season. Bring on Manchester United this weekend. I can see our first win coming!

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has been speaking to FFCtv, external after his side sealed a spot in the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 3-2 win over West Ham United: "I'm so happy - job done. The target was to be in the next round and we did that.

"We prepared for the game really well and we put out a good performance, so I'm happy with my players for their effort and the result.

"West Ham United is a Premier League team with top players, but we prepared very well for them. I made a lot of changes because I thought it was the best way to take on this game and to face them.

"We had a very good first half. I was a little bit upset at half-time because we conceded two goals that we just cannot concede and we could've scored more goals ourselves. I thought all the players did a good job in the second half, though. The players that came on did a good job to help us win the game."

On rotating his squad: "They were asking for an opportunity and training so hard, so they all deserved the opportunity. They all did really well. I'm so happy with Rodrigo Muniz's goal, he deserved it with the way he is working. Kevin was playing in a new position, but he did his best. It was Hugo Larsson's first game as well.

"Cesar Palacios was amazing. He is a very young player, so he will need time, but you can see his quality. He could've maybe even scored one or two more, but he is doing so well. I'm very happy for him. Oscar Bobb scored his first goal and I don't think it will be his last."

On the away support: "We are much stronger with the fans behind us. We know it wasn't the best start to the league season, but we need them. We have a massive game on Sunday so we will need them again for that. The only thing we can promise is that we are working so hard and we always give our best."

Fulham winger Oscar Bobb has also been speaking to FFCtv after scoring the winning goal at London Stadium: "We played really well at times. I felt we dominated the first half, but we were a bit sloppy towards the end of it. As soon as the second half started, we were controlling. They got back into the game and it opened up a bit.

"Obviously it was a great feeling to score. We felt like we had the game, even though they had some chances at the end. It was very nice to pull through it."

On getting his first goal for the club: "It has taken so long, but thankfully I've got it now. Hopefully I can continue scoring. It is definitely time for us all to kick on. We hope to get our first three points of the season before the international break."

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Fulham's performance

Reaction to follow - and come back on Wednesday for a selection of your replies.

There are five Carabao Cup third-round ties on Tuesday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Peterborough v Barnsley (19:30)

• West Ham v Fulham (19:45)

• Liverpool v Tottenham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Ipswich v Arsenal - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Reading v Brentford

Kick-off times 20:00 BST unless stated

Follow all the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentaries on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Liverpool v Tottenham" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Ipswich match", for example.

New this season: Live match updates

Fans of Premier League clubs can now get real-time scores live on their phone lock screen for every game.

Simply follow your favourite football teams on the BBC Sport app for updates throughout the 2026-27 season.

Find out more here

Image source, BBC Sport

New this season: Match of the Day Predictor

Simply predict the outcome of the six fixtures we've selected from across domestic and European competitions every week.

Players can join at any time, get involved with the latest round and start building a streak.

Read more about it here

You can find the predictor in the navigation bar at the top of this page, or on this link

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte has signed a one-year extension to his deal at Craven Cottage.

The 35-year-old Frenchman arrived on a two-year contract from Montpellier in July 2025 and has now committed to the Whites through to summer 2028.

Lecomte has featured in eight cup ties for Fulham, who face Championship side West Ham at London Stadium in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday (19:45 BST kick-off).

"I feel really good here with the team, also with all the staff members and all the people in the club," Lecomte told Fulham's official website, external.

"It's really good to have this extension and to move forward with the club."

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Carabao Cup third-round fixture against West Ham United at London Stadium (kick-off 19:45 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Ryan Sessegnon is dealing with a "small groin problem", which explains his exclusion from the matchday squad last time out. The club are waiting on his scan results, but he won't be available for the cup tie, confirmed Arbeloa, and he will be assessed again before Sunday's game against Manchester United.

• It was "important" for Fulham to claim their first Premier League point of the season against Liverpool, but "three points is always the goal".

• However, he added: "In a situation where it wasn't easy for us, the players did what we worked on in training during the week and everything we worked on was almost perfect. We knew we needed to adjust the things that weren't going well, and I think we did that."

• Fulham are still hunting for their first piece of major silverware and Arbeloa is hoping his "self-demanding" nature will take his side far in the domestic competitions this season.

• For that reason, the Cottagers are approaching this fixture as a cup final: "We know in this case that if we don't win the game, we are out of the competition. We know it is a final for us. It is very important to beat them and go into the next round."

• When asked about facing another one of his former clubs in West Ham United, he replied: "What a week this is for me!"

• Nuno Espirito Santo's side are "performing so well" in the Championship this season, having suffered Premier League relegation last term, and Arbeloa insisted they will be "a difficult team" to beat away from home.

• He added: "They have a Premier League level squad, so they aren't Championship opposition in my opinion. If we want to beat them, we will have to perform well."

• After rotating 10 players for Fulham's second-round win over AFC Wimbledon, the Cottagers boss intends on bringing in some "fresh legs" and handing "opportunities" to those players who deserve it.

• When asked about his influence in signing David Affengruber, who made his full debut at Anfield, he responded: "I already knew him very well. I talked about him with the club at the beginning of the summer, but they were looking at other players. They wanted someone who was of a similar profile to other Premier League centre-backs at first."

• On the defender's strengths, he added: "He has that personality, he is so intelligent with the ball, he is strong, he has the pace and he understands the game very well. I believe he can play even better than he did."

Follow all of Monday's news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Fulham? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Liverpool and Fulham.

Here are some of your comments:

Liverpool fans

Ian: The Fulham goalkeeper could have gone home, he wasn't needed. There was a total lack of effort all through the Liverpool team. We definitely need a left back because Tsimikas and Kerkez were woeful. A football match best forgotten.

Jack: Drab and disappointing. Fulham had a doddle against us and it is absolutely unacceptable for us to have a £350m+ attack and for Leno to be so untested and for their backline to be so unconcerned. The two small positives we can take are a clean sheet and another stellar Jacquet performance, but the one huge negative is it looks like we're going to struggle with two games a week. Worries starting to set in.

Xavier: Our defence is stabilising, thanks to Jacquet and Ronald. Attack is okay, they can score goals but there are no balls in the final third. I blame the board for not strengthening the midfield ever since Fabinho left. There's no coordination at all. A natural six is needed to strike a balance, if not we are doomed.

Fraser: Not a good performance but this is a learning curve for Iraola. We are nowhere near a finished product and a work in progress. Fans need to be patient with Iraola, it is going to take time for his ideas to get across our players. Disappointing start to the season, but no need to panic just yet.

Fulham fans

Jeremy: After four poor games defensively, Fulham were fabulous in defence. Bassey has a partner! The attack will come - lightweight but energetic and will click and gel as the weeks go by because King is magical and such a quick learner. Stansfield would fit in these front four perfectly. Just need a Mitrovic or Kane.

Terry: Arbeloa told us to "trust the process " and, on the basis of this evidence, he was right! He made a couple of changes and they made the difference. Affenberger was fantastic alongside Bassey, and Castagne and Robinson ran themselves into the ground. Berge and Charles controlled the midfield brilliantly, and King fully deserved his POTM award. Liverpool were made to look poor because we didn't allow them to play.

Quinn: We need to accept the reality of how much Liverpool's win against Atletico affected their performance. However, it felt like a more solid performance from Fulham and I think that, and the team selection, suggests Arbeloa is learning. Stability first, then flair. Next home game will be crucial.

Rob: Much much better after the carnage in the first two home games. Something to build on and positive signs. Not many sides will earn a shut out at Anfield this season.

Aadam Patel
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Against a Fulham side who had conceded seven goals in their first three league games, this should have been the ideal opportunity for Liverpool to build on their momentum and for Andoni Iraola to show this squad can cope with two games a week.

Instead, the hosts looked like a different team from the one Anfield saw on Wednesday and were far too flat throughout.

A return of six points from their first four games is hardly cause for concern, but Iraola will surely be disappointed they have already dropped four points at Anfield, with draws against Nottingham Forest and Fulham.

Including last season, that is now four home Premier League draws in a row for them as they failed to score in a home league game for the first time since Leeds visited in January.

For Fulham, this was a big step in the right direction after a poor start and proof, if needed, that the team are playing for their manager after they were booed off at home last week.

Affengruber was superb on debut and so was the captain and his centre-half partner Calvin Bassey. Fulham also had more touches (24) in the opposition box than Liverpool (18).

Arbeloa's side face the three promoted sides in October and there will be a better indication of his start to life in London by then.

But here, on familiar territory for the Spaniard, there were plenty of positives.

Had his side been more clinical, they could have snatched a notable success, but Arbeloa became the first ex-Liverpool Premier League player to pick up a point against his former side as a manager - following defeats for Paul Ince, Mauricio Pellegrino and Steven Gerrard.