Manchester United’s winning run might have ended last week with a disappointing 2-2 draw against Burnley, but The Red Devils did well to bounce back and secured a solid 1-0 win at Leicester the last time out. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men remain one of the hottest teams in the Premier League, and keep inching closer to a potential Top 4 spot, something that looked unlikely a few months ago. They will aim to start another winning streak this Saturday, as they will travel to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham. This EPL fixture will kick-off at 12:30 GMT.
Team News
Manchester United’s absentees list has gotten bigger. Marcos Rojo trained all week and could available soon, but Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian will both be out for “a few weeks”. Solskaer described their injuries as “niggles”. There are no other injuries, but there is a chance of some rotation. After all, United play PSG next week and with a crowded calendar on the horizon, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Norwegian tactician decides to shake things up a bit.
On the other hand, Fulham will continue without Alfie Mawson and Marcus Bettinelli, since both are long-term absentees. Defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah is ineligible to play since he’s on loan from The Red Devils. January signings Lazar Markovic and Havard Nordtveit won’t be fit enough to start; however, they might be eligible off the bench if Ranieri decides it that way. Last but not least, both Andre Schurrle and Cyrus Christie will be available. The German missed last week’s match, while the full-back has been experiencing fitness issues of late.
Form guide
Manchester United are playing at a very high level right now. The 2-2 draw against Burnley probably wasn’t on anyone’s plans, but the win over Leicester helped the team get back to winning ways when they needed the most. That win extended the team’s undefeated run under the tutelage of Solskjaer. With nine wins and one draw in 10 matches, The Red Devils are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to form. But they will need to be at their best if they want to get a positive result from Craven Cottage. Manchester United own a W7, D2, L4 mark away from home during the current term, and they have won their four away league matches with Solskjaer at the helm.
Meanwhile, Fulham are coming off a 0-2 loss to Crystal Palace the last time, and that represented their fifth defeat in their past six matches. However, they have been showing signs of life when playing in front of their fans. Fulham have won two of their past three league outings at Craven Cottage, and that only defeat came against another Top 6 opponent such as Tottenham. Undoubtedly, United must be on their toes at all times. Fulham know a win here could be clutch on their quest to avoid relegation. And that motivation could make them a dangerous side come Saturday.
What is our recent record against Fulham?
We’ve met Fulham on 83 occasions, the first of which took place in 1905, and Manchester United own a solid return of 50 wins, 19 draws and 14 losses. If we focus entirely on the Premier League era, The Red Devils have won 19 of the 27 games against The Cottagers. Could they extend that positive claiming all three points once again?
Predicted outcome
Fulham have been playing better of late. However, United have looked quite solid away from home as well. Therefore, I wouldn’t be surprised if the game finishes with both teams scoring. Plus, when it comes to find a winner, it’s impossible to discard United’s current run of form. They have everything in their favour to come out with a win out of Craven Cottage.
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