Manchester United are set to face Fulham at Old Trafford this afternoon in a Premier League match where interim boss Michael Carrick seeks to continue his impressive start. Since taking over from Ruben Amorim, Carrick has guided United to victories against Manchester City and Arsenal, propelling them into the top four. However, after Chelsea and Liverpool's wins, United have dropped to sixth and will be keen to reclaim their position.
Carrick is wary of complacency against a Fulham side that is currently seventh in the league, just four points behind United. Fulham have won five of their last eight league games and are pushing for a top-four finish themselves. They also have a decent record at Old Trafford, with two wins in their last three visits, including a penalty shootout victory in last season's FA Cup. In the reverse fixture in August, the teams drew 1-1, with Bruno Fernandes missing a penalty.
Manchester United will be without the injured Patrick Dorgu, who is expected to be sidelined for around 10 weeks with a hamstring issue. Matheus Cunha is set to replace Dorgu on the left wing. Matthijs de Ligt remains unavailable due to a back issue. Joshua Zirkzee has returned to training after recovering from a knock but is unlikely to start.
Fulham's danger man is Harry Wilson, who has scored three goals in his last four Premier League games. United will need to be careful not to concede free-kicks in dangerous areas, as Wilson is a threat from set-pieces. Fulham recently signed Oscar Bobb from Manchester City, but it is unclear whether he will feature in the game.
The confirmed lineups are as follows:
- Manchester United XI: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko.
- Fulham XI: Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson; Iwobi, Berge; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Chukwueze; Jimenez.
Michael Carrick is aiming to match Ruben Amorim's best-ever winning run in the job by securing his third consecutive victory. However, he is downplaying the team's progress and expecting a tough test against an in-form Fulham side. The match kicks off at 2pm UK time and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Fans are also planning to protest the ownership ahead of the game.