Man United’s London Struggles and Late Drama: Three Subplots Ahead of Fulham Game

Manchester United face Fulham at Craven Cottage, a ground where they have a historically strong record. However, their overall performance in London has been poor, and recent matches between the two sides have been nail-bitingly close.

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Manchester United are gearing up for their first away challenge of the 2025/26 season with a trip to Craven Cottage, where they’ll face Fulham. This fixture carries plenty of storylines for fans to follow, especially considering the storied history between the two sides.

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1. Struggles in London

Despite United’s exceptional form at Craven Cottage, their track record across London as a whole is far less impressive. Over their last 23 Premier League away games against London clubs, they’ve picked up just three wins—all against Fulham—while suffering 15 defeats and settling for five draws. With seven London teams currently in the league, this poor return is something United must address if they want to push higher up the table.

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2. Nail-Biting Finishes

Fans can expect another tense contest on Saturday. Recent clashes between United and Fulham have tended to be decided in the dying moments: the winning goal in each of their last four league meetings has been scored after the 78th minute. Remarkably, all six goals between these two teams over the past two seasons have come in the second half, and neither fixture has witnessed a first-half goal in that spell.

Late drama has become the norm—Bruno Fernandes settled the contest in November 2023 with a stoppage time strike, while Lisandro Martinez produced a last-gasp winner earlier this year.

As United head back to Craven Cottage, their remarkable run there stands in sharp contrast to their wider London woes and recent history hints at another dramatic finish.

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3. United’s Stronghold at Craven Cottage

United’s record against Fulham speaks volumes: out of 94 encounters, the Red Devils have claimed victory in 58 matches and drawn 20 times, with Fulham managing only 16 wins. Under manager Ruben Amorim, United have been particularly tough for the Cottagers to crack, losing just three of their last 23 meetings—including a dramatic defeat via penalty shootout in this year’s FA Cup at Old Trafford.

But when it comes to playing at Craven Cottage, United have been almost untouchable. They haven’t lost there since way back in 2009, boasting eight consecutive Premier League wins at Fulham’s ground. The BBC notes that United have never won nine away matches in a row against any club in their top flight history—so this game could see them set a new record.