United’s Cottage hex: reckoning Sunday

Craven Cottage stages a memory test and a reckoning.

Fulham haven’t beaten Manchester United here since 2009; United have won eight of the last nine league visits, often with late knives.

Marco Silva’s side finished 11th last season, 54 scored and 54 conceded: stubborn structure, flashes of bite, a push for more.

United arrive with urgency. Early fixtures bite, and Rúben Amorim wants points banked now. No Europe means longer weeks, harder sessions, fewer excuses.

Team news shapes the chessboard. Antonee Robinson is out after May knee surgery; Ryan Sessegnon is a doubt. Bernd Leno stays No.1 behind Kenny Tete, Joachim Andersen and Issa Diop. Further forward, Sander Berge, Saša Lukić and Andreas Pereira feed Harry Wilson, Alex Iwobi and Raúl Jiménez.

Embed from Getty ImagesFor United, André Onana has trained after a hamstring layoff. Benjamin Šeško may be eased in; Joshua Zirkzee has fitness checks; Noussair Mazraoui is a question; Lisandro Martínez remains sidelined long term. Bryan Mbeumo’s sharp preseason link with Amad Diallo tempts a start.

Projected XIs

Fulham: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Berge, Lukić; Wilson, Pereira, Iwobi; Jiménez.

Man United: Onana; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Šeško.

The edges decide it: second balls, set pieces, the press after loss. Fulham will trap and counter; United must keep shape and strike first. Purpose favors the side that runs together.

Prediction: Fulham 1–3 Manchester United.

The streak lives, the statement lands, and Amorim’s rebuild finds early oxygen.

Craven Cottage listens as old patterns write new chapters.