Manchester United's Crucial Clash at Craven Cottage: A Reset Under Carrick

Manchester United head to Craven Cottage on Sunday with questions swirling and patience thinning.

Two defeats in four days – a bruising Manchester derby loss and an EFL Cup exit to Brighton & Hove Albion – have checked any early-season optimism under Michael Carrick. Four league games have brought just a single win. Thirteenth place is not where this club expects to be.

Carrick, though, is not walking into west London with the same side that folded in midweek. This trip to Fulham looks like a reset.

Carrick rips it up after cup collapse

The cup defeat has triggered what amounts to a full-scale reshuffle. Several first-choice names are poised to return, with the manager ready to lean back on his core group.

At the back, there is some overdue good news. Luke Shaw, absent for the losses to Brighton and Manchester City with a minor muscular problem, is in line to reclaim his spot at left-back, pushing Noussair Mazraoui out of the XI. Diogo Dalot is expected to keep his place on the right.

The centre of defence should have a very different look. Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez are set to come in, with Senne Lammens taking over in goal as Carrick freshens the spine of his side.

In midfield, Kobbie Mainoo is tipped to displace Andrey Santos. The youngster’s energy and composure on the ball could be crucial in trying to steady a team that has looked loose and vulnerable between the lines. Youri Tielemans is likely to sit alongside him in a 4-2-3-1.

Injuries bite, but key figures return

Carrick still has to juggle a significant injury list.

• Carlos Baleba remains out with an ankle problem.
• Manuel Ugarte is sidelined with a knee issue.
• Tom Heaton is unavailable, and Amad Diallo has yet to play a minute this season after damaging his ankle in pre-season.

Matthijs de Ligt is edging closer. The Dutch defender continues his recovery from back surgery and has resumed individual training, but he has not yet rejoined full sessions and will not be rushed back into the squad.

Those absences strip away some depth, especially in midfield and defence, but the likely return of Shaw and the reintroduction of Maguire and Martinez at least restore a familiar structure at the back.

Rashford at risk as Sesko chases first league start

The biggest selection call may come in attack.

Marcus Rashford is at risk of dropping out, with Carrick considering a more fluid, hard-working trio behind the striker. Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are all in line to start and could form the creative band tasked with supplying Benjamin Sesko.

Sesko is eyeing his first Premier League start of the season, a significant moment for a forward brought in to lead the line in exactly these kind of high-pressure fixtures. United need a focal point. They also need goals.

If Carrick backs Sesko from the start, it sends a clear message: this is the striker around whom the attack will be built.

Predicted Manchester United XI

Carrick is expected to set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 at Craven Cottage:

Senne Lammens; Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw; Kobbie Mainoo, Youri Tielemans; Bryan Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha; Benjamin Sesko.

Kick-off is at 16:30 on Sunday, 20 September 2026, with the game broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event.

United arrive wounded, reshuffled and under scrutiny. Craven Cottage will show whether this is just an early-season stumble – or the start of something far more troubling.