New Season, Old Problems for Manchester United

LONDON, SUNDAY — Manchester United has embarked on a new season with many new player additions, yet they remain entangled in old problems. They frequently lose concentration when defending and struggle with finishing. Fulham capitalized on the visitors' weaknesses and managed to steal points at the end of the English Premier League match.

MU took the lead first through an own goal by the opposing striker, Rodrigo Muniz, at the beginning of the second half. The team coached by Ruben Amorim only needed to maintain their one-goal advantage for the remaining 17 minutes of normal time to secure their first three points of the season on Sunday (25/8/2025) WIB.

However, the visiting team was caught off guard in the 73rd minute. Fulham equalized through substitute player Emile Smith Rowe. He scored with his first touch on the field just 94 seconds after entering the game. Smith Rowe capitalized on a cross from creative midfielder Alex Iwobi, which was originally intended for striker Raul Jimenez.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw. This result feels unusual for MU. Typically, Craven Cottage has always been a point reservoir for the "Red Devils." They have consistently secured full points from the stadium located in London for the past 15 years. The last time MU failed to win there was in August 2010 (score 2-2).

Iwobi, the provider of the assist, revealed the secret to successfully containing the visiting team. When attacking, they deliberately targeted the two pivot midfielders of MU in the 3-4-2-1 formation. "We knew we could get behind those two midfielders. Their three defenders would not push up to help. We exploited that," said the former Arsenal player.

One of the midfielders is the team captain Bruno Fernandes. He is the biggest "sinner" in Fulham's equalizing goal. Fernandes was unresponsive to Smith Rowe's off-the-ball movement into the penalty area. He merely passively waited outside the penalty area. Rowe received the ball in the penalty area without any Manchester United players marking him.

I kicked the ball really badly. I put my foot too low.

The issues of concentration and awareness in defense still seem to haunt the Red Devils. This problem has persisted over the last few seasons. They often concede goals due to the movements of opponents from the second line, especially when pressured in crucial moments. The midfielders often focus solely on the presence of the ball.

Amorim stated that the longstanding issue arises from a mentality problem. "After scoring, we only think about the result and forget the things that need to be done. We should focus on our performance if we want to win. We need to control the game better and put more pressure on the opponent. We were less intelligent in that moment," he said.

Amorim's opinion is valid. The tactician fielded a highly offensive squad in the second half, especially after taking the lead. Manchester United's three new strikers, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha, played together. Fernandes, originally an attacking midfielder, also remained trusted as one of the pivots in midfield.

In reality, after MU's opening goal, Fulham managed to push back. The home team dominated possession with 56.4 percent and had a higher number of shots. The advantage of MU's players in the offensive aspect did not have a positive impact. Instead, it became a weak point when they had to defend with a low block.

On the other hand, MU's final resolution is still problematic up to the second week. After only scoring 44 goals last season, their players have yet to find the net in the new season. The presence of Cunha and Mbeumo, who combined for 35 goals last season, has not been able to change the fortunes of the Red Devils.

Cunha had two golden opportunities early in the match. The first shot hit the post, while the second was saved by goalkeeper Bernd Leno. The sight seemed unusual, as Cunha was the second-most efficient player in the league last season in terms of goals-to-xG (expected goals).

The issue of confidence in the penalty box has become the biggest question for MU at this time. This problem was further highlighted after Fernandes failed to execute a penalty kick in the first half. The shot from the Portuguese national team player soared high above the crossbar. Fernandes is known as a specialist penalty taker.

There was a minor incident before the penalty execution. While preparing to take his position, Fernandes accidentally collided with referee Chris Kavanagh. He was angered by the referee's carelessness. Fernandes briefly argued with Kavanagh. Then, he placed the ball again and started his kicking ritual from the beginning.

"I am disappointed. As a penalty taker, you have habits that you follow. What disappoints me is that the referee did not apologize. That provoked my emotions, but it is not an excuse for the penalty failure. I kicked the ball very poorly. I placed my foot too low," explained Fernandes.

Fulham manager Marco Silva stated that the penalty should not have been awarded in the first place. Kavanagh was initially unaware of the foul committed by Fulham defender Calvin Bassey against midfielder Mason Mount. The penalty was only given after the intervention of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). The main referee changed his mind after reviewing the replay on the monitor.

"In that same situation, two violations occurred simultaneously. (Luke) Shaw against Rodrigo (Muniz) and Bassey against Mount. Both were violations. This is increasingly hard to believe, especially after we conceded. In the goal (MU), our player was pushed while trying to head the ball," said Silva.

Despite the many controversies and having to share points, Silva and Amorim are quite satisfied with the performance of their team. The two coaches from Portugal are proud because the players have fought hard. This performance can serve as a stepping stone for the upcoming matches. (AP/REUTERS)