A revitalised Manchester United return to Old Trafford on Sunday, looking to cement their top-four status against a Fulham side harbouring European ambitions of their own.
The Michael Carrick era has begun in spectacular fashion, with consecutive victories over Manchester City and Arsenal propelling the Red Devils into fourth place. While those high-octane wins re-energised the fanbase, Carrick now faces a distinct tactical challenge: maintaining momentum in a fixture where United are the heavy favourites.
Fulham arrive in the North West in historic form, having amassed 17 points from their last eight games—the best such run in the club’s Premier League history. Sitting seventh and just four points off the Champions League spots, Marco Silva’s men are no longer mid-table observers but legitimate continental contenders.
Manchester United vs Fulham – Match preview and team news
Date: Sunday, 1 February 2026
Kick-off: 14:00 GMT
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
Referee: John Brooks
VAR: James Bell
Last Meeting: Fulham 1–1 Manchester United (24 Aug 2025), Premier League
Team News
Manchester United
The Red Devils suffered a significant blow this week with news that Patrick Dorgu is set to miss approximately 10 weeks. The youngster sustained a serious hamstring injury after his wonder-goal at Arsenal. Matheus Cunha, the midweek match-winner, is the primary candidate to replace him in the starting XI. While Matthijs de Ligt (back) remains sidelined, Joshua Zirkzee has returned to training and could feature in the matchday squad.
Fulham
The Cottagers announced the £27 million signing of Oscar Bobb from Manchester City on Friday, but the winger is currently injured and will not debut this weekend. Marco Silva is hopeful that Kenny Tete can return to the squad. While Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, and Samuel Chukwueze have all returned from AFCON, Chukwueze’s involvement is uncertain following a family bereavement. Sasa Lukić and Rodrigo Muniz remain out.
United are currently on a six-game unbeaten run in the Premier League (W3 D3), the longest ongoing streak in the division. Their recent results under Carrick include a dominant 2–0 derby win and a thrilling 3–2 victory at the Emirates. Notably, United’s win rate with Bryan Mbeumo in the starting XI is 50%, compared to just 20% during his recent absence at AFCON. A win today would see Carrick equal the longest league winning streak of his predecessor.
Fulham
Marco Silva has turned Fulham into a clinical attacking unit, particularly from dead-ball situations. Since December, only two sides have scored more set-piece goals than the Cottagers (7), which accounts for 41% of their total goals in that period. Their recent form is highlighted by a 2–1 win over Brighton and a hard-fought 0–0 draw with Chelsea. Furthermore, Harry Wilson has provided nine goal contributions in his last 10 appearances, the best rate by a Welshman in the top flight since 2019.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester United Predicted XI: Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martínez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mainoo; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Ultra HD. Coverage begins at 13:00 GMT on both television and the Sky Go app.
