Carrick’s Reds Seek Vital Response Against Fulham

Two defeats at Old Trafford have darkened the mood. Now Michael Carrick and his players head to west London knowing they badly need a jolt of energy – and a result.

The loss to Manchester City still stings. Erling Haaland’s winner, which many inside the stadium felt should have been ruled out, turned a fiery contest into a bitter talking point. Days later, Brighton & Hove Albion came to Old Trafford and dumped the Reds out of the Carabao Cup. The season’s opening chapter has not followed the script.

So this trip to face the Cottagers in the capital suddenly carries weight. Carrick’s side are desperate to sign off this spell with something positive, something to steady the narrative before it starts to run away from them.

Memories of Late Drama

The last league meeting between these clubs at Old Trafford, back in early February, delivered chaos and catharsis in equal measure.

Two goals up and cruising after strikes from Casemiro and Matheus Cunha, the Reds somehow let the advantage slip. Raul Jimenez dragged the visitors back into it, and Kevin struck to level, turning a comfortable afternoon into a nervous one.

Then came Benjamin Šeško.

Deep into stoppage time, with tension thick in the air, the forward pounced to snatch a dramatic winner. Three points, rescued at the death, and Old Trafford erupted. Those are the kind of moments this current run has been missing.

Šeško, though, will not be the hero this time. He has not travelled with the squad to London.

Craven Cottage Recall

The Reds’ last league visit to Craven Cottage came on the opening away day of the 2025/26 campaign.

Leny Yoro thought he had opened the scoring, only for the goal to be recorded as an own goal by Rodrigo Muniz. It was scrappy, but it put the visitors in front and briefly suggested a routine afternoon.

Craven Cottage rarely does routine.

Emile Smith Rowe struck to level for Marco Silva’s side, and the points were shared. A reminder that in this fixture, control can disappear in a heartbeat.

New Face in the Home Dugout

Plenty has changed on the banks of the Thames since then. Alvaro Arbeloa now leads the Cottagers, stepping in after his spell as head coach at Real Madrid.

His start in the league was harsh: three straight defeats, questions immediately circling. Then came Anfield. Arbeloa returned to his old Liverpool home and came away with a 0-0 draw that felt like a small but significant marker. His team dug in, defended with resolve and left with a clean sheet that suggested their curve is bending upwards.

The signs of improvement go beyond the league. Fulham have pushed into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, seeing off fellow London clubs AFC Wimbledon and West Ham United. Confidence is not soaring yet, but it is no longer on the floor.

Team News: Defensive Reinforcements and a Rising Teenager

Carrick’s selection options are finally beginning to thicken.

At the back, there is hope of a more familiar look. Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez could both return to anchor the defence, while Luke Shaw is pushing to be involved again after missing the last three matches. Shaw has travelled with the squad and, if fit enough, would add balance and experience on the left.

The midfield and attack carry their own subplots. Shea Lacey, fresh from marking his first senior start with a goal against Brighton, has injected a flash of excitement into a bruised dressing room. The teenager’s breakthrough, alongside Mason Mount’s first goal of the season in his own first XI appearance of the campaign, offered at least one bright thread from the midweek cup exit.

Matthijs de Ligt, Carlos Baleba, Manuel Ugarte and Amad have all sat out the start of the season, but there is finally movement there too. Carrick has delivered positive news on both de Ligt and Baleba, and the Dutch defender has been included in the travelling party. A debut in red is now a live possibility.

For a squad that has creaked under the strain of absences and back-to-back setbacks, those returning figures matter. They bring options. They bring competition. They bring pressure on standards.

And with Craven Cottage waiting, under the lights and on the river, the question is simple: do the Reds turn a corner here, or does this season’s story tilt into something far more uncomfortable?