Manchester United’s difficult start to the Premier League season continued with another disappointing result. The Red Devils were held to a 1-1 draw away at Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, September 21, 2026.
Fulham took the lead in the second half through an unfortunate own goal from Lisandro Martinez. Manchester United eventually avoided defeat after Matheus Cunha’s shot took a deflection off a Fulham player, leaving Bernd Leno unable to react in time.
Although United escaped with a point, their performance once again raised questions about the team’s structure and work without the ball.
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville was particularly critical of the way the team defended as a unit. He also identified several attacking and midfield players whose roles could make Michael Carrick’s job more difficult if the problems continue.
Manchester United Still Struggling Under Michael Carrick
The 1-1 draw at Fulham highlighted some of the same concerns surrounding Manchester United’s performances.
Carrick saw his side struggle to maintain an effective defensive structure, especially during the opening stages of the second half.
Fulham were able to put United under pressure, while several Manchester United players appeared less effective when the team did not have possession.
Neville believes the issue cannot simply be blamed on the defensive line or the four defenders.
Instead, he pointed toward the overall structure of the team, particularly the balance between United’s attacking players and their defensive responsibilities.
“I hope he can play all those attacking players. But they will make it difficult for him defensively. It is not just the defence and the back four that is the problem,” Neville said.
Gary Neville Questions Manchester United’s Attacking Setup
One of Neville’s main concerns was the number of attacking players Manchester United are trying to accommodate.
The former United defender believes the team has plenty of individual attacking quality, but having too many players positioned high and wide can create problems when possession is lost.
Neville specifically mentioned Mbeumo and Marcus Rashford.
According to him, both players were positioned too high and too wide, meaning they did not consistently move back into narrower positions when United needed to defend.
He also discussed the midfield combination involving Youri Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo, while highlighting the freedom given to Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha.
Carlos Baleba was another name mentioned during Neville’s analysis.
The players highlighted by Neville included:
- Mbeumo
- Marcus Rashford
- Youri Tielemans
- Kobbie Mainoo
- Bruno Fernandes
- Matheus Cunha
The central concern was not necessarily their ability with the ball. Instead, Neville questioned how effectively they contribute when Manchester United lose possession.
Work Without the Ball Becomes a Major Concern
Neville believes Manchester United currently have too many players who are more comfortable when the team has possession.
That imbalance can become a significant problem in the Premier League, where teams can be punished quickly after losing the ball.
“It would be good to see them score lots of goals, maybe concede one or two and win matches. But structurally, defensively, there has to be a change because too many of them are walking around the pitch,” Neville explained.
His criticism was particularly strong because Neville said he is usually reluctant to question the work ethic of a team.
However, he felt Manchester United’s performance against Fulham crossed that line during certain periods.
Neville described the opening 15 minutes of the second half as particularly poor, while also arguing that United were not good enough without possession for much of the first hour.
Neville Delivers Strong Assessment After Fulham Draw
Manchester United improved after Fulham took the lead and eventually found an equaliser through Cunha’s deflected effort.
For Neville, however, the reaction did not erase the problems he had already identified.
He focused heavily on the first 15 to 20 minutes of the second half, when he felt United’s players failed to move effectively as a defensive unit.
“For 15 or 20 minutes into the second half, Manchester United players were just walking in front of Senne Lammens. That is not acceptable,” Neville said.
The former England international acknowledged that United at least managed to take a point back from Craven Cottage.
Without the late response, he suggested, the situation would have been considerably worse.
The criticism therefore extends beyond the final result. Neville believes the manner of United’s performance could create greater problems if the same patterns continue.
Carrick Faces a Difficult Tactical Challenge
For Carrick, one of the biggest challenges will be finding the right balance between attacking quality and defensive organisation.
Manchester United have several players capable of influencing games in advanced positions. However, Neville’s comments suggest that the team could become vulnerable if too many of those players remain high when possession changes.
The manager must therefore find a structure that allows his attacking players to contribute while also ensuring that the team remains compact.
Neville hopes Carrick will address the issue directly behind the scenes.
“I hope Michael, behind the scenes, really gives them a telling-off about that performance, because that work ethic when they do not have the ball will get Michael into a lot of trouble,” he said.
For Carrick, the challenge is not simply about improving United’s finishing or creating more chances. The team also needs to become more coordinated when defending.
United Cannot Afford the Same Problems Every Week
Neville also pointed to a lack of movement, shifting together and awareness when Manchester United were defending.
Those details could become increasingly important as the season develops.
“If they continue like that, they will concede so many goals, week after week,” Neville warned.
The Fulham draw therefore leaves Carrick with several issues to address.
Manchester United avoided defeat, but Neville’s assessment highlights why the result alone does not tell the full story. The team’s work without the ball remains a major talking point, particularly with several attacking players expected to operate in advanced positions.
The next step for Carrick will be to improve the structure without sacrificing the attacking options available to him.
If Manchester United can find that balance, the players highlighted by Neville can become important parts of the team. If the defensive movement remains inconsistent, however, the pressure on Carrick could increase as the season progresses.
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