Manchester United were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, September 20, 2026. While the late equaliser from Matheus Cunha prevented another defeat, Harry Maguire believes the Red Devils should have made better use of the opportunities they created.
The Premier League fifth-round clash saw Fulham take the lead in the 63rd minute after Lisandro Martinez scored an own goal. Manchester United had to wait until the 89th minute before Cunha found the equaliser with a deflected effort.
The result gave United only one point from their trip to London.
For Maguire, however, the match offered a clear lesson. Manchester United need to be more clinical when important opportunities arrive, particularly in difficult away fixtures.
Harry Maguire Wants Manchester United to Take Their Chances
Maguire believes Manchester United had several important opportunities during the first half but failed to turn them into goals.
The England defender stressed that away matches in the Premier League are rarely straightforward. As a result, teams need to make the most of the chances and moments they create.
“We have to take our chances and the moments we get. When you play away in the Premier League, it is difficult and you can see that from the results that have happened this year,” Maguire said.
For Maguire, the first half represented a missed opportunity.
Manchester United had moments that could have changed the game, but they were unable to make them count.
“When we got those moments in the first half, they are big moments in the Premier League and you really have to take them,” he added.
The defender also admitted that United did not start the second half strongly enough.
Poor Start After Half-Time Proved Costly
Although Fulham did not create a large number of chances, Maguire felt Manchester United were below their required level during the opening stages of the second half.
Fulham eventually broke the deadlock through an unfortunate own goal from Martinez.
The goal came after United had failed to maintain the same level of performance they had shown earlier in the match.
“In the first half we had to take our moments, whereas at the start of the second half we weren’t good enough, although they didn’t really create many chances,” Maguire explained.
“That was a really unfortunate goal to concede,” he added.
The comments highlight one of the key frustrations for Manchester United. Even when an opponent is not creating numerous clear opportunities, a single moment can still change the outcome.
For Maguire, that makes United’s failure to take their own chances even more significant.
Manchester United Showed a Better Response
Despite falling behind, Maguire was encouraged by the way Manchester United reacted.
The Red Devils increased the pressure on Fulham and continued pushing forward in search of an equaliser.
That pressure eventually produced a reward in the 89th minute.
Cunha’s shot from outside the penalty area struck David Affengruber before changing direction and finding the back of the net.
Maguire felt the reaction was a significant positive compared with Manchester United’s previous performance.
“Our reaction was much better and more positive than last week and to concede that goal after the week we had, the players showed incredible spirit and reaction,” he said.
Manchester United continued to push Fulham deeper into their own half.
“We kept pushing them further and further back and the pressure didn’t stop; we just needed the ball to drop or bounce our way,” Maguire added.
The defender believes United could even have won the match if the equaliser had arrived earlier.
“It’s disappointing the goal didn’t come earlier because we had the momentum to win the game,” he said.
Cunha Rescues a Point for United
The equaliser ensured Manchester United avoided leaving Craven Cottage without anything to show for their efforts.
Cunha’s late goal came at a crucial moment and gave United the chance to take one point back to Manchester.
However, the result also highlighted the importance of finishing chances earlier.
Had United converted their first-half opportunities, the match could have developed very differently.
Instead, they found themselves chasing the game after Fulham took the lead.
For Maguire, the ability to turn promising moments into goals remains an important area for improvement.
Maguire Urges Manchester United to Ignore the Noise
The draw came during a period when Manchester United have faced considerable attention surrounding their performances.
Maguire believes the team must avoid becoming distracted by external pressure and instead focus on what happens on the pitch.
The defender wants Manchester United to use the international break as an opportunity to analyse their performances and continue working on the areas that need improvement.
“You have to block out the noise and really believe and think about what we have done this year, what we need to work on and improve, but we are not too far away,” Maguire said.
His assessment suggests that Manchester United do not view the situation as something that cannot be fixed.
Instead, Maguire believes relatively small details could make a significant difference to the team’s results.
United Have Time to Work on the Details
The international break now provides Manchester United with time to reflect on the Fulham draw.
For Maguire, there are several clear areas that need attention:
- Manchester United must convert more chances.
- The team needs a stronger start after half-time.
- Defensive concentration must be maintained throughout the match.
- The positive reaction after conceding should be replicated earlier.
- Players must remain focused despite external pressure.
- The team needs to improve the small details that can decide matches.
Maguire also believes there are positive aspects that the team can take from the performance.
The reaction after Fulham scored was one of them.
Rather than losing control of the game, United increased the pressure and eventually found the equaliser.
Maguire Sees Room for Improvement
The 1-1 draw at Fulham leaves Manchester United with plenty to work on, but Maguire does not believe the team is far away from achieving better results.
The 33-year-old defender wants the squad to use the international break productively before returning to Premier League action.
“So now we will have the break and come back. We know we need to improve, but we will work hard and take the positives from today’s game,” Maguire concluded.
For Manchester United, the message is clear. The team must become more efficient when chances arrive while maintaining the character they showed after going behind.
The point at Fulham prevented another defeat, but Maguire’s assessment highlights why United need to turn positive moments into more decisive results if they want to move higher up the Premier League table.
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