Cunha’s Late Deflected Strike Rescues a 1-1 Draw for Manchester United at Fulham

Manchester United avoided a third defeat in a week thanks to a late and fortunate equaliser at Craven Cottage on Sunday 20 September. Lisandro Martinez’s own goal had given Fulham a 63rd-minute lead, but Matheus Cunha’s shot from outside the area took a big deflection off Fulham defender Affengruber in the 89th minute and wrong-footed Bernd Leno to secure a 1-1 draw.

The point left Michael Carrick’s side with five points from five matches, their worst Premier League start in years and equal to their 2014-15 tally, according to Sky Sports. Fulham, meanwhile, were denied a first league win under Alvaro Arbeloa and moved off the bottom only on goal difference.

How the goals came

United dominated the ball and created plenty of chances, but they struggled to beat Leno. Bruno Fernandes hit the post in the first half after a Cunha cut-back, and Cunha also struck the woodwork with a deflected effort. At the other end, Senne Lammens had to make a leg save from Josh King.

Fulham went ahead on 63 minutes in painful fashion for the visitors. Calvin Bassey’s shot from distance was parried by Lammens, and the ball hit Martinez and went into the net. It looked as though that would be enough for the hosts until Cunha’s late intervention.

The equaliser was not without controversy. Around 35 seconds before the goal, United were awarded a free-kick in midfield for a foul by Cesar Palacios on Harry Maguire. Fulham felt the decision was soft, and Arbeloa made his feelings clear afterwards.

• Result: Fulham 1-1 Manchester United, Sunday 20 September 2026.
• Fulham goal: Lisandro Martinez own goal (63) after Lammens parried Bassey’s shot.
• United goal: Matheus Cunha (89), deflected in off Affengruber.
• Woodwork: Bruno Fernandes and Cunha both hit the frame of the goal in the first half.
• United had far more shots, with NBC Sports counting 29 attempts to Fulham’s 12.

Arbeloa’s complaint and Carrick’s view

Arbeloa suggested officials had been influenced by events in United’s previous league match, the Manchester derby. “All fouls for them,” he said. “I knew after the game against Man City that they [would not] let Manchester United lose here.” He also described Maguire as “a guy who is 100 kilos”. Later in his press conference, he walked back the remarks, citing his limited English and saying he preferred to focus on his team’s performance.

Former United defender Ashley Young, speaking on Sky Sports, disagreed with Arbeloa. “It’s definitely a foul,” he said. “Palacios isn’t looking at the ball, he’s straight into Maguire’s back.”

Carrick felt his team deserved more. “I thought we should’ve won the game, we created enough to win the game,” he said. Speaking to NBC Sports, he defended his team’s approach: “Not having control doesn’t mean you’re passive. Football’s a difficult game. We controlled a lot of the first half.”

Analysis: United’s week of warning signs

The context makes this result more significant than a single draw. United arrived at Craven Cottage after losing the Manchester derby at Old Trafford and then being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton, who came from two goals down. A defeat here would have made it three losses in a week. The point stopped that sequence, but the performance was far from convincing for long periods.

The statistics tell a slightly different story. United had many more attempts at goal than Fulham and hit the woodwork twice. The problem was quality in the final third rather than quantity. Many of the efforts came from distance or from awkward angles, and Leno dealt with those he needed to. When the equaliser came, it needed a deflection.

Cunha was United’s most dangerous attacker, and his involvement in both the first-half chances and the late goal underlined his importance. Fernandes also found space to create, but United’s movement in the box was not sharp enough to turn pressure into goals. Five points from five games is a poor return for a club of United’s ambitions, and the pressure on Carrick will not ease until the results improve.

Lammens will also have mixed feelings. The goalkeeper made several good stops, including the leg save from King, but his parry from Bassey’s shot fell straight onto Martinez. It was the kind of moment that goalkeepers and defenders dread: an effort that looked manageable turned into a goal by a ricochet. United’s defensive organisation was not the main problem on the day, but individual moments continue to cost them.

Fulham’s frustration

For Fulham, this was a painful near-miss. Arbeloa’s side have drawn three and lost two of their opening five league matches and seemed poised for a first win until the final minute. The own goal came from a positive action, with Bassey shooting from range, and their defence absorbed long spells of pressure.

• Fulham remain without a Premier League win under Arbeloa.
• Their record reads no wins, three draws and two defeats.
• Leno made several important saves to protect the lead.
• They moved off the bottom of the table on goal difference.

The manager’s comments about the officials will draw attention, but they also reflect how close Fulham came. A win would have lifted the mood significantly before the international break. Instead, they must wait until October to try again, with an away trip to Ipswich Town on 10 October their next league fixture.

What comes next for United

United’s next Premier League game is at home to Tottenham on Saturday 10 October, in the 17:30 UK kick-off, which is 00:30 on Sunday in Malaysia. That is followed by a Champions League trip to Atletico Madrid. Both matches will test whether Carrick can find a more consistent attacking level.

For United supporters across Malaysia, the late equaliser brought relief rather than satisfaction. The team avoided another defeat, but the underlying performance raised familiar concerns about ruthlessness in front of goal. With a demanding October ahead, Carrick will use the break to work on turning the volume of chances into a higher conversion rate.

The result also highlighted how fine the margins are at this stage of the season. A deflection decided the outcome, but it will not change the assessment that United need to improve. Fulham, equally, will feel that the result reflected their determination rather than their luck. Both clubs begin the break with plenty to consider.