Man United draw with Fulham: Michael Carrick equals unwanted Premier League record to match 12-year worst in damning stat

By Lewis Nolan | 20 Sep 2026 19:28, Last updated: 20 Sep 2026 20:49

Manchester United's draw with Fulham means they have their joint-lowest points tally after five games of a Premier League season (five) since 2014-15.

The Red Devils travelled to Craven Cottage on Sunday, but they left with just a point after drawing 1-1 with the Cottagers.

Michael Carrick was fortunate that his side left with anything given they needed Matheus Cunha to score a late equaliser to avoid a defeat.

United have now played five games in the Premier League, and they head into the international break with just five points.

That represents their worst start after five league fixtures since they picked up five in 2014-15 under the direction of Louis van Gaal.

Losing to Fulham would have added immense pressure on Carrick, but while a point may ease some of the calls for him to be replaced, his team's start to the season has still been poor.

Losses against newly-promoted Hull City and 10-man Manchester City were damaging, and though they beat Ipswich Town 5-2 in late August, their opponents squandered numerous chances.

Fulham were bottom of the table prior to Sunday's clash, yet they managed to remain competitive for large periods of the game.

The Red Devils are already four points from the top five despite having a favourable first five fixtures, so it is easy to understand why fans are concerned about the team in the coming months.

Carrick cannot be pleased with the point at Craven Cottage, and he will rightly be worried about the next set of fixtures.

United will have to play against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brentford, Liverpool and Arsenal in their next 10 league games, while they will also have to contend with several Champions League matches in that time.

There are gaps in the Red Devils' squad, and their first-team starters are also lacking in quality, so it would not be surprising if fans had to endure a period of negative results heading into the winter.

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