Fulham vs Man Utd: Football Previews & Free Football Betting Tips
It’s an early-season tone-setter at Craven Cottage as Fulham host a reloaded Manchester United on Sunday, 24 August 2025. The Cottage will be lively, with the home crowd in full voice and a packed away end expecting a response after United’s narrow opening defeat. Tactically, expect Fulham to stick with a tidy 4-2-3-1: organised without the ball, sharp in transition through Emile Smith Rowe and the wide men, and happy to draw United into midfield traps. United have been flirting with a 3-4-2-1 that morphs into a 4-2-3-1 in-possession; width from the wing-backs/full-backs and vertical early service to a new-look front line (Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and support from Bruno Fernandes) are the hallmarks.
Atmosphere: expect noise. Fulham’s late equaliser on opening weekend has the Cottage buzzing, while United’s away end tends to travel big for London dates.
- Doubts/absences: Antonee Robinson (knee) is a doubt; Ryan Sessegnon is working back to full sharpness.
- Available key men: Bernd Leno remains No.1; back line options include Joachim Andersen, Calvin Bassey and new signing Jorge Cuenca. In midfield, Sander Berge partners Saša Lukić/Harrison Reed; Emile Smith Rowe or Andreas Pereira can operate as the advanced 10. Up top it’s Rodrigo Muniz with support from Alex Iwobi/Harry Wilson/Adama Traoré.
- Injuries: Lisandro Martínez (knee) and Noussair Mazraoui (hamstring) remain out.
- Goalkeeper call: André Onana is back in training; selection is a late decision after Altay Bayındır started the opener.
- New faces to watch: Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Šeško and Joshua Zirkzee bolster the attack; at the back, Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt are available alongside Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw/Patrick Dorgu options on the left.
Fulham (last 10 competitive): 5-0-5. Goals: 14 for, 14 against (1.4 GF / 1.4 GA per game). One clean sheet in that run. Pattern: tight margins, decent punch in transition, and a good number of BTTS games.
Manchester United (last 10 competitive): 1-3-6. Goals: 9 for, 15 against (0.9 GF / 1.5 GA per game). Two clean sheets. Pattern: chance creation has been streaky; the new-look forward line is intended to fix that.
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| Metric (last season averages unless stated) | Fulham | Manchester United |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Goals Scored per Game | 1.63 | 0.90 |
| Avg Goals Conceded per Game | 1.42 | 1.50 |
| Clean Sheet % (last 10) | 10% (1/10) | 20% (2/10) |
| Over / Under 2.5 Goals | 50% over / 50% under | 30% over / 70% under |
| Average Points per Game (sample) | 1.42 | 0.60 |
Record: 7-5-7 (win rate ~36.8%).
Goals: ~1.42 scored & ~1.58 conceded per home match (27:30 across 19).
Notes: generally competitive at home, but vulnerable when defending sustained pressure late on.
Record: 4-6-9 (win rate ~21.1%).
Goals: ~1.11 scored & ~1.37 conceded per away match (21:26 across 19).
Notes: struggled to close out away games last season; new forwards are aimed at lifting output on the road.
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Manchester United
- Emile Smith Rowe (Fulham): finds pockets between the lines and links quickly with Muniz/Iwobi. If Fulham break cleanly, he’s often the first receiver.
- Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United): relentless runner who attacks the far post and drives early shots. His off-ball pressing sets the tone for United’s new-look front line.
Prediction: 2–1 Manchester United
Reasoning: United’s revamped attack should generate enough high-value looks even against a disciplined Fulham block, and set-piece threat plus counters give them multiple routes to goal. Fulham will have moments—especially down United’s flanks—but the visitors’ firepower edges a tight game.
Main Pick: Over 2.5 Goals – both sides have pathways to scoring, and United’s attacking additions increase the game’s ceiling.
Value Angle: Both Teams to Score – Yes – Fulham’s recent BTTS rate has been high, and United’s away defence is still bedding in.
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