August 24 Fulham vs Manchester United: Preview of the second round of Premier League focus battle

At 23:30 on August 24, 2025, the second round of the Premier League will usher in a focus matchup, with Fulham playing against Manchester United at the Craven Farm Stadium. Neither team won the first round of the game, and both were eager to start a good journey of the new season with a victory. This game is destined to be full of highlights and suspense.

1. Analysis of the recent situation between the two sides

(I) Fulham

Fulham showed tenacious resilience in the first round of the league. Facing the strong Brighton away, the team did not have the advantage in the field (the ball possession rate was only 42%), thanks to Rodrigo Munis' key goal in the 96th minute, tied the opponent 1-1, and gained a valuable point. During the offseason preparation stage, Fulham played three high-quality warm-up matches, defeating Nottingham Forest, Jeddah United and Frankfurt successively, and the team's running-in and competitive state were effectively improved. Last season, Fulham finally ranked 14th in the Premier League standings, with an overall performance of modestness.

From the lineup, Fulham basically retained the main framework of last season, and the team's playing style is relatively mature. On the offensive end, forward player Raul Jimenez is still the team's offensive core. He scored 12 goals in 38 league games last season, and his strength cannot be underestimated. However, he failed to score in the first round of the new season and was eager to get his shooting boots back in this game. In addition, Rodrigo Munis scored a goal when he came on as a substitute in the first round and was in good shape and was expected to win more playing time in this game. In the midfield position, Emiliano Buendia and other players are responsible for organizing and dispatching, creating opportunities for the front line through precise passes. However, the team currently has serious injuries. Left-back Anthony Robinson will be absent for a long time due to knee surgery, and Ryan Sesenion also missed this game due to a muscle strain, which puts the team in the left defense and may become the area where the opponent focuses on attacking.

(II) Manchester United

Manchester United's performance in the first round of the league is regrettable. They played against Arsenal at Old Trafford Stadium. The team had the advantage in the field. They completed 22 shots in the whole game, far exceeding Arsenal's 9 times, but their offensive efficiency was inefficient and they never broke through the opponent's goal. Instead, they made mistakes on the defensive end and eventually lost to Arsenal 0-1 and suffered a black opening. In the offseason warm-up match, Manchester United's performance was remarkable, with an unbeaten record of 3 wins and 2 draws in 5 games, showing a good competitive state. However, Manchester United performed poorly last season, with only 11 wins, 9 draws and 18 losses, ranking 15th in the standings and ranking poorly for two consecutive seasons, which also put huge pressure on new coach Ruben Amorin.

In order to improve the team's strength, Manchester United has made frequent moves in the transfer market this summer, spending huge sums of money to sign strong forwards such as Mateushi Kunia, Brian Mbeumo, Benjamin Scheshko, and other strong forwards, and their forward strength has been greatly enhanced. In the first round of the game, the performance of new players Cunya and Mbeumo was remarkable, causing a lot of trouble for Arsenal's defense. Their speed and impact will become important offensive weapons for Manchester United in this game. In addition, Manchester United's midfield core Bruno Fernandez still plays a key role, and his passing creativity and offensive organization are key links in the team's offense. But the team's injury problem is also serious. Goalkeeper Andre Onana was injured with a hamstring, center back Lisandro Martinez torn the cruciate ligament, full-back Nussel Mazravi was injured in his thigh, and many main players on the defense were absent, which greatly reduced the team's defensive stability and brought huge tests to young players and substitutes.

2. Interpretation of tactical play

(I) Fulham

Fulham usually adopts a 4-2-3-1 formation in tactical terms. On the defensive end, the team mainly adopts a low-post defensive strategy, compressing the opponent's offensive space through tight defensive formations and active interceptions by midfielders, reducing the opponent's effective pass and shooting opportunities in the offensive third zone. When defending, full-backs pay attention to cooperating with central defenders to limit their opponents' wing breakthroughs. On the offensive end, the team relies more on long passes and rushing tactics, using the high-altitude advantages and physical fitness of forward player Jimenez, to compete for the first place and create a second offensive opportunity for midfielders and wingers. At the same time, the team will also make breakthroughs and crosses through the winger's personal abilities to find offensive players in the penalty area. Settings tactics are also one of Fulham's important scoring methods. In the first round of the game against Brighton, the team created many threatening offensive opportunities through settings.

(II) Manchester United

Under the leadership of new coach Ruben Amorin, Manchester United adopts a 3-4-2-1 formation. In defense, the team emphasized high-level pressing, and through the active oppression of midfielders and wingbacks, they forced the opponent to make mistakes in the third zone of the defense, thereby gaining the ball and launching a quick counterattack. The three central defenders system focuses on complementing each other and assisting defense. The wingbacks need to return to defense in time when defending and strengthen the defensive power on the wing. On the offensive end, the team mainly plays the ball-control tactics, through the short pass penetration of midfielders and the wingbacks' side insertion, expanding the offensive width and creating more offensive space for the forwards. The joining of new players has enriched the team's offensive methods. The speed and personal abilities of players such as Cunya and Mbeumo make Manchester United more threatening in counterattacks. At the same time, Seschko's role as a fulcrum in the center position can also create more passes and shooting opportunities for offensive players behind him.

3. Review of historical confrontations

In the past confrontations between the two sides, Manchester United has a clear advantage. In the last 10 matches, Manchester United has achieved a record of 7 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss. Last season, Manchester United beat Fulham double in the league, with the scores of 2-0 and 1-0 respectively in two games.. However, Fulham is not without an upset chance, and in a game in February 2024, Fulham beat Manchester United 1-2 away, ending his losing streak against Manchester United. Although past confrontation data are beneficial to Manchester United, football matches are full of variables. Fulham will definitely do his best to try to break this unfavorable situation.

4. Game victory and loss forecast

Taking into account the recent situation, lineup, tactics and historical confrontation between the two sides, Manchester United is relatively stronger in terms of strength. The team has many outstanding players and its offensive firepower has been significantly improved. But Fulham's home advantage cannot be ignored. The team can often stimulate stronger combat effectiveness when fighting at home, and the resilience shown in the first round also proves that the team has the ability to compete with strong teams. The injury problem on Manchester United's defense line may become an unstable factor in the game. If Fulham can seize the loopholes on the opponent's defensive end, he has the opportunity to score through tactics such as set pieces and counterattacks. Manchester United is expected to take the initiative on the court in this game, but Fulham will not easily surrender, and the game may be very stalemate. Predicted score Fulham 1-2 Manchester United, who is expected to win the first victory of the new season in a difficult away game. But the football game is full of uncertainty, and the final result depends on the on-the-spot performance of the two teams in the game.