Fulham v Manchester United: Premier League preview and team news for Craven Cottage

Fulham will host Manchester United at Craven Cottage on September 20 in the fifth matchweek of the 2026-27 Premier League season, the clubs and organisers confirm. The fixture precedes a weekend of league action and arrives with both teams carrying recent form questions into the contest.

Managed by Alvaro Arbeloa, Fulham have taken three defeats and one draw from their opening four Premier League games and arrive at Craven Cottage off a 3-2 Carabao Cup victory over West Ham United. The club’s cup success is recent match action that the side will seek to build on at home.

César Palacios produced a significant attacking contribution in the Carabao Cup win, scoring one goal and providing an assist; the 21-year-old registered the most touches in the opposition box (8) and the most shots (4) in that game. The report accompanying the preview singled out Palacios’s involvement as a key feature of Fulham’s cup performance.

Manchester United have lost back-to-back matches, dropping points first to Manchester City in the Premier League and then being eliminated from the EFL Cup after a 2-3 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, a game in which they surrendered a two-goal lead. Bruno Fernandes has returned three goals and one assist across Manchester United’s first four Premier League fixtures and has been used in an attacking midfield role, according to the preview.

Injury absences are listed for both sides: Fulham will be without Kenny Tete and Tom Cairney due to injury, while Ryan Sessegnon is reported as a doubt with a lack of fitness. Manchester United are missing Amad Diallo, Manuel Ugarte, Carlos Baleba, Matthijs de Ligt and Tom Heaton through injury, and Luke Shaw’s involvement is described as not yet confirmed because of fitness issues.

The preview included the following squad lists and a result prediction. Probable lineups as presented: Leno (GK); Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Iwobi; Bobb, King, Palacios; Garcia

Lammens (GK); Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Dorgu; Tielemans, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Rashford; Cunha

Prediction: Fulham 1-2 Manchester United.

Broadcast arrangements for viewers in India are specified: the match will be available on JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network. For further updates the preview advises following Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, downloading the Khel Now Android or iOS apps, or joining their Telegram community.