Manchester United’s eight-match winning run at Craven Cottage ended as Fulham earned a 1-1 draw on Sunday, thanks to debutant Emile Smith Rowe’s equaliser from an Alex Iwobi assist.
United missed a golden chance to lead in the first half when Bruno Fernandes blasted a penalty over the bar after Mason Mount was fouled by Calvin Bassey. The breakthrough eventually came in the 58th minute when Leny Yoro’s header from Bryan Mbeumo’s corner deflected off Rodrigo Muniz and wrong-footed Bernd Leno.
Fulham hit back quickly, with Smith Rowe scoring just 93 seconds after coming on, finishing from Iwobi’s pinpoint cross in the 72nd minute.
United’s expensive front line of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Mbeumo failed to unlock Fulham’s solid defence. Sesko struck the post early, while Cunha forced a sharp save from Leno.
For Fulham, Ryan Sessegnon, back from injury, nearly scored in the first half but was denied by Altay Bayindir, who looked more composed in possession than Andre Onana but still shaky on set pieces.
The draw stalls United’s momentum under Ruben Amorim, while Marco Silva’s side earned a confidence-boosting result.
Reflecting on his dream start, Smith Rowe said, “We are very competitive in training. We all want to score goals and contribute to the team. When we come off the bench, we have to work hard and make an impact.”