Fulham vs Manchester United Prediction: 26/1/2025

Fulham FC welcomes Manchester United to Craven Cottage this Sunday, January 26, 2025, in a Premier League clash that will kick off at 20:00. This match on Matchday 23 is surprisingly contrasting for both teams: a very good campaign for Fulham in 9th place and a bad one for Manchester United in 13th.

Fulham have been consistent this season, accumulating 33 points from 22 matches, while Manchester United have only 26 points from the same number of games and continue to struggle with inconsistency.

Fulham FC: Building Momentum

So far this season, Fulham has been one of the surprise packages that have performed above expectation to have sealed a place in the top half of the table. Under Marco Silva, the team has shown great balance between enjoyable football and pragmatic ways of approach.

Their recent run has been commendable, with two wins, two draws, and a defeat in the last five matches across all competitions. The 2-0 win on the road in their last game at Leicester City has shown both an attacking capability and defensive organization to further their credentials of being a hard nut to crack.

At home, Fulham have been really strong, recording four wins, five draws, and just two defeats at Craven Cottage this season. That home advantage, coupled with Silva’s tactical acumen, has been the bedrock on which they have prospered.

This flexibility in Silva’s approach means Fulham can morph into shapes that change with the opposition, always retaining that strong core at the back. It is this balance of flowing attack and resolute defense that has characterized the team this season.

Manchester United: In Search of Stability

This is a very unfamiliar position for Manchester United, which has had a terrible season that saw changes in the managerial positions. With Rúben Amorim, new ideas are being implemented, but the team still needs time to build up.

Recent form reflects that, with two wins, one draw, and two losses in their last five games. Their most recent match finished with a 3-1 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, a result which exposed significant defensive vulnerabilities and furthered the pressure on Amorim to try and change that tide.

United’s away form has also been unsatisfactory: just two wins, four draws, and four losses on the road. These factors make the task against an in-form Fulham harder as they make their way to Craven Cottage.

Amorim’s high-pressing philosophy and movement to attack remains a work in progress, but that requires time to buy into for the squad. Inconsistency remains an enormous hurdle at the moment.

Head-to-Head

Last season, Manchester United won 1-0 at Old Trafford. The current context and form might, however, be very different from what could play out in this match.

Historically, United have dominated this fixture, winning four of the last five meetings. However, Fulham’s recent upturn in form makes them a far stronger proposition this time around.

Recent Form and Results

Fulham have been resilient with two wins, two draws, and one loss in their last five games. Their recent victory against Leicester City underlines their current good form. As for Manchester United, their last five matches have produced two wins, one draw, and two losses, with the defeat to Brighton a sign of struggles that continue to be there.

Prediction

A strong home record, recent consistency, and Silva’s tactical acumen make Fulham favorites for this encounter. Manchester United’s adaptation still in its early days under Amorim, coupled with their poor away form, further tips the scale in Fulham’s favor.

But while United’s historical dominance cannot be entirely forgotten, Fulham’s current trajectory puts them in decent shape for a slender win in this encounter. But as always, that is what makes the Premier League exciting.

Prediction: Fulham 1-0 Manchester United