Man Utd vs Fulham live on May 18, 2021: Will the Red Devils welcome the return of fans by beating the Cottagers?

May 18, 2021 By Ali M.

Topics: TV Schedules, Manchester United, Fulham, English Premier League

The Red Devils will be looking to return to winning ways in the penultimate fixture of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign.

Man United vs Fulham – preview

Man United are gearing up for the penultimate game of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, with the Red Devils set on achieving one goal and one goal only: returning to winning ways. A home clash with Fulham awaits them, with this Old Trafford encounter scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET.

Solskjaer's side are all but destined to finish the Premier League campaign as runners-up. Third-placed Chelsea are only four points behind but given that there are only two rounds left in the season, Man United are unlikely to throw away their advantage.

Their last two opponents are teams that rank in the bottom half of the English top-flight table. First up is Fulham, one of three teams whose relegation have been confirmed. After that is a trip to Wolves, who sit 12th in the table.

The main focus for Man United is the Europa League final against Villarreal, set to take place on May 26, as Bruno Fernandes and Co. look to build up momentum ahead of that fixture. The Red Devils have lost three of their last four outings, albeit one was a meaningless 3-2 defeat to Roma in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final showdown.

Their last two outings have ended in defeats, losing 2-1 to Leicester followed by a 4-2 downfall against Liverpool. Both of those results came at home, but with 10,000 supporters expected at Old Trafford for the first time in 14 months, Solskjaer will be hoping for a proud performance.

As for Fulham, there is little they can do. The Cottagers have already been relegated, having picked up only one point in their last eight outing and having gone winless since their 1-0 triumph at Liverpool back in March 7. With only five wins throughout the 2020/21 campaign, Scott Parker's side could not avoid an early return to the Championship.

Team news

Man United: Harry Maguire remains on the sidelines, with the English defender targeting a return for the Europa League final. Elsewhere, Anthony Martial, Phil Jones, and Daniel James are also out. Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood have been in excellent form and will likely lead the attack, with Paul Pogba eyeing a spot in Ole's midfield.

Fulham: Fabio Carvalho could retain his spot in Parker's starting XI after scoring vs Southampton. Terence Kongolo, Tom Cairney, and Antonee Robinson are out for the visitors.

Key stats

Fulham haven't beaten Man United in any of their last 12 showdowns, losing 10 and drawing two.
The Red Devils have triumphed 18 times in their last 22 encounters with the Cottagers, suffering only two defeats (D2).
However, there is hope for Scott Parker's side as Man United have conceded 27 goals at home this season, the most they've ever let in at Old Trafford in a single top-flight campaign since 1962-63 (38).