Positives and negatives: Manchester United 1-0 Fulham

Manchester United welcomed Fulham in the opening fixture of the 2024/25 season on Friday and while it wasn’t our night under the lights at the Theatre of Dreams, the positives heavily outweigh the negatives.

Positives

Bernd’s brilliant handiwork

We may well have lost, the ball may have found its way into Bernd Leno’s net, but if it wasn’t for the Germany stopper’s supreme exploits, our goal difference could’ve taken a heftier flogging. Outside the top six, possibly even in comparison to some teams within that bracket, we have an elite keeper and I don’t say that loosely either. He genuinely is an astounding warden of the sticks.

He knew where to tread in relation to play ahead of him, he was typically commanding at set-pieces and while a wayward pass of his found its way to Bruno Fernandes, he spread himself expertly to defy the odds and atone his error. He reduced Fernandes to a gargling rat-faced wreck as well, and that alone is worthy of glowing plaudits.

Being a goalkeeper has to be ridiculously frustrating, though. A string of superb saves could stand for nothing in the blink of an eye, but this loss isn’t to Leno’s detriment whatsoever. He was brilliant as ever and to this day, I still pinch myself when I see Bernd’s name on the team sheet. His involvement is vitally important and though he couldn’t record a clean sheet in our opening game, he can be proud of his handiwork.

Adama cooked “The Butcher”

Lisandro Martinez ain’t that guy and he never will be. He bragged on social media of silencing Adama Traore but that couldn’t be further from the truth because “The Butcher” was marinaded and cooked alive, rotisserie style, by our resident baby oil enthusiast and shareholder.

Time and time again, Traore knocked the ball into clear space behind United’s dinky defender and engaged the afterburners. The Spaniard made a habit of hitting the byline as Martinez chugged in retreat and if this is what we’re to expect of him this season, fullbacks are in for a pasting beyond belief. The man is dangerous with a capital D and his biceps are the stuff of legend.

In Portugal and Germany, Adama was scintillating and if he can carry his preseason form into the games ahead, we could witness frightening performances like no other. He was used sparingly by Silva last season between spells on the sideline but this season, if he can remain injury free, he is a starter. This version of Traore doesn’t get rested, he benches you instead.

Tete was terrific

We’ve two terrific right-backs in Timothy Castagne and Kenny Tete, it’s arguably our strongest position overall and though both professionals will want to compete each and every week from the off, this season may well be Kenny’s to take back from Timmy.

Last season, Castagne was seen to be Silva’s first choice right-back with good measure, but it’d be foolish to abandon Tete and in Manchester, the Dutchman reminded us of his undeniable quality. He didn’t allow United’s interchanging attack a minute’s peace when they attempted to advance down the right and he was seldom beaten in one-on-one duels. His combativeness is his strongest asset and it’s that attitude that makes him such an awkward defender to get the better of.

Horses for courses. With Kenny, we can rely on his defensive attributes and in Timmy, we can trust his offensive ability more so. It’s all dependant on who we face and how we intend to set up but against United, Tete was the correct option because we needed to ensure that our defensive structure remained as solid and as stubborn as possible.

He also forced Andre Onana into a fine flying save in the first half as he let rip from range, so while Castagne’s perceived to be the more able attacker of the two, sleeping on Tete isn’t advised. Either way, we are spoiled for choice where capable fullbacks are concerned and that will always stand us in good stead. Well in, Kung Fu Kenny!

Sasa set his standards

Partnered by Andreas Pereira in the centre of the park, Sasa Lukic’s core responsibility was to shore things up while his attack-minded teammates progressed and while he’s no Joao Palhinha, I’d say he did a suitable job against United’s opposite numbers and that I can applaud.

The Serbia international was aware of his surroundings in esteemed company, he was irrepressible when the ball was there to be won and when he had to eat up the hard yards, he made his presence known. He set his own standards and if he can continue at a similar level for the foreseeable, he’ll become a hard component to drop from our starting XI.

We’re in the market for a direct Palhinha replacement, a proper enforcer to safeguard our spine and if another central midfielder also materialises, so be it. Lukic, however, has done himself a few favours in terms of justifying his standing on the pecking order and he isn’t here to make up the numbers, either.

ESR’s competitive debut

He isn’t fully fit yet, which was evident, but on Emile Smith Rowe’s competitive debut for the Whites, the 24-year-old showed glimpses of why he was regarded so highly at Arsenal and I cannot wait to see what he’ll be able to conjure up when he hits 100%.

What I did notice and appreciate in ESR was the subtlety in which he retrieved possession, and how developed passing patterns without being needlessly elaborate. You can tell he was schooled in the right way in north London. Smith Rowe has immense talent, that’s never been questioned, but the simplicity in his approach at Old Trafford was almost relieving.

Without overcomplicating matters, Smith Rowe gave a decent account of himself with featherlight touches, agile feints and as he gradually warms to his on-field duties in Silva’s system, the “Croydon De Bruyne” will undoubtedly live up to his moniker. He’ll admit himself that he wasn’t at his best, but he is a work in progress and the final draft is going to be a masterpiece.

Negatives

Limited clear-cut chances

It amazed me that we somehow registered 10 shots in total. What wasn’t surprising, though, is that only two of those efforts were on target. Perhaps without Willian’s willingness to carry, a red-hot Rodrigo Muniz and an attacking midfielder with functioning ears, eyes and legs, the Whites were always bound to be up against it.

Whatever the excuse, we were understandably rusty – first game cobwebs and all that – and clear-cut chances were limited by our own design moving forward. There’s one phase midway through the second half that juts out like a smouldering Vauxhall Vectra, and I don’t think it requires much of an introduction.

A freeze frame posted on Fulhamish’s X account is incriminating. With Alex Iwobi in acres on the left, unmarked, Pereira was well and truly in the driver’s seat as Fulham sprung on the counter. Harry Maguire was stranded, a simple slip into Iwobi’s path was Pereira’s only job and he made a stinking meal of it. He hasn’t played for United in quite some time now, but you’d be mistaken given the placement of his pass, which bobbled invitingly to Maguire’s instep. I don’t know how he managed it.

I don’t want to waste my energy on digging Andreas out, we’re one game into the campaign and begrudgingly, glaring mistakes happen. Ultimately, we didn’t ask too many difficult questions of a half-baked United and as we prepare for Leicester City next Saturday, we have obvious work to do on the training field, just to finetune our timing and composition in the final third. It’ll come, people. We were fairly convincing during pre-season, we simply need to slip into gear again and that I’ve no doubt of.

Down at the death

Snatching points at Old Trafford is a rarity for us, other than that season’s victory, of course, and while we did in fact steal the spoils in the closing moments in February, it was United that found the winner at the death this time out and it made me want to blow chunks of half-digested chicken balti pie.

We held firm throughout until that crucial moment, we were solid as a defensive unit but as it pans out so often, one lapse of concentration and collective positioning was enough for Joshua Zirkzee to squirm his effort past Leno in the 87th minute. Pain. Just pain.

A point apiece was probably the correct outcome for both teams but here we are. The hosts were particularly average, they’d threatened the target more than us but given the rich pool of superstars they have at their disposal, they were wildly uninspired and that’s why this defeat feels so wrong. Still, a loss in Manchester is commonplace, it could’ve been by a wider margin and, well, we didn’t really do much ourselves in terms of altering the score line.

It was a great test at the start of the season with plenty of constructive points to take stock of. We clearly require attacking additions as well as a few defensive reinforcements but falling to an L by one single goal, as harsh as it felt, isn’t a damning indictment and it isn’t indicative of where this club of ours is headed. We’ve 37 more cracks at the whip. We move.