The English Premier League season returns on Friday when Manchester United host Fulham at Outdated Trafford.
- Who: Manchester United vs Fulham
- What: English Premier League opening recreation
- The place: Outdated Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom
- When: 8pm native time (19:00 GMT) on Friday, August 15
- Methods to comply with: Al Jazeera Sport can have all of the build-up and full textual content commentary of the sport
Manchester United kick off the brand new English Premier League season with the go to of Fulham on Friday however there are simply as many questions surrounding the membership as there have been when the final marketing campaign ended.
These areas of doubt had been added to on Thursday when United supervisor Erik ten Hag revealed his aspect “isn’t prepared however the league begins”.
The Dutchman, who noticed his aspect lose 3-0 to Liverpool of their remaining preseason match, added, “We will’t conceal from it. We’ve got to cope with it.”
The truth that it was the guests Fulham who offered one of many Purple Devils’ greatest upsets final season won’t be misplaced on ten Hag.
The west London membership gained 2-1 at Outdated Trafford in February following an underwhelming show by the house aspect that noticed Fulham take the lead via Calvin Bassey. Harry Maguire levelled issues with one minute of regular time to play, providing United hope of an unlikely and undeserved win, nevertheless it was the guests that got here away with all three factors after Alex Iwobi settled issues 60 seconds after Maguire’s aim.
That end result marked the beginning of a 17-game run to complete the season throughout which United recorded solely six wins alongside 5 defeats.
A kind of victories was Could’s FA Cup remaining win towards rivals Manchester Metropolis – a recreation which will effectively have saved ten Hag’s job. The Dutchman must wait till early July to listen to that the season evaluation, by the brand new house owners of soccer operations on the membership INEOS, resulted in a contract extension. The period leaves query marks as to how wholeheartedly the Jim Ratcliffe-owned group consider in ten Hag and a pointy focus can be on early season outcomes.
Fulham gained solely two of their remaining 9 Premier League video games on the finish of final season – struggling 4 defeats in that run – however completed in a greater than respectable thirteenth spot.
It was their away report that noticed them slip from the Tenth-placed end they achieved the 12 months earlier than. That 12 months, solely 5 groups betted Fulham’s seven league wins on the street, and solely three groups conceded fewer than Fulham’s 24 on their travels. However final 12 months, life on the street was far tougher.
Marco Silva’s aspect managed solely 4 away wins, a kind of being at Outdated Trafford, and simply 5 sides conceded greater than the 37 they shipped at opposition venues.
The lack of key defenders Tosin Adarabioyo to Chelsea and Tim Ream to Main League Soccer membership Charlotte FC won’t assist issues for Silva, nevertheless it might be the departure of Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich that leaves the most important gap within the Londoners’ aspect.
For United, signing defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich this week will ease considerations on the again and Joshua Zirkzee will even be anticipated to hit the bottom operating after Dutch striker joined from Bologna.
The largest increase that ten Hag may maybe have hoped for was the contract extension that his captain Bruno Fernandes has signed with the membership. The Portuguese midfielder has been United’s standout participant in lots of a darkish hour lately and no participant has higher captured the Purple Devils’ swagger of outdated than the 29-year-old, whose new three-year deal was introduced on Wednesday.
Manchester United workforce information
Leny Yoro can be unavailable for 3 months with a foot harm sustained in preseason towards Arsenal. The 18-year-old defender was a summer season signing from Lille.
United will even be with out striker Rasmus Hojlund and defender Luke Shaw for the go to or Fulham.
Harry Maguire can be given a late health check after the central defender picked up a knock within the Neighborhood Protect, which suggests new signings Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui may each be handed debuts.
Fulham workforce information
Fulham enter the season with a totally match squad to take with them to Outdated Trafford.
New report signing Emile Smith Rowe, who arrived from Arsenal, ought to make his aggressive debut for the Cottagers.
Head-to-head
This would be the 89th assembly between the golf equipment with the primary fixture coming in London in March 1908 within the FA Cup – very similar to the final assembly it resulted in a 2-1 win for Fulham.
United have gained 56 of the encounters to Fulham’s 14. Previous to final season’s win, Fulham had not overwhelmed United since a 3-0 win at Craven Cottage in March 2009. A run of 15 wins in 18 video games adopted for United.