Manchester United - Fulham predictions and free betting tips [24/02/2024]

Today within the frame of the 26th round of the Premier League, Manchester United will host Fulham on their home turf. The Red Devils have been in excellent form in February securing four consecutive wins, while the Cottagers, despite having no tangible tournament motivation and having settled in the 12th slot on the league table, can't be dismissed lightly.

Probable Line-ups

Manchester United: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Lindelof; Casemiro, Meinu; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund.
Fulham: Leno; Kastan, Diop, Ream, Robinson; Kearney, Iwobi; De Cordova-Reid, Pereira, Willian; Munis.

Manchester United

Despite a high-profile roster and high ambitions, Manchester United has been more disappointing than impressive this season. However, currently sitting in 6th place in the overall Premier League standings and trailing the 4th spot by 5 points, the Red Devils still have good chances for a top-four finish. Erik ten Hag's charges have not lost any of their last 5 league games: after a victory over Tottenham (2:2), the Mancunians triumphed over Wolverhampton (3:4), West Ham (3:0), Aston Villa (1:2) and Luton last weekend (1:2). Rasmus Hojlund made his mark twice in the opening seven minutes, while Carlton Morris managed to reduce the Hatters' deficit in the 14th minute. It's worth noting that the team last suffered a defeat at Old Trafford back in August last year, although the performance records here can certainly be improved: they've earned 22 points in 12 matches, scoring 18 goals and conceding as many. 

Come next Wednesday, Manchester United will be heading to Nottingham for a 1/8 final of the FA Cup clash. The coaching staff is still regretful over the absence of defenders Lisandro Martinez and Wan-Bissaka. Midfielders Mount, Malaysia and Martial are also in the injury ward. The Danish striker Hojlund, who disappointed in the first part of the season, now seems to have acclimatised to the demands of English football, having scored 7 goals in the last six matches in all competitions. The attack will also feature Bruno Fernandes (3 goals and 5 assists), Garnacho (5 goals and 3 assists) and Rashford (5 goals and 2 assists). During the winter transfer window, Van de Beek (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), right-back Mejbri (Sevilla) and wingers Pellistri (Granada) and Carreras (Benfica) were loaned out.

Fulham

Perched comfortably in the bottom half of the league table, Fulham currently occupies the 12th rank in the Premier League and enjoys a considerable cushion of 9 points from the relegation zone. However, the Cottagers haven't been doing well lately: they've only managed two wins, two draws, and five losses from their latest nine encounters. Recently, Fulham triumphed over Bournemouth with a 3:1 scoreline, after which, last weekend, they conceded defeat to Aston Villa at home (1:2). Ollie Watkins scored in both halves, while Rodrigo Munis gave the black-and-whites some hope for a comeback. The Londoners are heading to Old Trafford with the second-worst away record in the Premier League this season: only the sinking Sheffield United (five) have bagged less than the Cottagers (seven) on the road.

Moreover, Marco Silva's charges have not won any of the last 11 away games, losing seven of them. As in the last round, Fulham will be without Mexican striker Raul Jimenez due to injury – this will give Brazilian Rodrigo Munis another chance to shine. Following the defeat in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, Nigerians Eberechi Eze and Alex Iwobi featured for the Cottagers last weekend. Albanian striker Armando Broja, who was loaned from Chelsea this winter, hasn't yet made any significant impact and could potentially stir up some action as a second-half substitute. Harry Wilson and Adama Traore will vie with Bobby De Cordova-Reid for a spot on the right flank of the attack, while Willian will be operating from the left.

Head to Head

Fulham has lost 13 of their last 16 away encounters with the Red Devils. The first-leg face-off ended with a narrow 0:1 victory for the Mancunians.

Manchester United - Fulham match prediction

Manchester United has been on a resurgence since the beginning of the year, churning out wins one after another. Previously injured players are gradually returning to fitness, which means ten Hag will have the luxury of choosing from a high-quality substitutes' bench. Fulham, on the other hand, has been rather appalling on the road and essentially lacks tournament motivation. My forecast is a routine victory for the hosts.

Score prediction

I predict the final score to be 3:1 in favour of Manchester United.