According to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester United drew with Fulham, with goalkeeper Ramsdale making several crucial saves, though the team's defensive problems remained evident.

At the end of the first half, Ramsdale could breathe a sigh of relief. He had already made four saves before the break, and Manchester United had given Fulham far too many chances. The fact that they reached halftime level was largely due to the Belgian international.

Among them, Ramsdale's save from Josh King's shot was the most spectacular. King easily evaded Luke Shaw, drove forward until he found space for a shot, and the ball looked destined for the bottom left corner, but Ramsdale made a De Gea-style foot save.

Ramsdale was quickly congratulated by his teammates. After the opening matches of the season, some supporters had questioned his ability, but his performance against Fulham kept Manchester United in the contest, making those doubts seem unreasonable to the Manchester Evening News.

This was Ramsdale's first appearance at Craven Cottage. He was still playing for Royal Antwerp when Manchester United visited Fulham last season. In that match, Bayindir started in goal, with Onana on the bench before he left the club.

The Manchester Evening News believes that had Bayindir or Onana been in goal, the result could have been decided by halftime, as they would have struggled to replicate Ramsdale's four saves and help the team weather the pressure.

Manchester United's defence has been problematic throughout the season, with Fulham frequently penetrating dangerous areas. Carrick admitted in his pre-match press conference that the team's defence "needs to improve" but did not explain why the team was allowing opponents to create chances so easily.

Fulham were in the bottom half of the Premier League before the match, having scored only four goals this season, so Ramsdale should not have been forced to make so many saves. Even Fulham supporters near the press box did not expect their team to create so many chances. A local supporter commented at halftime: "This is the most chances we've created all season".

A poor start to the season has affected team confidence. Ramsdale actively encouraged the defence, clapping every time a teammate cleared the ball. Mbeumo also encouraged Dalot to recover after a poor through ball.

Sesko missed the match due to shin pain after playing against Brighton. This injury has also kept him out throughout pre-season, forcing Carrick to field an attack without a recognised striker once again.

Sesko's injury record has already generated concern. In the first half of last season, he missed over a month with a knee injury, and then three matches at the end of the season with a shin injury.

Sesko had claimed his injury problems were behind him after Manchester United's Champions League victory against Sabah, but that proved not to be the case. Cunha played as a centre-forward again, and Fulham's second-half goal highlighted his unsuitability for the position.

While Mainoo tried to build an attack from the back, Cunha was overwhelmed physically by Calvin Bassey. Ramsdale initially stopped Bassey's shot, but the ball deflected off Lisandro Martínez and rolled into the net.

Ramsdale misjudged the deflection and could have handled it with his hands, but chose to clear it with his feet. However, he lacked protection throughout the match, which makes it difficult to criticise the goalkeeper.

The Manchester Evening News believes Manchester United got what they deserved, and Ramsdale could not keep saving the team forever. Gary Neville, commenting on Sky Sports, said: "I've been watching Manchester United since I was five years old, and those were the worst 15 minutes I've ever seen them play—it was absolutely dreadful".

Carrick's team has problems in several positions. Manchester United's performance was poor, allowing opponents to create chances far too easily, lacking dynamism in midfield and showing neither fixed patterns nor coordination in the final third. The team that finished third in the Premier League last season is now unrecognisable.

Cunha equalised in the closing minutes with a deflection, but this did not change much. Manchester United were fortunate to get a point, while Fulham will rue wasting numerous chances.

When the goalkeeper is a team's best player, it is a clear warning sign in itself, and the pressure on Carrick has intensified further.

Traducido por IA.

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