According to Manchester Evening News, Manchester United drew with Fulham, with goalkeeper Andre Onana making several important saves, but the team's defensive problems remained evident.

By the end of the first half, Onana could breathe a sigh of relief. He made four crucial saves before the break, and United had allowed Fulham far too many opportunities. That they finished the first half level was largely down to the Belgian goalkeeper's efforts.

Among these, Onana's save from Josh King's shot was the most spectacular. King easily got past Luke Shaw, drove forward to create space for a shot, and the ball appeared to be heading into the bottom left corner, but Onana made an outstanding footwork save in the style of De Gea.

Onana was quickly congratulated by his teammates. After a few early-season matches, some fans had questioned his ability, but his performance against Fulham kept United in the game, and Manchester Evening News believes those doubts were unfounded.

This was Onana's first appearance at Craven Cottage. Last season, when United visited Fulham, he was still at Royal Antwerp. That match saw Bayindir start in goal, with Onana on the bench before he left the club.

Manchester Evening News believes that if Bayindir or Onana had been in goal, the result could have been decided in the first half, as they would have struggled to produce four saves like Onana did and help the team withstand the pressure.

United's defence has been problematic this season, with Fulham repeatedly finding themselves in dangerous areas. Carrick acknowledged in his pre-match press conference that his team's defence "needs to improve" but didn't explain why the team was conceding chances so easily.

Fulham sat bottom of the Premier League before the match, having scored only four goals all season, so Onana shouldn't have been forced to make so many saves. Even Fulham fans in the press area were surprised by their team's attacking threat. One Fulham supporter commented during half-time: "These are the most chances we've created all season."

A poor start to the season has affected the team's confidence. Onana actively encouraged the defence, clapping whenever a teammate made a clearance. Mbeumo also encouraged Dalot to pick himself up after a poor pass.

Sheshko missed the match with a calf injury sustained against Brighton. The injury also forced him to miss the entire pre-season, leaving Carrick once again to field an attacking lineup without a natural striker.

Sheshko's injury record has raised concerns. In the first half of last season, he missed over a month with a knee injury, then sat out three matches late in the season with a calf injury.

Sheshko claimed after United's Champions League victory over Sabah that his injury troubles were behind him, but that has not proven true. Cunha once again played as a striker, and the manner of Fulham's second goal in the second half exposed his unsuitability for the position.

As Mainoo tried to build play from the back, Cunha was dispossessed by Calvin Bassey. Onana initially blocked Bassey's shot, but the ball ricocheted off Lisandro Martinez and rolled into the goal.

Onana misjudged the rebound, choosing to block with his foot when he could have used his hands. However, he lacked protection throughout the match, making it difficult to criticize the goalkeeper.

Manchester Evening News believes United got a deserved result, and Onana cannot keep rescuing the team indefinitely. Gary Neville, commentating on Sky Sports, said: "I've watched United since I was five years old, and that was the worst 15 minutes I've ever seen them play. It was absolutely dreadful."

Carrick's side has problems in many areas. United played poorly, easily allowing opposition chances, with inflexibility in midfield and no coherent patterns or combinations in the final third. The team that finished third in the Premier League last season is now unrecognizable.

Cunha's late equalizer didn't change much. United were fortunate to take a point, while Fulham will regret squandering so many opportunities.

When the goalkeeper is your best performer, that's a clear warning sign, and the pressure on Carrick continues to mount.

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