Manchester United face Fulham in their second Premier League fixture this Sunday.
This comes after a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in their opening match.
United played well but conceded an early set-piece goal through Riccardo Calafiori, eventually leading to their loss.
United struggled to convert their dominance in territory and possession into goals but showed promising signs throughout the game.
Sunday’s opponents, Fulham, started their Premier League campaign with a dramatic late draw against Brighton and will make a formidable challenge for United.
With pressure high on Ruben Amorim, his squad is desperate for their first three points of the season to build early momentum.
Amorim faces tough selection decisions but must get his lineup correct in an important fixture.
So who will Ruben Amorim select for his second Premier League 2025/26 lineup?
Goalkeeper
Andre Onana is set to return as Manchester United’s goalkeeper against Fulham after Altay Bayindir’s shaky display in the 1-0 loss to Arsenal.
Bayindir’s weak punch on a Declan Rice corner led to Riccardo Calafiori’s decisive goal, exposing United’s set-piece frailty.
Therefore, despite Ruben Amorim’s support for Bayindir, Onana is a clear choice to reclaim his spot.
A clean sheet will be crucial to kickstart United’s campaign and United’s goalkeeper will need to have a good game to ensure one is possible.
Defence
Amorim is likely to retain the same back five that faced Arsenal – Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Luke Shaw, and Patrick Dorgu, after a solid showing despite the defeat.
United restricted Arsenal to very few chances and built from the back superbly against an excellent high pressing side.
Dorgu’s attacking intent and Dalot’s energy stretched Arsenal, but Amorim could be tempted to opt for Amad Diallo at right wing-back to add attacking impetus against Fulham’s compact defence.
Partnering Amad Diallo with Bryan Mbeumo on the right hand side is something Amorim will be desperate to implement long term and Fulham could be a good chance to try it out.
Midfield
Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro will likely anchor United’s midfield, tasked with breaking down Fulham’s low block.
Fernandes, who created four chances against Arsenal, must be more incisive in the final third, while Casemiro will be used to defend transitions and find runners on the break.
The duo needs to unlock spaces and feed United’s new-look attack to turn dominance into goals.
Attack
United’s revamped front three of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko will likely make their first joint appearance against Fulham, each desperate to open their goalscoring account.
Mbeumo was denied by a fine save against Arsenal, while Cunha showed flashes of flair on his debut.
Sesko, likely to start over an absent Rasmus Hojlund, offers a focal point as well as being able to proficiently run the channels and link others into play.
With set piece worries as well, Sesko’s size will hugely help United both defend and attack set pieces.
Facing Fulham’s resilient defence, this trio must be clinical to deliver United three points.
