Match Preview
Manchester United vrs Fulham
Premier League Match Day 37 at Old Trafford
Tuesday 18th May 2021 KO: 18:00
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Live on Sky Sports
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Manchester United will be looking to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they welcome already-relegated Fulham to Old Trafford on Tuesday night.
Fulham's Premier League record this season makes for grim reading for their supporters, with just five victories arriving from 36 matches, and they have been comfortably relegated back to the Championship.
Just one point has arrived from their last eight league matches, and they will enter this game off the back of three straight losses to Chelsea, Burnley and Southampton.
Scott Parker appears to be committed to the club, and the Englishman will seemingly be given the opportunity to lead the capital outfit back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Work is already underway behind the scenes as a number of players will be moving on this summer, but 18th-placed Fulham will still want to give their fans something to cheer in their final two matches of the season at Old Trafford and at home to Newcastle United on Sunday.
The Red Devils, who will be attempting to secure second spot in the table, have suffered defeats in their last two league matches to Leicester City and Liverpool, while Fulham are on a three-game losing run in England's top flight and will be relegated back to the Championship for the 2021-22 campaign.
Man United have undoubtedly made huge steps forward under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, with the Red Devils on course for a runners-up spot in the Premier League, while they will have the chance to lift major silverware later this month, with Villarreal their opponents in the Europa League final.
The 20-time English champions are four points clear of third-placed Leicester in the table and know that a win on Tuesday evening would make sure of second spot behind Manchester City.
Solskjaer's side will enter this match off the back of successive defeats, though, having lost 2-1 to Leicester and 4-2 to Liverpool in their last two league fixtures, both of which came at Old Trafford.
Man United will finish their domestic campaign away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday and will then face Spanish outfit Villarreal in the Europa League final on May 26.
The Red Devils have been excellent on their travels in the Premier League this season, remaining unbeaten across 18 matches, but they have suffered six league defeats at Old Trafford and will hope that the return of 10,000 supporters to the stadium will hand them a boost.
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Manchester United have won 18 of the past 22 top-flight meetings and are unbeaten in 12.
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The Cottagers have avoided defeat just twice in their 14 Premier League games at Old Trafford: a 3-1 win in October 2003 and a 2-2 draw in February 2014.
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Fulham have earned a solitary point from their past eight league matches.
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They are winless in 16 Premier League fixtures against sides starting the day in the top two of the table since beating Manchester United 3-0 at Craven Cottage in December 2009 (D2, L14).
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Away from home, Fulham have won just one of their 21 such games, which also came against the Red Devils, in October 2003.
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The Cottagers have failed to win any of their last nine midweek Premier League matches since a victory at Brighton in January 2019.
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Manchester United are looking to avoid three consecutive league defeats at Old Trafford for the first time since February 1979.
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The Red Devils have conceded 27 home goals in the Premier League in 2020-21, their most in a season since 1962-63.
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They have lost their final home league game of the season in just one of the previous 13 campaigns, when they were beaten by already relegated Cardiff City in 2018-19.
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Their Premier League matches have produced 112 goals this season, more than any other side. Fulham's fixtures have seen the fewest (76).
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Only Eric Cantona (46) and Robin van Persie (45) have been involved in more goals in their first 50 appearances for Manchester United than Bruno Fernandes, who has 26 goals and 18 assists.