Cunha admits Fulham outworked Man Utd in draw that leaves them 12th

Matheus Cunha rescued a point for Manchester United at Craven Cottage on Sunday, but the Brazilian forward did not spare his teammates in his post-match assessment, admitting Fulham simply worked harder in a 1-1 Premier League draw that leaves United 12th with five points from five games — their joint-worst start to a top-flight season.

Lisandro Martinez’s own goal had looked set to hand Fulham all three points before Cunha intervened late to level. The result extends United’s winless run to four matches and piles further pressure on a squad still searching for consistency under Ruben Amorim.

“I feel like they put more into it than us and we cannot accept this,” Cunha said. “We always play better after conceding a goal but it cannot be like this.”

The 25-year-old was equally candid about the opening period, suggesting United failed to execute their game plan before the match turned. “In the beginning we put the ball in and created some chances. We didn’t score, unlucky, and they scored in like one action that’s hard to explain. A lot of luck.”

Cunha also pointed to missed opportunities as a factor, noting that both he and Bruno Fernandes struck the woodwork during the second half. “I don’t feel like it was about the final decision. We were a bit unlucky. We need to create more and then it will come to us.”

Despite the frustration, Cunha urged perspective, pointing to United’s recovery last season. “It is only the beginning. Last season, there was a lot of noise and we finished third,” he said, adding that he feels “very privileged” to play in his current role and will do whatever is necessary to help the team improve.

United’s five-point return from their opening five fixtures matches their worst-ever Premier League start, a statistic that underlines the scale of the turnaround required if the club is to challenge the top four this season.