Manchester United will begin this crusade on the right foot after last season and will be working at full speed to achieve it.
Old Trafford will host the opening Premier League match for the 2024-25 season, as Manchester United host Fulham on Friday.
The Cottagers will be hoping Joao Palhinha’s departure won’t be too difficult to succeed as Marco Silva hopes to lead his side to victory at Old Trafford for the second season in a row.
My Manchester United vs Fulham predictions for Friday, August 16 Why the loss of Palhinha plays in your favor.
My Bet: Manchester United Over 17. 5 shots (-128 to Betano)
My analysis Fulham conceded just 13. 55 shots per game last season, putting them ninth among all Premier League teams. They did so thanks to Palhinha’s exceptional ability to recover the ball, which ranks in the 99th percentile of the best European leagues. in terms of tackles per 90 minutes in the last calendar year.
Palhinha is now a Bayern Munich worker and Fulham will be hoping to repeat the feat of a season ago by winning without him at Old Trafford. In doing so, they will most likely also face an onslaught of shots as they did in this game, and I bet that will happen again.
Fulham’s xGA away from home last season was 35. 1 in 19 games, putting them bottom of the league. They conceded more shots per game, more touches in the final third and more touches inside the penalty area than at Craven Cottage.
Manchester United attempted the sixth-most shots in the league in 2023-24 and won 21 in a 2-1 home loss to Fulham in February. That almost doubles their number of shots at Craven Cottage, in which they were outscored 18-12 by Fulham. .
Palhinha was concerned in this attack and made five tackles, won the ball seven times and avoided several counterattacks. Although they hope Emile Smith Rowe can become a force in their midfield, the club’s record signing from Arsenal does not pose a risk in terms of defensive activity.
Erik ten Hag’s side performed much better down the stretch last season after switching to a 4-2-2-2 formation, which they used in the Community Shield on Saturday. The Red Devils looked strong against Manchester City and arguably won as they had double the xG rating.
While they have only attempted 8 shots, they will take more advantage of the ball here and look to start smart in front of their home fans. 18 shots will be the launch for them as Fulham look to adapt without their midfielder.
Manchester United will be without several defenders as the injury bug once decimated their defensive line. New signings Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui could make their debuts, or Ten Hag could go with some battered players. Either way, he will give Fulham scoring opportunities, which help increase the final score.
Fulham goalkeepers made 133 saves last season. Only six clubs achieved more saves in the campaign, including Manchester United. André Onana must have felt like he was facing a firing squad when he stopped 146 shots while facing the second-most attempts in the league.
Five of those saves came against Fulham, adding three in the home defeat in February. With injuries ahead, I would expect to be called up again.
Meanwhile, Leno will be tested on the other end of the line. He made four saves at home in November, then seven at Old Trafford. It makes sense for him to get four or more here if we are reliant on Man United to get the shot off him. total.
Learn how to bet on the same game with these helpful tips and strategies.
Manchester United: Rasmus Hojlund (Off), Luke Shaw D (Off), Harry Maguire D (Doubtful), Jonny Evans D (Doubtful), Tyrell Malacia D (Outside), Leny Yoro D (Outside), Victor Lindelof D (Doubtful). Fulham: Jorge Cuenca D (doubtful).
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