Carrick's Reds Seek Response at Craven Cottage

Two defeats at Old Trafford have darkened the mood. Now Michael Carrick’s side head to west London knowing they badly need a jolt.

The loss to Manchester City still stings, decided by an Erling Haaland goal that should have been ruled out. The midweek Carabao Cup exit to Brighton & Hove Albion only deepened the frustration. Momentum has stalled. Confidence has taken a hit.

So this trip to Craven Cottage arrives with a clear edge: they need to sign off this early-season spell with something that looks and feels like progress.

Memories of Late Drama

The reverse fixture at Old Trafford back in February delivered one of the most chaotic nights of the campaign. Two goals to the good, seemingly cruising after strikes from Casemiro and Matheus Cunha, the Reds then let Fulham claw their way back.

Raul Jimenez struck. Kevin followed. The lead vanished, the tension rose, and the stadium braced for a collapse.

Then Benjamin Šeško tore up the script. Deep into stoppage time, he produced a dramatic winner that ripped the roof off Old Trafford and salvaged three points from a game that had slipped out of control. Those are the margins Carrick is living with again now.

Craven Cottage Checkpoint

The Reds’ last visit to Craven Cottage came on the opening away day of the 2025/26 league campaign. It was cagey, tight, and ultimately unsatisfying.

Leny Yoro thought he had claimed the first goal of the afternoon, only for it to be recorded as a Rodrigo Muniz own goal. The breakthrough felt like a platform to push on, but Fulham refused to fold. Emile Smith Rowe stepped up and levelled, earning Marco Silva’s side a point and leaving the visitors with that hollow feeling of two dropped rather than one gained.

Silva has since moved on. In his place, Alvaro Arbeloa has stepped into the Craven Cottage dugout, swapping his Real Madrid head-coach stint for a new challenge in west London.

The start has been harsh. Arbeloa lost his first three league games in charge, a brutal welcome to the job. But the 0-0 draw at Anfield last week, on his return to familiar territory, felt like a turning point: organised, stubborn, and quietly significant.

Fulham’s mood has been helped by their Carabao Cup run as well. Wins over AFC Wimbledon and West Ham United have pushed them into the fourth round and given Arbeloa something solid to build on.

Team News: Reinforcements on the Horizon

Carrick’s team sheet could look very different, and that alone offers a sliver of optimism.

At the back, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez are in contention to reunite at the heart of the defence. Their experience and presence have been sorely missed in recent weeks. Luke Shaw, absent for the last three matches, is also pushing to return and has travelled with the squad.

There was at least one bright spark in the midweek defeat. Shea Lacey marked his first senior start with a goal against Brighton, an eye-catching moment for a youngster stepping into a difficult environment. Mason Mount also found the net in his first XI appearance of the season, a reminder of what he can bring if he strings games together.

In midfield and defence, there may be more good news. Matthijs de Ligt, Carlos Baleba, Manuel Ugarte and Amad have all been sidelined at the start of the campaign, but Carrick has offered a positive update on both de Ligt and Baleba. De Ligt, in particular, has travelled with the group and could make his debut, a potentially significant addition to the spine of the side.

One notable absentee, though, is Benjamin Šeško. The match-winner from that wild February clash was not part of the travelling party to London, removing one proven late-game weapon from Carrick’s bench.

So the picture is clear. A team under scrutiny, a manager searching for a spark, a ground that rarely gives anything away for free.

If the Reds want to change the tone of their season, Craven Cottage is exactly the kind of place where they have to prove it.