Manchester United’s winless start dragged on as Emile Smith Rowe’s equaliser punished Bruno Fernandes’s penalty blunder and Ruben Amorim’s team lost focus at Fulham

Manchester United’s turbulent start to the Premier League season deepened at Craven Cottage as a calamitous penalty miss from Bruno Fernandes and a late equaliser from Emile Smith Rowe condemned them to a 1-1 draw against Fulham.

Ruben Amorim’s side looked on course for their first victory when Rodrigo Muniz’s own goal broke the deadlock midway through the second half. But rather than building on their advantage, United retreated, leaving their manager furious with what he saw as immaturity on the pitch.

“We scored and then forgot how to play,” Amorim admitted in a cutting assessment of his players. “Everyone thought about holding on instead of pressing forward. That is not what Manchester United should ever do. We must grow up as a team.”

The warning signs came early. United started brightly with Matheus Cunha twice threatening Fulham’s back line, yet momentum quickly drained from their performance. The crucial chance arrived in the first half when Fernandes, usually one of football’s most reliable penalty takers, ballooned his effort high into the stands.

The miss left fans stunned. Instead of his usual calm execution, the Portuguese midfielder lashed at the ball, sending it sailing over Bernd Leno’s crossbar. Amorim attributed the error to pressure. “Fernandes carries so much responsibility that he let the weight of it creep in,” the manager explained.

Fernandes, however, pointed the finger at referee Chris Kavanagh. “He bumped into me before I took the kick,” the midfielder revealed. “As a penalty taker you have a routine, a rhythm. That disrupted me, and the referee didn’t even apologise. I won’t use it as an excuse, but it triggered my mistake.”

If Fernandes’s miss unsettled United, Fulham seized the opportunity to fight back. Marco Silva’s men grew in confidence as the match wore on, pushing United deeper into their own half. “Even when they scored, it was during our best period,” Silva reflected. “The reaction from my players was top class.”

That reaction reached its peak when substitute Smith Rowe, freshly arrived from Arsenal this summer, ghosted into the box and slammed home Fulham’s equaliser. The roar from the home crowd underlined both relief and belief, while United’s players dropped their heads.

The draw leaves United without a win from their opening two fixtures, adding fuel to questions about Amorim’s ability to impose control on a squad that remains in transition. The Portuguese coach refused to panic, though his criticism of his players’ mentality spoke volumes. “We work hard, but in crucial moments, we lose composure,” he warned.

Fulham, meanwhile, demonstrated the resilience that has kept them competitive despite a thin squad. Silva, however, sounded a clear warning to his board. “We have nine days to do business. We need at least three new signings,” he demanded. “Injuries will come, and we are short in too many positions.”

For United, the search for balance goes on. A missed penalty, a squandered lead, and a manager demanding maturity—all point to a team still haunted by old flaws.

At Craven Cottage, Fulham celebrated spirit and composure. United trudged off with regret, their early-season crisis deepening with every passing week.