Gary Neville brands Manchester United 'pathetic' as Carrick keeps faith after Fulham draw

Manchester United snatched a dramatic late point at Fulham as Matheus Cunha's deflected effort made it 1-1 in the 89th minute, but the result did little to calm the storm around the club. Gary Neville branded the team 'pathetic' during a miserable spell in the second half, while manager Michael Carrick insisted his players showed belief until the end and rejected any suggestion that fitness is holding them back.

• Gary Neville said he witnessed 'the worst 15 minutes' he has ever seen from Manchester United and called it 'absolutely pathetic'.
• Matheus Cunha's 89th-minute goal denied Fulham, bottom of the Premier League, their first league win of the season.
• Michael Carrick defended his squad's fitness and played down supporter frustration over the substitution of Kobbie Mainoo.
• United sit 12th with five points from five games, already ten behind leaders Manchester City.
• Carlos Baleba and Matthijs de Ligt travelled but did not play, while Benjamin Sesko missed out with a shin injury.

Neville's fury: the worst Manchester United spell he has ever watched

Just after the hour mark, Lisandro Martinez's own goal put Fulham ahead and pushed Neville over the edge in the commentary box. The former United captain paused, then delivered a withering assessment. He said he had been watching Manchester United since the age of five and had never seen such a poor stretch of football. His verdict was blunt: 'absolutely pathetic'. Neville added that he had never witnessed such a lack of effort and wondered what must be going through Carrick's mind.

I've watched Manchester United since the age of five and that's the worst 15 minutes I've ever seen. Absolutely pathetic. I've never seen such a lack of effort.

Neville's words came after a poor quarter of an hour from the start of the second half, before Cunha's deflected strike rescued a draw. The criticism carries weight coming from a player who was part of the United side beaten 3-1 by Fulham at Old Trafford in October 2003, and who has watched the team endure heavy recent defeats such as the 7-0 at Liverpool and home losses to Tottenham and Manchester City.

Questions over United's fitness and intensity

Concerns about the team's physical condition first surfaced in pre-season, when midfielder Youri Tielemans hinted that running was not being prioritised at the club. Cunha did not fully echo Neville's words after the final whistle, but his comments kept the debate alive. The Brazilian admitted Fulham brought more energy after the break and said that is simply not acceptable for a club like Manchester United.

Carrick saw things differently. He pointed to the way his side pressed the home team in the closing stages, leading to Cunha's equaliser, as proof that the squad is fit enough. The manager said United finished the game strongly and kept pushing, and made it clear he does not see the physical side as an issue at all.

Carrick responds to criticism and defends his players

The noise around United is constant, and Neville is a significant part of it, both through his direct opinions and his growing media presence. Carrick has said in the past that he can shut it out, but that becomes harder when the club's own supporters show their frustration. At Craven Cottage, some fans booed his decision to take off Kobbie Mainoo with 11 minutes remaining, a reaction that followed angry chants after the home defeat to Brighton.

The United boss played down the significance of the incident. He explained that changes always trigger reactions and said he had spoken to Mainoo after the game and the player was fine. Carrick acknowledged that emotions run high when a team is chasing a result and that supporters are desperate for the right decisions. He took no offence from the boos and instead praised the away fans for sticking with the team throughout the afternoon.

A point that changes little: United's struggles on and off the pitch

A draw at Fulham feels like a small reward considering the home side started the day bottom of the Premier League. Five points from five games leaves United 12th, a remarkable ten points behind pacesetters Manchester City. It is a far cry from last season, when Carrick unexpectedly guided the club back into the Champions League with a third-place finish.

The picture is complicated further by issues beyond results. Carlos Baleba, the club's £70m summer signing, is still waiting for his debut. Long-term injury victim Matthijs de Ligt travelled south with the squad but was not involved at all. Striker Benjamin Sesko missed the game after suffering a recurrence of the shin problem that troubled him last season and forced him into a recovery programme that ruled him out for more than three months. Carrick admitted the full extent of the damage is not yet known.

Fan frustration goes beyond results

Discontent among supporters is not limited to what happens on the pitch. The club's crackdown on ticket touting has annoyed a significant section of the fanbase. On Wednesday, United will release full-year financial results up to 30 June, which will reveal the current scale of the club's debt. There is also ongoing debate about the proposed new stadium, expected to cost more than £2bn, with planning permission potentially linked to the wider Old Trafford masterplan earmarked for late 2027 or early 2028.

Carrick does not recognise the idea that the club is deflated. He insisted there is still a big season ahead and that every campaign has difficult spells. He did not play down the lack of points or pretend everything is perfect, and he said he understands the frustration among fans. But inside the dressing room, he sees no deflation. The way his players fought to the final whistle at Craven Cottage is, in his view, the clearest sign that the squad has the character to carry the club through the rest of the season.

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