Carrick rejects claims Manchester United were ‘negative’ in Fulham draw

Michael Carrick rejected suggestions that Manchester United played negatively during their 1-1 draw with Fulham in the fifth round of the Premier League.

United controlled much of the first half at Craven Cottage but had to settle for a point after a match in which both sides scored once.

“I didn’t think we were negative. Did you think we were negative?” Manchester United manager Carrick told Sky Sports.

“Football is a difficult game. We controlled most of the first half and put in a good performance today.”

Fulham took the lead through an own goal by Lisandro Martinez before Matheus Cunha equalised for Manchester United.

Carrick acknowledged that the match had not gone entirely in his side’s favour, but said such spells were inevitable.

“There have to be periods when things do not go the way you want them to,” he added.

“On the goal they scored, there may have been a foul for Matheus Cunha at one point, and the ball also struck players’ feet twice. The outcome went their way.”

Carrick also said teams could not expect to dominate every match in the Premier League.

“I don’t think any team in this league expects to have complete control of a game,” he said.

The result means Manchester United have collected five points from their opening five matches, their lowest total at this stage of a Premier League season since 2014-15.

It was also the second consecutive season in which United and Fulham have drawn 1-1 at Craven Cottage.

United remain 12th in the table with five points, while Fulham moved off the bottom and left Tottenham at the foot of the Premier League after securing their second point of the season.