Ruben Amorim said his team need to “grow up” after Emile Smith Rowe’s equaliser for Fulham held Manchester United to a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage. The problem, according to United’s manager, was his team trying to shut up shop after scoring their second‑half opener via a Rodrigo Muniz own goal.
“I think we scored the goal and then we forgot about how we play,” Amorim said of his United side, who remain winless from their opening two games. They were well matched by an impressive Fulham. “We want to win so badly, and that is a good feeling. We scored a goal and everyone on the pitch was thinking: ‘Let’s hold on to the advantage and try to win the game.’
“We have to grow up a lot as a team. For me the most important thing is that during the week they were working really hard, today we worked really hard, and we are going to improve.”
Bruno Fernandes missed a first‑half penalty, ballooning the ball over Bernd Leno’s goal, going against his usual more measured technique. Amorim put the miss down to nerves: “Fernandes has so much responsibility with him that … he was thinking in the past.”
Fernandes himself put his uncharacteristic miss down to Chris Kavanagh, the referee, bumping into him before he took his kick. “I was upset,” he said. “As a penalty taker, you have your own routines, your own things that you do. It upset me because the referee didn’t apologise. That is what triggered me in that moment, but that’s not the excuse for missing the penalty. I put my foot too under the ball and that’s why it ended up going over the bar.”
After a bright start in which Matheus Cunha twice went close, United lost momentum. “From that moment, no more big chances for United,” said Marco Silva, the Fulham manager. “In the second half we were better, even when they scored it was in our best moment in the game. Our reaction and composure and mentality from the boys was top.”
Fulham have signed only a reserve goalkeeper in this transfer window. Silva said his club must rectify that situation before the window closes. “I am very proud of the players we have. We have nine days to do our business. We need to sign at least three players. We are going to have a lot of games and injuries. And in some positions, we are short, simple as that.”
