Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is under mounting pressure ahead of his side's Premier League visit to Fulham on Sunday. The Red Devils have won just one of their four league games this season and suffered a 2-0 League Cup defeat to Brighton on Wednesday.

Carrick acknowledged the difficult period. "It feels bad because we haven't had a great week or two, or three weeks," he told reporters. The manager insisted a turnaround is possible, pointing to the quality in his squad. "Of course we can turn it around, we have got some really good players," Carrick said.

Fulham, under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa, are also searching for their first league victory of the campaign. The Cottagers sit 18th in the Premier League table with just one point from their opening four matches. Their most recent result was a 2-0 win over Newcastle United back in May, part of a recent run of two wins, one draw and two defeats.

Historical context

Sunday's match presents a significant opportunity for Fulham to end a long winless run against United at Craven Cottage. The west London club have not beaten Manchester United at home in the Premier League since 2009. United's own form is fragile, however, having recently lost 3-2 to Brighton after leading by two goals at Old Trafford, their first such collapse in 50 years.

For Fulham, the focus will be on ending their own poor start. With only four goals scored and seven conceded, finding a cutting edge will be key. Striker Joshua King, the team's top scorer with two goals in four appearances, will be central to those plans. The club's current standings position highlights the need for points.

Wider league picture

The match comes amid a varied start to the season across the division. Arsenal and Manchester City both have perfect records after four games, while Tottenham Hotspur are yet to win or score a goal despite a summer spend exceeding £300 million. Liverpool remain unbeaten under new manager Andoni Iraola but have drawn three of their four league matches.

Fulham will be without the injured Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon for the encounter. The full squad details are available online. The game kicks off at Craven Cottage on Sunday, 20 September, with both managers desperate for a result to kickstart their seasons.

More detail at Straits Times Sport