Fulham head into this one on the back of a mixed start under Alvaro Arbeloa, but there is real encouragement in the way they pushed Liverpool all the way at Anfield. That performance had bite, structure and a clear identity. At Craven Cottage they are always a different animal — compact, aggressive, and capable of turning home advantage into a genuine weapon. Arbeloa is expected to revert to a near-full-strength XI after ringing the changes in the EFL Cup, with Ryan Sessegnon pushing for a return from a groin problem. Tom Cairney remains absent, and Tete joins him on the sidelines, but the core of this Fulham side is intact and dangerous.

Manchester United, meanwhile, are licking their wounds. Back-to-back defeats — including a two-goal collapse and a loss against ten men — have cranked up the pressure on Michael Carrick. The manner of those losses will sting more than the results themselves. United have looked brittle when the game turns chaotic, and the midfield has been overrun far too easily. But there is a reason they are still favourites here: the attacking talent is undeniable, and Carrick's side have shown they can dominate spells against mid-table opposition. The question is whether they can stop the bleeding long enough to impose themselves at a ground where they have historically had to work hard.