Fulham v Manchester United: Try 9/1 Bruno booking Bet Builder

• United have lost 8 of their 15 matches this season

• If visitors implode again, Fulham (-1) at 6/17.00 appeals

• Back Fernandes to be booked in defeat on BB at 9/110.00

• Find out about Betfair's 90 Minute Payout here!

Fulham v Man Utd
Saturday, 12:30
Live on TNT Sports 1

Fulham holding their own

The excuses are there for Fulham not being any good this season. Their star striker, Aleksandar Mitrovic, left for Saudi Arabia, boss Marco Silva was also heavily linked with a move there and midfield lynchpin Joao Palhinha could easily have had the hump after flying to Munich to complete a medical with Bayern only to be told the deal had fallen through.

And yet Fulham are doing just fine. They're nearer sixth place than the relegation zone in terms of points and over their last eight games in all competitions they've won four, drawn two and lost just two - to Chelsea and Premier League leaders Spurs.

Most expected them to be turned over by Brighton at the Amex last week but a Palhinha curler secured a 1-1 draw. And Championship highflyers Ipswich looked more than tricky opponents in the Carabao Cup at Portman Road in midweek but Fulham were convincing in a 3-1 win and booked their place in the last eight.

United in a mess

It's easy to ignore the knee-jerk howling and hollering of radio phone-ins that inevitably follow defeats for a big club. But at least distressed Manchester United fans have solid stats to back up their protestations.

Lame and directionless back-to-back defeats to Manchester City (Premier League) and Newcastle (Carabao Cup) in the last week mean United have lost eight of their first 15 games of a season for the first time since 1962-1963.

Erik ten Hag's comments that he's seeing progress look baffling because, as well as the stats, his team aren't passing the eye test either. United look a disjointed mess. Teams are outrunning them. The passion isn't there.

A number of top-flight bosses are under threat but the day after United, the then holders, capitulated to Newcastle, Ten Hag was trading at a very precarious 3.3512/5 on the exchange in the Next Manager To Leave market.

Fulham could really punish favourites

Fulham have home advantage and are in better form so it's easy to think they're an auto-bet at 9/43.25 given United's current woes. Surely few will rush to back the away side at 6/52.20. Perhaps some will see value in the Draw at 5/23.50.

I have two conflicting thoughts here. The first is that United have often found themselves on the floor in recent seasons and yet somehow scraped a narrow win when the heat was really on. In short, I'm suspicious of them pulling off that same trick here.

The second is that Ten Hag's men are in so much bother that this could get really grim. Therefore, instead of backing the hosts at 2s, really go for it and take Fulham (-1) on the handicaps at a mouthwatering 6/17.00. Given the price, it's the latter thought that wins out.

Fulham have actually led United in their last two meetings - both at Old Trafford - but went on to lose both. But you get the feeling that in similar circumstances this time they'd be in a far better position to finish them off.

One obvious response from the dwindling number of diehards who still hold faith in the Red Devils is that United have won their last two Premier League away games. That may be a fact but they were 1-0 at Burnley and 2-1 at Sheffield United, two sides who have accumulated five points between them from a combined 20 matches. It could be a very different story against a competent Fulham.

Goalscorer options tough to find

Had Mitrovic still been at Craven Cottage, he would have been the perfect candidate to deliver the knockout blow(s) to United. But, as it stands, no Fulham player has scored more than two Premier League goals this season so there's no obvious alternative.

It's a similar case with United. Their forward players have all struggled for goals, leaving Scott McTominay as their most prolific marksman in the Premier League this season with three.

That said, Palhinha has two in his eight top-flight starts so the Portuguese midfielder to net in a Fulham win at 12/113.00 on the Bet Builder could be a way in.

Cash in on frustrated Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes probably wouldn't make a great poker player. When he's not happy, his teammates and everybody watching will know all about it.

And those frustrations have translated into six yellow cards for club and country this season, including two in United's latest three fixtures: home to Copenhagen and home to Manchester City.

Fernandes, who was also booked 14 times last season, is unlikely to keep everything under control if it all goes wrong on Saturday so that makes the prospect of him being shown a card in a United defeat an enticing one - even more so when noting the price of 9/110.00.

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