In an electrifying clash at Craven Cottage, Manchester United faced a surprising setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham on Sunday. Substitute Emile Smith Rowe's timely strike dashed United's hopes of a perfect start to the season, leaving them still searching for their first Premier League win.

The match took a twist when Rodrigo Muniz inadvertently put United ahead with an own goal, but Smith Rowe quickly replied by converting Alex Iwobi’s cross, snatching a crucial point for Fulham.

United's talisman and captain, Bruno Fernandes, endured a frustrating day, notably missing a penalty kick in the first half that could have shifted the momentum in their favor.

Despite introducing a formidable £200 million attacking trio of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo, United struggled to break through. Their only goal came from a deflected header by teenage centre-back Leny Yoro, which took an unexpected bounce off Muniz.

Initially, Sesko started on the bench, with Mason Mount leading the attack. Notably absent was Rasmus Hojlund, amidst swirling transfer rumors surrounding his future.

The early minutes saw United almost take control as Mount set up Cunha, whose shot rattled the post — an indicator of the opportunities slipping away for the visitors.

Fulham created their chances too, with a clever flick from the returning Ryan Sessegnon finding Josh King, but United's keeper Altay Bayindir was sharp, mitigating danger after a shaky start.

As discussions with Royal Antwerp around goalkeeper Senne Lammens continue, Bayindir's performance had its moments of both promise and panic. He demonstrated better distribution compared to Andre Onana, highlighted by a long clearance that nearly led to a goal.

The game reached a fever pitch as VAR intervened over a questionable foul by Calvin Bassey on Mount during a corner. Referee Chris Kavanagh's decision to award a penalty came as a surprise to Fulham’s boss Marco Silva, but Fernandes’ subsequent miss from the spot left the home side relieved.

The second half saw Amorim bring on Sesko for Casemiro, and it paid off as Yoro scored from a corner just seven minutes later, putting United briefly back in the lead.

However, Fulham's resilience shone through as they responded in the 72nd minute. After a missed defensive play by Matthijs de Ligt, Smith Rowe capitalized and found the net, sealing a well-deserved draw for the home side.

As the match concluded, it was a day of mixed emotions for both teams, with Fulham celebrating a hard-earned point while United continued to search for consistency early in the season.