Uh oh, Erik's army is in trouble again! Manchester United got walloped by noisy neighbors Manchester City last week. It was like watching giants stomping on ants!

Now boss Erik ten Hag needs his team to bounce back quickly against Fulham's swashbuckling side. But that won't be easy- peasy lemon squeezy.

Fulham has been the surprise package so far, playing like pirates on a treasure hunt. Their captain is Aleksandar Mitrovic - he's a monster up front who can bash defenders out of the way!

And in midfield, they have Joao Palhinha, who zips passes around like a wizard. United will need Scotty McTominay to get stuck in and stop Palhinha from working his magic!

At the back, Fulham has Tim Ream and Tosin Adarabioyo. They're like brick walls that block everything! Getting past them will be trickier than getting veggies past a fussy five-year-old.

Out wide, United's defenders better watch out for Willian and Bobby De Cordova-Reid. They're speed demons who can cause trouble on the break.

Upfront for United, Marcus Rashford and Antony will be licking their lips looking for gaps in Fulham's defense. They'll dash through if sniffed!

In goal, United has Andre Onana who likes to play as a sweepkeeper. But rushing out of his box is risky - Mitrovic will pounce on any mistakes!

This is a huge game for both teams. Erik Ten Hag needs a win to stop the Giants at United from stomping their feet.

But if Fulham plays like pirates and swashbuckles their way to victory, it'll be another bad day at the office for poor Erik!

Could this be the game where plucky Fulham sink mighty United's ship? Let's find out in this week's huge battle by the banks of the River Thames

Fulham vs Manchester United

The match will take place on Saturday, 4th November 2023, at Craven Cottage

Erik's Army Eager to Bounce Back from City Smashing

After being completely outplayed by rivals Manchester City last week, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will be demanding a strong reaction from his troops against Fulham. The Red Devils were given a footballing lesson by Pep's slick City side, and Erik's army will be fired up to prove that was just a minor blip. Fulham best beware - this United side will be hungry to take out their frustrations from the difficult derby defeat. Erik and the boys will be raring to go at Craven Cottage!

McTominay Must Get Stuck In to Stop Sublime Silva

In midfield, Scott McTominay will need to get stuck into Fulham's dangerman Joao Palhinha to stop the Portuguese puppet master pulling the strings. If given time on the ball, Palhinha can spray passes all over the park and cause chaos. McTominay will have to hustle and harry the sublime Silva signing, disrupting Fulham's flow. It will be a midfield battle royale - no place for the faint-hearted!

Rashy and Antony Hold Key to Cracking Cottagers' Tough Nut

Manchester United will be looking to speedsters Marcus Rashford and Antony to blast through Fulham's super sturdy defense. Rashy and Antony love zooming down the wings faster than a pair of fighter jets. If they can use their slippery dribbling to sneak in behind Fulham's brick wall backline, the Red Devils might just be able to crack the Cottagers' tough nut. Rashy and Antony could end up being United's superheroes if they can unlock Fulham's fortress!

Massive Match With Seasons in the Balance

This is going to be one epic encounter by the banks of the River Thames! The match is humongously huge for both sides. If United win, it would give them their smile back after grumpy City made them frown last week. But if fearless Fulham can topple the giants from Manchester, it would be a fairytale result for Marco Silva's swashbuckling crew. With the stakes sky high, this could be a rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns than a theme park! Buckle up for this thriller - it's gonna be wild!

Samba Sensation Andreas Holds the Key

Keep your eyes on Andreas Pereira, United's samba sensation who's back from Italy! Andreas has been spicy as hot salsa since returning, zooming around midfield and pinging passes with flair. He might just have enough tango tricks up his sleeve to unlock Fulham's robust backline barricade. If Andreas goes full Brazilian with a magical midfield masterclass, even Fulham's fierce fortress could come falling down in spectacular style!

Tactics Tom Ten Hag Faces Tricky Test

After getting it terribly tangled against City, United boss Erik ten Hag faces a brain-busting challenge to get his tactics spot on this time. Will we see Lisandro Martinez partner Varane at the back to make United more stubborn? And could Sancho get the nod to zap down the wings? Whatever Erik's plan, it needs to be way better than the muddled mess against City! Tactics Tom Ten Hag simply has to get his thinking cap on and cook up the right recipe this time around! Over to you Erik

Predicted Lineups

Fulham: Bernd Leno, A. Robinson, Tim Ream, C. Bassey, T. Castagne, J. Palhinha, A. Pereira, Alex Iwobi, Willian, B. Decordova-Reid, Rodrigo Muniz

Manchester United: Andre Onana, S. Reguilon, V. Lindelof, R. Varane, Diogo Dalot, S. McTominay, C. Eriksen, M. Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Antony, R. Hojlund

Key Battles

Wilson vs Dalot

One intriguing duel will see Harry Wilson's craft up against Diogo Dalot's energy on Fulham's left wing. Wilson is capable of unlocking any defense with his creativity and delivery. Dalot will have to blend his attacking and defensive duties intelligently to keep Wilson quiet. The Portuguese fullback can't be caught too far forward, or Wilson may exploit the space behind him.

Conclusion

This match represents a great opportunity for United to return to winning ways before the World Cup. But Fulham have proven difficult to beat on home soil, so United can't take victory for granted. Clinical finishing could make the difference, with both defenses looking vulnerable lately. Ten Hag will hope Antony and Rashford can fire United to a vital three points which would restore morale ahead of the mid-season break. It should be an entertaining game between two attack-minded teams.