Fulham v Manchester United: Premier League – live

Morning everyone and welcome to the first Premier League match of the weekend. Could it also be the last of Erik ten Hag’s career?

Conceivably. In the Sack Race, he is now way ahead of every other PL manager bar Paul Heckingbottom. Yes, even the bosses of Burnley, Luton and Bournemouth are sitting more comfortably than the manager of Manchester United. If ten Hag’s team lose today, it will be their third defeat in a week. If they lose badly today – 3-0, say – the board may wield the axe while there’s still some faint hope flickering in the Champions League.

The good news for United is that after being embarrassed by two big clubs, they face a smaller one today. Against teams outside the top seven, they’ve been wobbly but effective: played six, won five, lost one. They had three tussles with Fulham last season and won the lot. At Craven Cottage a year ago, they found the sort of last-gasp winner (from Alejandro Garnacho) that has brought them some consolation this season. Their only wins in London since then have come in knock-outs – the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup semi, when they squeezed past Brighton on penalties. On trips to London in the league, they’ve been feeble: played six, drawn two, lost four.

Fulham’s own form has been patchy, a notch worse than last season. At home they’ve beaten only promoted sides (Luton and Sheffield United). The other two home games have been against their neighbours, in mid-table as well on the map. Fulham lost 3-0 to Brentford and 2-0 to Chelsea.

That should make United firm favourites today. As it is, Marco Silva will surely be telling his squad that they’re there for the taking. If Fulham win by two goals, they will leap from 14th to eighth and overtake United, who could quite plausibly plummet to 12th today. All it would take, on top of that two-goal defeat, is success for Palace at Burnley and for Wolves at Sheffield United, plus any result you like in Brentford’s game against West Ham. How are the mighty falling.

Kick-off is at 12.30pm GMT and I’ll be back soon with the team sheets. It will be fascinating to see which players Erik ten Hag trusts to get him out of a tight corner.