Iwobi and Bassey earn praise as Fulham draw with Manchester United

Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey were both rated seven out of 10 by BBC Sport after Fulham drew 1-1 with Manchester United at Craven Cottage in the Premier League on Sunday.

The pair started for Fulham and produced strong performances as the London club continued their search for a first league victory under manager Alvaro Arbeloa. Fulham appeared set to claim all three points, but Matheus Cunha scored late to deny them.

The result means Fulham have drawn their past two league matches after losing each of their opening three fixtures. They remain 19th in the table with two points from five games, while Manchester United are 12th on five points.

BBC Sport highlighted the demands placed on Bassey by Manchester United’s approach, with the visitors playing without an orthodox centre-forward.

“Not the easiest game positionally as Manchester United played without an orthodox centre-forward. Got forward to create Fulham’s goal,” BBC Sport wrote in its assessment of the defender.

Iwobi was also praised for his movement and work in attack. The midfielder looked to find space on the inside-left channel when Fulham advanced and delivered balls that nearly produced further chances.

“Also tried to exploit the inside left channel when Fulham went forward. Low cross almost created a chance for Gonzalo Garcia and another deep one did for King,” BBC Sport said.

Fulham have shown periods of organisation and competitiveness against stronger opposition, notably in their recent draws against Liverpool and Manchester United. However, lapses in defence and a failure to protect leads have continued to undermine their results.

The club faced early criticism over their structure and what were described as soft defensive displays during the opening run of defeats. There were also reports of unrest within the squad.

Arbeloa took charge with limited senior managerial experience, following a mixed six-month spell at Real Madrid in which he finished second in La Liga and reached the Champions League quarter-finals.

Fulham had ended the previous season in 11th place under Silva, meaning the expectation for the new campaign was mid-table stability rather than an immediate overhaul.

The international break now gives Arbeloa an opportunity to develop his methods before Fulham return to league action. Their next three fixtures are viewed as more realistic opportunities to secure the first victory of his tenure.

Fulham’s performances against Liverpool and Manchester United suggest they can compete with more established opponents, but their inability to close out matches remains a concern. Whether the early results are simply part of an adjustment period or point to a more serious problem should become clearer when they face more winnable opposition.

For now, the Cottagers remain without a Premier League win under their new Spanish coach.